Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome

Asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS) is diagnosed when you have symptoms of both asthma and COPD. The sum of both components if often worse than expected.

ACOS is persistent airflow limitation with several features usually associated with asthma and other with COPD

Treatment recommendation is to treat the asthma until further investigations are done.- inhaled corticosteroid and add-on LABA and LAMAs. 

 

COPD - still breathless despite using SABA/SAMA and asthma/steroid responsive features → add a LABA + ICS

 

Diagnosis

• Previous diagnosis of asthma in context of COPD
• Variation if FEV1 of more than 400ml
• Diurnal variability in peak flow more than 20%
• Raised blood eosinophil count

 

Relatively new concept - not much on it