Exploring 'clinical conundrum' of asthma-COPD overlap in nonsmokers with chronic asthma

Researchers may be closer to finding the mechanism responsible for loss of lung elastic recoil and airflow limitation in nonsmokers with chronic asthma. The study reported that both nonsmokers and smokers with chronic asthma share features of COPD. This conundrum, often referred to as asthma-COPD overlap syndrome, has been assumed to be due to large and especially small airway remodeling.