Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD: 2003 update

Abstract

The GOLD Workshop Report, Global Strategy for the Diagnosis, Management and Prevention of COPD 1 was published in April 2001. It was prepared by a panel of experts nominated by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization with the aim of providing the best validated current concepts of COPD pathogenesis and the best available evidence on the most appropriate management and prevention strategies. In an effort to keep the GOLD Workshop Report as up to date as possible, GOLD assembled a Scientific Committee whose aim was to review clinical research that has an impact on COPD management. The initial review included publications that were published in June 2000 (approximately the time of completion of the 2001 report) through to March 2003. The results of the first 2 yrs of activity were posted on the GOLD website (www.goldcopd.com) in July 2003 2. Each year, a new update report will be posted. The GOLD Scientific Committee will also prepare a revision of the entire GOLD Workshop Report approximately every 5 yrs. The process for the first complete revision (to appear in 2006) will be developed in the autumn of 2003.