TY - JOUR T1 - Consensus on the Asthma–COPD Overlap (ACO) Between the Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC) and the Spanish Guidelines on the Management of Asthma (GEMA) JO - Archivos de Bronconeumología T2 - AU - Plaza,Vicente AU - Álvarez,Francisco AU - Calle,Myriam AU - Casanova,Ciro AU - Cosío,Borja G. AU - López-Viña,Antolín AU - Pérez de Llano,Luís AU - Quirce,Santiago AU - Román-Rodríguez,Miguel AU - Soler-Cataluña,Juan José AU - Miravitlles,Marc SN - 15792129 M3 - 10.1016/j.arbr.2017.06.001 DO - 10.1016/j.arbr.2017.06.001 UR - https://www.archbronconeumol.org/en-consensus-on-asthmacopd-overlap-aco--articulo-S1579212917301970 AB - Following a proposal by the Spanish Society of Pulmonology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR), sponsor of the Spanish COPD Guidelines (GesEPOC) and the Spanish Guidelines on the Management of Asthma (GEMA), authors of both papers have unified the criteria for the diagnosis of asthma–COPD overlap (ACO).This consensus defines ACO as the presence in a given patient of three elements: significant smoking exposure, chronic airflow limitation and asthma. Diagnosis is confirmed when a patient (35 years of age or older), smoker or ex-smoker of more than 10 pack-years, presents airflow limitation (post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC <0.7) that persists after treatment with bronchodilators and inhaled corticosteroids (even after systemic corticosteroids in selected cases), and an objective current diagnosis of asthma (according to GEMA criteria). In cases in which the diagnosis of asthma cannot be demonstrated, marked positive results on a bronchodilator test (FEV1 ≥15% and ≥400ml) or elevated blood eosinophil count (≥300eosinophils/μL) will also be diagnostic of ACO.The opinion of another 33 experts who had not participated in the consensus was sought using a modified Delphi survey. Up to 80% of respondents gave a very positive opinion of the consensus, and declared that it was better than other previous proposals. The GesEPOC-GEMA consensus on ACO provides a unique perspective of the diagnostic problem, using a simple proposal and a pragmatic diagnostic algorithm that can be applied at any healthcare level. ER -