The 2011 revision of the global strategy for the diagnosis, management and prevention of <scp>COPD</scp> (<scp>GOLD</scp>) – why and what?

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction</jats:title><jats:p>The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">G</jats:styled-content>lobal <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">I</jats:styled-content>nitiative for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">C</jats:styled-content>hronic <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">O</jats:styled-content>bstructive <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">L</jats:styled-content>ung <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">D</jats:styled-content>isease (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content>) has published a strategy for diagnosis and for management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (<jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content>) since 2001 and this has formed the basis for numerous national and regional guidelines.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Objectives</jats:title><jats:p>We describe the background for the 2011 revision of the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content> document.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods</jats:title><jats:p>The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content> document is updated annually and revised every 5 years based on published research as well as an evaluation by an expert panel of how to best formulate and disseminate knowledge on <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results</jats:title><jats:p>The <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content> 2011 revision states that spirometry is required for making a clinical diagnosis of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content>. At the same time, the document has less emphasis on spirometric evaluation of disease severity and launches a combined assessment taking symptoms, spirometry and history of exacerbations into account. This is matched with initial treatment for <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content> where smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation and physical activity in general are given high priority followed by pharmacologic treatment guided by the novel assessment scheme. Comorbidities are often present in <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content> and the <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content> 2011 revision gives some guidance in how to manage these as well as how to manage <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content> in the presence of comorbidities.</jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion</jats:title><jats:p>A more clinically oriented <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">GOLD</jats:styled-content> document will hopefully improve assessment and management of <jats:styled-content style="fixed-case">COPD</jats:styled-content>.</jats:p></jats:sec>