Oxidative Stress in COPD

Oxidative stress occurs when reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in excess of the antioxidant defence mechanisms and result in harmful effects, including damage to lipids, proteins and DNA. There is increasing evidence that oxidative stress is an important feature in inflammatory airway diseases, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [, , ]. This area of research has received new impetus by the recent development of several techniques for measuring oxidative stress in the lungs []. However, the pathophysiological role of oxidative stress in airway diseases will only be firmly established when more potent antioxidants become available for clinical use.