International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "COPD and infection: new understanding of interactions, crossover and impacts" in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung condition characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms and airflow limitation. Infections, both bacterial and viral, play a significant role in exacerbating COPD and contributing to its morbidity and mortality. This Article Collection aims to explore the intricate relationship between COPD and infections, highlighting recent advances, ongoing challenges, and potential therapeutic strategies.

The Article Collection aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge regarding COPD and its interaction with infections. By bringing together experts from various fields, this issue hopes to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and drive forward research and clinical practices that can improve outcomes for COPD patients globally.

Subtopics include but are not limited to:

• Pathophysiology of COPD and Susceptibility to Infections
• Epidemiology of Infections in COPD Patients
• Impact of Viral Infections on COPD Progression
• Bacterial Colonization in COPD
• The Role of the Microbiome in COPD Exacerbations
• Antibiotic Resistance in COPD-Related Infections
• New Antibiotics and COPD
• Immunomodulatory Treatments to Prevent COPD Exacerbations
• Unusual Infectious Agents in COPD Patients
• Innovative Approaches to Managing COPD and Infections
• Future Directions in COPD and Infection Research

This Article Collection will accept a variety of article types. Here are the specific types of articles that are encouraged:

• Original Research Articles
• Review Articles
• Case Studies
• Methodological Papers
• Short Communications

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 30 June 2025.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code AIHQZ for a 10% discount on the Article Processing Charge and to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Guest Advisor

Ahmad Riyad Alsayed, Applied Science Private University, Jordon

[email protected]

The main aims of Dr. Alsayed's practice and research are to promote evidence-based medication use to improve disease outcomes and health-related quality of life of patients with internal medicine-related disorders. Dr. Alsayed’s research interests are clinical pharmacy, evidence-based medicine, clinical trials of effectiveness and safety, quality of life and pharmaceutical care research, with a special interest in infectious, respiratory, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.​

View all papers in this article collection

Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "Biomechanical Advancements in COPD" in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Extra-pulmonary functional decline is common in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). These include but are not limited to muscle fatigue, muscle weakness, falls, slower gait speed, and decreased physical activity. Biomechanics, the study of forces and how they act upon a body, can contribute greatly to our understanding of mechanisms leading to dysfunction. Biomechanical studies have provided insight into changes in balance, gait, muscle mechanics, and breathing mechanics to name a few. The use of biomechanical tools such as motion capture has been used to develop optoelectronic plethysmography allowing for study of lung volume contributions to breathing mechanics. Despite the uses of biomechanics in studying COPD, there remains a need to investigate functional outcomes, rehabilitation strategies, and preventative interventions.

Major extra-pulmonary patient concerns include increased fear of falling, increased falls, muscle fatigue, and/or muscle weakness, to name a few. Physiological mechanisms to these functional outcomes has been studied in considerable detail, and these studies have provided advancements in treatment. Extra-pulmonary functional decline that progresses with disease severity may be independent of a decline in lung function. It is important to intervene early and precisely to slow the progression of extra-pulmonary functional decline. Rehabilitation strategies are needed to restore or maintain levels of function. Further, there may be functional outcomes that decline in patients with COPD that have been considered part of the aging process, yet are tied to the pathophysiology of the disease. Biomechanical studies may complement mechanistic physiological investigations. Further, biomechanical assessments in clinic may provide an additional dimension of disease severity.

This Collection will bring together articles focused on extra-pulmonary functional outcomes associated with COPD, with special emphasis on biomechanics-based approaches. Articles may include investigations into mechanisms, both physiological and psychological, driving functional decline; advances in rehabilitation and treatment strategies to restore or maintain function; advancements in early identification of functional decline; precision medicine and treatments to slow the progression of functional decline; and similarly related topics. Preferred article types include original research, reviews, short report, and methodology. Other article types may be considered.

Keywords

• Balance and falls
• Gait and locomotion
• Physical therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation
• Muscle fatigue and weakness
• Extra-pulmonary function including exercise capacity

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 31 January 2026.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code XEVGI for a 10% discount on the Article Processing Charge and to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Please contact Zhiyuan Zhang at [email protected] with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Stephan I Rennard, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USA

[email protected]

Professor Rennard trained in pulmonary medicine at the NIH, joined University of Nebraska Medical Center as Chief, Pulmonary Medicine in 1984 where he remains Professor of Medicine. He has conducted basic and clinical investigations focusing on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He was a member of the original GOLD guidelines committee and has served on the Board of Directors of the American Thoracic Society, the American Lung Association, the COPD Foundation and the Alpha 1 Foundation. Currently he serves as the Medical Director for the Alpha 1 Foundation Therapeutic Development Network.

Jennifer Yentes, Texas A&M University, USA

[email protected]

Dr. Yentes' research focuses on functional resiliency and reserve in older adults, and in patients with COPD. Dr. Yentes’ group highlighted biomechanical changes in gait in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She has also explored the clinical utility of locomotor respiratory coupling in this population. Her research has shown that non-varying coupling is related to energy expenditure.

View all papers in this article collection

Dove Medical Press is pleased to invite you to submit your research to an upcoming Article Collection on "Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Improving Physiological, Physical, and Psychological Health Outcomes in Individuals with COPD" in the International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Optimal management of COPD includes non-pharmacological interventions including pulmonary rehabilitation, smoking cessation, disease self-management, medication adherence, routine vaccinations, oxygen therapy and ventilatory support, and physical activity promotion. This Article Collection highlights new and innovative non-pharmacological interventions for improving physiological, physical, and psychological outcomes in individuals with COPD.

COPD is a leading cause of morbidity, disability, and mortality worldwide. The disease affects the whole person impacting physiological (e.g., lung function), physical (e.g., physical activity, exercise capacity), and psychological (i.e., depression) outcomes. Non-pharmacological interventions are part of guideline-based care for COPD. Yet, gaps in the management of COPD exist. Many non-pharmacological interventions are underutilized and/or benefits dwindle over time. For example, while pulmonary rehabilitation remains the gold-standard for improving an array of health outcomes, it remains severely underused and benefits begin to wane after 12 months. New and novel non-pharmacological intervention can supplement existing non-pharmacological interventions for individuals with COPD with the potential to improve physiological, physical, and psychological outcomes.

This Article Collection seeks articles focused on intervention development and testing (from preliminary/pilot to effectiveness, implementation and dissemination studies) of interventions targeting improvement in physiological, physical, and/or psychological outcomes. We welcome original research articles, short reports, and systematic reviews. Study protocols of highly innovative non-pharmacological interventions will also be considered. Interventions may include a single component (e.g., balance training) or multiple components (e.g., complex behavioral interventions). Interventions that include chronic pain management, treatment of sleep disturbances, integrative therapies such as mind-body interventions, and psychotherapies (i.e., cognitive behavioral therapy) are salient to this Article Collection. Outcomes should broadly fall within the categories of: physiological, physical, and psychological domains and may include primary and/or secondary outcomes, as well as secondary analysis of completed trials. Moderator and/or mediation analyses of completed trials asking how and for whom interventions work are also welcomed.

Keywords

• Non-pharmacological interventions
• Physiological
• Physical
• Psychological
• Outcomes

All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this collection will not be handling the manuscripts (unless they are an Editorial Board member). Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 2 April 2026.

Please submit your manuscript on our website, quoting the promo code 15402 for a 10% discount on the Article Processing Charge and to indicate that your submission is for consideration in this Article Collection.

Please contact Zhiyuan Zhang at [email protected] with any queries regarding this Article Collection.

Guest Advisors

Patricia M. Bamonti, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, USA

[email protected]

Patricia M. Bamonti, PhD, ABPP, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, is a Staff Psychologist at VA Boston Healthcare System. Dr. Bamonti studies the impact of depression and anxiety symptoms on health outcomes in the context of pulmonary rehabilitation and physical activity interventions. She is currently developing and testing an integrated physical activity intervention with cognitive behavioural therapy for individuals with COPD and comorbid depression and/or anxiety.

Marilyn L. Moy, VA Boston Healthcare System, Harvard Medical School, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, USA

[email protected]

Marilyn L. Moy, M.D., M.Sc., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, is a Staff Pulmonary Physician at VA Boston Healthcare System. She is Medical Director of the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, accredited by the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Dr. Moy studies the role of physical activity in the risk stratification of COPD, technology-based interventions to promote PA, and the biological mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of PA on COPD outcomes.

View all papers in this article collection