Prospects for the development of effective pharmacotherapy targeted at the skeletal muscles in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a translational review.

Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a prevalent and clinically important systemic manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) that predicts morbidity and mortality. Skeletal muscle retains its plasticity in response to anabolic stimuli such as exercise in COPD and is therefore a promising target for novel pharmacological therapies aimed at reducing disability and healthcare utilisation and improving mortality. In this article, we outline the steps the academic and pharmaceutical communities need to undertake for such therapeutic advances to be realised.