Pulmonary-intestinal cross-talk in mucosal inflammatory disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory diseases of mucosal tissues that affect the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts, respectively. They share many similarities in epidemiological and clinical characteristics as well as inflammatory pathologies. Importantly, both conditions are accompanied by systemic co-morbidities that are largely overlooked in both basic and clinical research. Therefore, consideration of these complications may maximise the efficacy of prevention and treatment approaches. Here, we examine both the intestinal involvement in COPD and the pulmonary manifestations of IBD. We also review the evidence for inflammatory organ cross-talk that may drive these associations, and discuss the current frontiers of research into these issues.