1. Definitions of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Nikos M. Siafakas -- 2. Epidemiology of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Jorgen Vestbo -- 3. Effects of acute exacerbations on the natural history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Sophia E. Schiza and Nicholas R. Anthonisen -- 4. Economic burden of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Scott D. Ramsey and Sean D. Sullivan -- 5. Pathophysiology of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / William MacNee -- 6. Immunopathology of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and exacerbations of bronchitis / Peter K. Jeffery. [and others] -- 7. Biomarkers of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Simon Gompertz and Robert A. Stockley -- 8. Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : a systemic disease? / Emiel F. M. Wouters. [and others] -- 9. Causes of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Jadwiga A. Wedzicha -- 10. Symptoms and signs of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Eumorfia Kondili, Dimitris Georgopoulos, and Nicholas R. Anthonisen -- 11. Pulmonary gas exchange in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Federico P. Gomez and Roberto Rodriguez-Roisin -- 12. Radiology of acute exacerbations of chronic pulmonary disease / Katerina Malagari and Argyro Voloudaki -- 13. Assessment of severity of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Craig A. Piquette and Stephen I. Rennard -- 14. Cardiopulmonary interaction in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Zoheir Bshouty -- 15. Skeletal muscles in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Thierry Troosters. [and others] -- 16. Water-electrolyte imbalances in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Maurizio Moretti, Enrico Clini, and Leonardo M. Fabbri -- 17. Metabolism and nutrition in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Roelinka Broekhuizen, Eva C. Creutzberg, and Annemie M.W.J. Schols -- 18. End-stage disease and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Victor M. Pinto-Plata and Bartolome R. Celli -- 19. Impact of sleep on acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Walter T. McNicholas -- 20. Antibiotics / Sat Sharma and Nicholas R. Anthonisen.

21. Bronchodilators in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Clare D. Ramsey and Nicholas R. Anthonisen -- 22. Corticosteroids / Kathryn L. Rice and Dennis E. Niewoehner -- 23. Oxygen therapy during acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Ioanna Mitrouska and Nikos M. Siafakas -- 24. Acute exacerbations : other treatment / Nikos Tzanakis and Eva Papadopouli -- 25. Noninvasive ventilation in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Mark W. Elliot -- 26. Invasive mechanical ventilation in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Dimitris Georgopoulos and Andrea Rossi -- 27. Weaning from the ventilator / Amal Jubran and Aiman Tulaimat -- 28. Rehabilitation and acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Nicolino Ambrosino and Roberto Porta -- 29. Home management of exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Josep Roca, Carme Hern�ndez. [and others] -- 30. Hospital management of acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Alvar G.N. Agusti, Miguel Carrera, and Ernest Sala -- 31. Acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as outcome of therapeutic interventions / Nikos M. Siafakas, John Kottakis, and Marios E. Froudarakis -- 32. Future research on acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease / Peter J. Barnes.