IL7R and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: The diagnosis of COPD, as per the GOLD guidelines [15,16], requires post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC < 0.70 combined with FEV1 < 0.80 of the predicted value, thus, highlighting the clinical significance of the demonstrated concomitant increase in lnc-IL7R expression and the spirometric indicators of pulmonary function and/or health.