In 8656 patients with COPD from two large Danish population, Thomsen et al (2012) observed a greater risk of cardiovascular disease‐related hospitalisation or death compared with the non‐COPD counterparts, despite only 10% of the COPD patients displaying elevated levels of all three of the biomarkers measured (CRP, fibrinogen and leukocyte), suggesting the predictive power of these biomarkers on cardiovascular disease risk in COPD, even when presented in silos. This evidence concerns the gene CRP and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.