About the Authors

Peter Kardos

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Group Practice, Center for Allergy, Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Red Cross Maingau Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

Kai-Michael Beeh

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation INSAF, Respiratory Research Institute, Wiesbaden, Germany

Ulrike Sent

Roles Conceptualization, Writing – review & editing

ulrike.sent@sanofi.com

Affiliation Medical Affairs Consumer Healthcare, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt-Hoechst, Germany

Guido Bissmann

Roles Conceptualization, Project administration

Affiliation Medical Affairs Consumer Healthcare, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH, Frankfurt-Hoechst, Germany

Competing Interests

In the past 5 years PK was a member in advisory boards following pharmaceutical companies: AstraZeneca, Bayer USA, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Menarini, MSD, Novartis, Sanofi and Teva; received honoraria from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Cipla, Menarini, MSD, Novartis and Teva; participated in clinical trials financed by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim MSD and Novartis; was reimbursed for scientific conferences by AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Menarini and Novartis. KMB or his institution has received speaker fees and travel expenses (personal or institution): AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Berlin Chemie, Chiesi, eRT, GSK, Novartis, Pohl Boskamp, R-Pharm, Sanofi, Teva. Remuneration for scientific advice (personal or institution) was obtained from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Berlin Chemie, Chiesi, eRT, GSK, Mundipharma, Novartis, Pohl Boskamp, Sanofi, Sterna, Teva. Remuneration for conducting clinical studies (institution) was from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, GSK, Novartis, Pearl Therapeutics, Zentiva. US and GB are employees of Sanofi Aventis. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.