In stable COPD, should inhaled corticosteroids be used with | Figure 1
%27%3e%3cg%20id=%27Group-14%27%20transform=%27translate(13.000000,%20103.176124)%27%3e%3cg%20id=%27Group-Copy-5%27%20transform=%27translate(0.000000,%20182.676124)%27%3e%3crect%20id=%27Rectangle-8%27%20fill=%27%23E2E0DE%27%20x=%270%27%20y=%270%27%20width=%2736%27%20height=%2736%27%20rx=%2718%27%3e%3c/rect%3e%3cpath%20d=%27M28,27.6503435%20C28,22.127496%2023.5228474,17.6503435%2018,17.6503435%20C12.4771525,17.6503435%208,22.127496%208,27.6503435%20M18,16.3472505%20C20.8165136,16.3472505%2023.099749,14.0640151%2023.099749,11.2475015%20C23.099749,8.43098783%2020.8165136,6.1477524%2018,6.1477524%20C15.1834863,6.1477524%2012.9002509,8.43098783%2012.9002509,11.2475015%20C12.9002509,14.0640151%2015.1834863,16.3472505%2018,16.3472505%20Z%27%20id=%27Combined-Shape%27%20fill=%27%23FFFFFF%27%20fill-rule=%27nonzero%27%3e%3c/path%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/g%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Deleted account
Post in Asthma & COPD
In stable COPD, should inhaled corticosteroids be used with combination long‐acting beta2‐agonist/long‐acting muscarinic antagonist inhalers?
Key messages
• We are confident that quality of life is improved with triple therapy (inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus long‐acting beta2‐agonists (LABA) plus long‐acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA)) compared to combination bronchodilator inhalers (LABA plus LAMA).
• We are moderately confident that compared to combination bronchodilator inhalers, triple therapy results in reduced symptoms and an increased risk of pneumonia.
• We have little confidence that triple therapy lowers rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare‐ups and the risk of death or improves lung function when compared to combination bronchodilator inhalers.
What did we find?
We found four studies including a total of 15,412 people with COPD. The studies compared triple therapy ICS/LABA/LAMA inhalers to combination LABA/LAMA inhalers. Most people in the studies were in their mid‐sixties, had severe or very severe symptoms of COPD, and had had at least one recent COPD flare‐up; there were more men than women in the included studies.
We are confident that quality of life is improved with triple therapy compared to combination inhalers. We are moderately confident that symptoms are reduced by triple therapy, and that people treated with triple therapy have an increased risk of pneumonia compared to those treated with combination inhalers. We have little confidence in the findings that triple therapy may lower rates of COPD flare‐ups compared to combination inhalers; that there may be a lower risk of death with triple therapy compared to combination inhalers; or that triple therapy may reduce adverse events or improve lung function.
More research is needed, especially involving people with less severe COPD and those without recent COPD flare‐ups.
Read the full Cochrane Review: