Efficacy and safety of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with COPD: a systematic review and meta-analysis of health outcomes

CRP, Fibrinogen, White Blood Cells, and Blood Cell Indices as Prognostic Biomarkers of Future COPD Exacerbation Frequency: The TIE Cohort Study

Background/Objective: Systemic inflammation is common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and evidence suggests that inflammatory biomarkers can predict acute exacerbations (AECOPDs). The aim of this study was to analyse whether C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, white blood cell count (WBC), or the blood cell indices PLR (platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio), SII (systemic immune inflammation index), SIRI (systemic inflammation response index), and AISI (aggregate index of systemic inflammation) can predict future AECOPDs. Methods: In the Tools Identifying Exacerbations (TIE) cohort study, participants with spirometry-confirmed COPD were recruited from primary and secondary care in three Swedish regions and assessed during a stable phase of COPD. AECOPD frequency during the three-year follow-up was reviewed in medical records. Associations were analysed via ordinal logistic regressions. Results: Of the 571 participants, 46% had ≥1 AECOPD during follow-up, and the mean ± SD AECOPD frequency was 0.63 ± 1.2/year. In unadjusted analyses, high levels of CRP (odds ratio 1.86, 95% CI 1.29-2.67), fibrinogen (2.09, 1.38-3.16), WBCs (2.18, 1.52-3.13), SII (1.52, 1.05-2.19), SIRI (1.76, 1.23-2.52), and AISI (1.99, 1.38-2.87) were associated with a higher AECOPD frequency. After adjustment for AECOPD history, age, sex, smoking, body mass index, COPD Assessment Test score, lung function, and inhaled corticosteroid use, associations remained for high levels of CRP (adjusted odds ratio of 1.64; 95% CI of 1.08-2.49), fibrinogen (1.55; 1.07-2.24), and WBC (1.65; 1.10-2.47). Conclusions: CRP, fibrinogen, and WBC, assessed during stable-phase COPD, enhanced AECOPD prediction, whereas PLR, SII, SIRI, and AISI did not.

An overview of atmospheric aerosol and their effects on human health

Epidemiologic investigations have previously been published in more than 200 papers, and several studies have examined the impacts of particle air pollution on health. The main conclusions now being made about the epidemiological evidence of particle pollution-induced health impacts are discussed in this article. Although there is no universal agreement, most reviewers conclude that particulate air pollution, particularly excellent combustion-cause contamination prevalent in many municipal and manufacturing environments, is a significant risk for cardiopulmonary sickness and mortality. Most epidemiological research has concentrated on the impacts of acute exposure, although the total public health implications of chronic acquaintance's outcome may be more extraordinarily significant. According to some reviewers, prolonged, repeated exposure raises the risk of cardiorespiratory death and chronic respiratory illness. A more general (but still universal) agreement is that short-term particle pollution exposure has been shown to aggravate pre-existing pulmonary and cardiovascular diseases and increase the number of community members who become sick, require medical treatment, or die. Several in-depth studies conducted in the global and Indian regions are addressed.

Inhalation devices and inhaled corticosteroids particle size influence on severe pneumonia in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are associated with an increased risk of pneumonia among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The introduction of extrafine particle ICS has aimed to improve the distribution of medicine in the airways by altering deposition within the lungs, potentially affecting efficacy and side effects. It remains unclear if extrafine particle ICS administration alters the risk of pneumonia compared with standard particle size ICS.

METHODS

An observational cohort study including all Danish COPD outpatients receiving ICS from 2010 to 2017. The primary outcome was pneumonia hospitalisation in the different ICS particle dosing regimens. The primary analysis was an adjusted Cox proportional hazards model. For sensitivity analysis, a subgroup analysis of patients receiving spray devices was done. Further, we created a propensity score matched cohort, in which we matched for the same covariates as adjusted for in the main analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 35 691 patients were included of whom 1471 received extrafine particle ICS. Among these patients, 4657 were hospitalised due to pneumonia. Patients with COPD receiving extrafine particle ICS had a lower risk of hospitalisation due to pneumonia compared with patients receiving standard particle size ICS in our primary analysis (HR 0.75; 95% CI 0.63 to 0.89; p=0.002), subgroup analysis (HR 0.54; 95% CI 0.45 to 0.65; p<0.0001) and the propensity-matched population (HR 0.72; 95% CI 0.60 to 0.87; p=0.0006).

INTERPRETATION

The use of extrafine particle ICS administration was associated with a lower risk of pneumonia hospitalisation in patients with COPD compared with those who received standard size treatment.

Recent Advances (2015-2020) in Drug Discovery for Attenuation of Pulmonary Fibrosis and COPD

A condition of scarring of lung tissue due to a wide range of causes (such as environmental pollution, cigarette smoking (CS), lung diseases, some medications, etc.) has been reported as pulmonary fibrosis (PF). This has become a serious problem all over the world due to the lack of efficient drugs for treatment or cure. To date, no drug has been designed that could inhibit fibrosis. However, few medications have been reported to reduce the rate of fibrosis. Meanwhile, ongoing research indicates pulmonary fibrosis can be treated in its initial stages when symptoms are mild. Here, an attempt is made to summarize the recent studies on the effects of various chemical drugs that attenuate PF and increase patients' quality of life. The review is classified based on the nature of the drug molecules, e.g., natural/biomolecule-based, synthetic-molecule-based PF inhibitors, etc. Here, the mechanisms through which the drug molecules attenuate PF are discussed. It is shown that inhibitory molecules can significantly decrease the TGF-β1, profibrotic factors, proteins responsible for inflammation, pro-fibrogenic cytokines, etc., thereby ameliorating the progress of PF. This review may be useful in designing better drugs that could reduce the fibrosis process drastically or even cure the disease to some extent.

Inhaled corticosteroids versus placebo for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

The role of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been the subject of much uncertainty. COPD clinical guidelines currently recommend selective use of ICS. ICS are not recommended as monotherapy for people with COPD, and are only given in combination with long-acting bronchodilators due to greater efficacy of combination therapy. Incorporating and critiquing newly published placebo-controlled trials into the monotherapy evidence base may help to resolve ongoing uncertainties and conflicting findings about their role in this population.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the benefits and harms of inhaled corticosteroids, used as monotherapy versus placebo, in people with stable COPD, in terms of objective and subjective outcomes.

SEARCH METHODS

We used standard, extensive Cochrane search methods. The latest search date was October 2022.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised trials comparing any dose of any type of ICS, given as monotherapy, with a placebo control in people with stable COPD. We excluded studies of less than 12 weeks' duration and studies of populations with known bronchial hyper-responsiveness (BHR) or bronchodilator reversibility.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard Cochrane methods. Our a priori primary outcomes were 1. exacerbations of COPD and 2. quality of life. Our secondary outcomes were 3. all-cause mortality, 4. lung function (rate of decline of forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁)), 5. rescue bronchodilator use, 6. exercise capacity, 7. pneumonia and 8. adverse events including pneumonia. ]. We used GRADE to assess certainty of evidence.

MAIN RESULTS

Thirty-six primary studies with 23,139 participants met the inclusion criteria. Mean age ranged from 52 to 67 years, and females were 0% to 46% of participants. Studies recruited across the severities of COPD. Seventeen studies were of duration longer than three months and up to six months and 19 studies were of duration longer than six months. We judged the overall risk of bias as low.  Long-term (more than six months) use of ICS as monotherapy reduced the mean rate of exacerbations in those studies where pooling of data was possible (generic inverse variance analysis: rate ratio 0.88 exacerbations per participant per year, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82 to 0.94; I² = 48%, 5 studies, 10,097 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; pooled means analysis: mean difference (MD) -0.05 exacerbations per participant per year, 95% CI -0.07 to -0.02; I² = 78%, 5 studies, 10,316 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). ICS slowed the rate of decline in quality of life, as measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (MD -1.22 units/year, 95% CI -1.83 to -0.60; I² = 0%; 5 studies, 2507 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; minimal clinically importance difference 4 points). There was no evidence of a difference in all-cause mortality in people with COPD (odds ratio (OR) 0.94, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.07; I² = 0%; 10 studies, 16,636 participants; moderate-certainty evidence). Long-term use of ICS  reduced the rate of decline in FEV₁ in people with COPD (generic inverse variance analysis: MD 6.31 mL/year benefit, 95% CI 1.76 to 10.85; I² = 0%; 6 studies, 9829 participants; moderate-certainty evidence; pooled means analysis: 7.28 mL/year, 95% CI 3.21 to 11.35; I² = 0%; 6 studies, 12,502 participants; moderate-certainty evidence).

ADVERSE EVENTS

in the long-term studies, the rate of pneumonia was increased in the ICS group, compared to placebo, in studies that reported pneumonia as an adverse event (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.88; I² = 55%; 9 studies, 14,831 participants; low-certainty evidence). There was an increased risk of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OR 2.66, 95% CI 1.91 to 3.68; 5547 participants) and hoarseness (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.74; 3523 participants). The long-term studies that measured bone effects generally showed no major effect on fractures or bone mineral density over three years. We downgraded the certainty of evidence to moderate for imprecision and low for imprecision and inconsistency.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review updates the evidence base for ICS monotherapy with newly published trials to aid the ongoing assessment of their role for people with COPD. Use of ICS alone for COPD likely results in a reduction of exacerbation rates of clinical relevance, probably results in a reduction in the rate of decline of FEV₁ of uncertain clinical relevance and likely results in a small improvement in health-related quality of life not meeting the threshold for a minimally clinically important difference. These potential benefits should be weighed up against adverse events (likely to increase local oropharyngeal adverse effects and may increase the risk of pneumonia) and probably no reduction in mortality. Though not recommended as monotherapy, the probable benefits of ICS highlighted in this review support their continued consideration in combination with long-acting bronchodilators. Future research and evidence syntheses should be focused in that area.

A descriptive cohort study of withdrawal from inhaled corticosteroids in COPD patients

Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy is widely prescribed without a history of exacerbations and consensus guidelines suggest withdrawal of ICS in these patients would reduce the risk of side effects and promote cost-effective prescribing. The study describes the prescribing behaviour in the United Kingdom (UK) in relation to ICS withdrawal and identifies clinical outcomes following withdrawal using primary and secondary care electronic health records between January 2012 and December 2017. Patients with a history ≥12 months’ exposure who withdrew ICS for ≥6 months were identified into two cohorts; those prescribed a long-acting bronchodilator maintenance therapy and those that were not prescribed any maintenance therapy. The duration of withdrawal, predictors of restarting ICS, and clinical outcomes were compared between both patient cohorts. Among 76,808 patients that had ≥1 prescription of ICS in the study period, 11,093 patients (14%) withdrew ICS therapy at least once during the study period. The median time without ICS was 9 months (IQR 7–14), with the majority (71%) receiving subsequent ICS prescriptions after withdrawal. Patients receiving maintenance therapy with a COPD review at withdrawal were 28% less likely to restart ICS (HR: 0.72, 95% CI 0.61, 0.85). Overall, 69% and 89% of patients that withdrew ICS had no recorded exacerbation event or COPD hospitalisation, respectively, during the withdrawal. This study provides evidence that most patients withdrawing from ICS do not experience COPD exacerbations and withdrawal success can be achieved by carefully planning routine COPD reviews whilst optimising the use of available maintenance therapies.

Prediction of treatment nonadherence among older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease using Medicare real-world data

BACKGROUND: Suboptimal maintenance medication (MM) adherence remains a clinical problem among Medicare beneficiaries with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OBJECTIVE: To inform risk-based personalized decision-making, this study sought to develop and validate prediction models of nonadherence to COPD MMs for Medicare beneficiaries. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of beneficiaries aged 65 years and older with COPD and inhaled MMs. Nonadherence (proportion of days covered < 0.8) was measured in 12 months following the first MM fill after COPD diagnosis. Logistic and least absolute shrinkage selector operator regressions were implemented, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) evaluated model accuracy, as well as positive predictive values and negative predictive values. Our models evaluated different sets of predictors for two cohorts: those with an MM prescription before COPD diagnosis (prevalent users) and those without (new users). RESULTS: Among 16,157 prevalent and 40,279 new users of MMs, 11,271 (69.8%) and 34,009 (84.4%), respectively, were nonadherent. The best-performing logistic models achieved AUROCs of 0.8714 and 0.881, positive predictive values of 0.881 and 0.881, and negative predictive values of 0.559 and 0.578, respectively, for prevalent and new users. The least absolute shrinkage selector operator models had similar accuracy. Models with baseline-only predictors had average performance (AUROC < 0.72). The most important predictors were initial MM adherence, short-acting bronchodilator use, and asthma. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this study is the first to develop predictive models of nonadherence to COPD MMs. Generated models achieved good discrimination and underlined the importance of early adherence. Well-performed models can be useful for care decision-making and interventions to improve COPD medication adherence after the first critical few months following a treatment episode. DISCLOSURES: All authors declared no conflicts of interest.

Medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a historical non-interventional cohort study with validation against RCT results

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment is informed by randomised controlled trial results, but it is unclear if these findings apply to people excluded from these trials. We used data from the TORCH (TOwards a Revolution in COPD Health) randomised controlled trial to validate non-interventional methods for assessing the clinical effectiveness of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, before applying these methods to the analysis of people who would have been excluded from TORCH.

OBJECTIVES

To validate the use of non-interventional Clinical Practice Research Datalink data and methods for estimating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment effects against trial results, and, using validated methods, to determine treatment effects in people who would have been excluded from the TORCH trial.

DESIGN

A historical non-interventional cohort design, including validation against randomised controlled trial results.

SETTING

The UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink.

PARTICIPANTS

People aged ≥ 18 years with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease registered in Clinical Practice Research Datalink GOLD between January 2000 and January 2017. For objective 1, we prepared a cohort that was analogous to the TORCH trial cohort by applying TORCH trial inclusion/exclusion criteria followed by individual matching to TORCH trial participants. For objectives 2 and 3, we prepared cohorts that were analogous to the TORCH trial that, nevertheless, would not have been eligible for the TORCH trial because of age, asthma, comorbidity or mild disease.

INTERVENTIONS

The long-acting beta-2 agonist and inhaled corticosteroid combination product Seretide (GlaxoSmithKline plc) [i.e. fluticasone propionate plus salmeterol (FP-SAL)] compared with (1) no FP-SAL exposure or (2) exposure to salmeterol (i.e. the long-acting beta-2 agonist) only.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Exacerbations, mortality, pneumonia and time to treatment change.

RESULTS

For objective 1, the exacerbation rate ratio was comparable to that in the TORCH trial for FP-SAL compared with salmeterol (0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.97, vs. TORCH trial 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.95), but not for FP-SAL compared with no FP-SAL (1.30, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 1.42, vs. TORCH trial 0.75, 95% confidence interval 0.69 to 0.81). Active comparator results were also consistent with the TORCH trial for mortality (hazard ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.65 to 1.32, vs. TORCH trial hazard ratio 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.77 to 1.13) and pneumonia (risk ratio 1.39, 95% confidence interval 1.04 to 1.87, vs. TORCH trial risk ratio 1.47, 95% confidence interval 1.25 to 1.73). For objectives 2 and 3, active comparator results were consistent with the TORCH trial for exacerbations, with the exception of people with milder chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in whom we observed a stronger protective association (risk ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.46 to 0.70, vs. TORCH trial risk ratio 0.85, 95% confidence interval 0.74 to 0.97). For the analysis of mortality, we saw a lack of association with being prescribed FP-SAL (vs. being prescribed salmeterol), with the exception of those with prior asthma, for whom we observed an increase in mortality (hazard ratio 1.49, 95% confidence interval 1.21 to 1.85, vs. TORCH trial-analogous HR 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.64 to 1.32).

CONCLUSIONS

Routinely collected electronic health record data can be used to successfully measure chronic obstructive pulmonary disease treatment effects when comparing two treatments, but not for comparisons between active treatment and no treatment. Analyses involving patients who would have been excluded from trials mostly suggests that treatment effects for FP-SAL are similar to trial effects, although further work is needed to characterise a small increased risk of death in those with concomitant asthma.

LIMITATIONS

Some of our analyses had small numbers.

FUTURE WORK

The differences in treatment effects that we found should be investigated further in other data sets. Currently recommended chronic obstructive pulmonary disease inhaled combination therapy (other than FP-SAL) should also be investigated using these methods.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 51. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Management of lung disease in alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: what we do and what we do not know

Management of lung disease in patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) includes both non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Lifestyle changes with avoidance of environmental pollutants, including tobacco smoke, improving exercise levels and nutritional status, all encompassed under a disease management program, are crucial pillars of AATD management. Non-pharmacological therapies follow conventional treatment guidelines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Specific pharmacological treatment consists of administering exogenous alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT) protein intravenously (augmentation therapy). This intervention raises AAT levels in serum and lung epithelial lining fluid, increases anti-elastase capacity, and decreases several inflammatory mediators in the lung. Radiologically, augmentation therapy reduces lung density loss over time, thus delaying disease progression. The effect of augmentation therapy on other lung-related outcomes, such as exacerbation frequency/length, quality of life, lung function decline, and mortality, are less clear and questions regarding dose optimization or route of administration are still debatable. This review discusses the rationale and available evidence for these interventions in AATD.

Inhaled Corticosteroid and Secondary Glaucoma: A Meta-analysis of 18 Studies

Purpose

Guidelines and systematic reviews frequently warn of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)-induced glaucoma. However, most of the published studies deny it.

Methods

We performed a systematic review of randomized, cohort, nested-case control, cross-sectional studies by using Meta-analyses of Observational Studies in Epidemiology statement. Four major databases, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Search Manager, and the Web of Science Core Collection as well as meta-analysis were used. Studies comparing incidence, prevalence and intraocular pressure (IOP) between patients who were treated with and without ICSs were included. A random-model meta-analysis was performed using the inverse variance method.

Results

Out of 623 studies screened, 18 with 31,665 subjects were finally included. No significant difference between the 2 groups was observed for crude glaucoma incidence (odds ratio [OR], 0.95; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.86–1.04; P = 0.26; I² = 0%; P for heterogeneity = 0.57) as a primary endpoint, adjusted glaucoma incidence (OR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.65–1.24; P = 0.64), crude prevalence (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 0.23–14.19; P = 0.57), adjusted prevalence (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.50–2.96; P = 0.66), IOP change during ICS treatment (mean difference [MD] +0.01 mmHg; 95% CI, −0.19–0.20; P = 0.95), and single measurement IOP (MD +0.37 mmHg; 95% CI, −0.24–0.97; P = 0.23). Time-to-event analysis for glaucoma development as one of the secondary endpoints (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.28–0.96) suggested a reverse association between ICS and glaucoma.

Conclusions

The ophthalmological side effects of ICSs, such as glaucoma and intraocular hypertension, should not be exaggerated.

Trial Registration

University Hospital Medical Information Network Center Clinical Trial Registry Identifier: UMIN000040351

Fyn Tyrosine Kinase as Harmonizing Factor in Neuronal Functions and Dysfunctions

Fyn is a non-receptor or cytoplasmatic tyrosine kinase (TK) belonging to the Src family kinases (SFKs) involved in multiple transduction pathways in the central nervous system (CNS) including synaptic transmission, myelination, axon guidance, and oligodendrocyte formation. Almost one hundred years after the original description of Fyn, this protein continues to attract extreme interest because of its multiplicity of actions in the molecular signaling pathways underlying neurodevelopmental as well as neuropathologic events. This review highlights and summarizes the most relevant recent findings pertinent to the role that Fyn exerts in the brain, emphasizing aspects related to neurodevelopment and synaptic plasticity. Fyn is a common factor in healthy and diseased brains that targets different proteins and shapes different transduction signals according to the neurological conditions. We will primarily focus on Fyn-mediated signaling pathways involved in neuronal differentiation and plasticity that have been subjected to considerable attention lately, opening the fascinating scenario to target Fyn TK for the development of potential therapeutic interventions for the treatment of CNS injuries and certain neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Structural analysis of retinal blood vessels in patients with COPD during a pulmonary rehabilitation program

Cardiovascular diseases are frequently present in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Population-based studies found associations between retinal vessel diameters and cardiovascular health, but it is unknown whether this also applies to COPD patients. Therefore, we measured retinal vessel diameters in COPD patients and aimed to determine the association with cardiovascular risk factors, lung function, and functional outcomes. In addition, we investigated whether an exercise-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program would change retinal vessel diameters, as a proxy for improved microvascular health. Demographics and clinical characteristics, including pulmonary function, exercise capacity, blood pressure, blood measurements and level of systemic inflammation were obtained from 246 patients during routine assessment before and after PR. Retinal vessel diameters were measured from digital retinal images. Older age and higher systolic blood pressure were associated with narrower retinal arterioles (β: -0.224; p = 0.042 and β: -0.136; p < 0.001, respectively). Older age, higher systolic blood pressure and lower level of systemic inflammation were associated with narrower retinal venules (β: -0.654; -0.229; and -13.767, respectively; p < 0.05). No associations were found between retinal vessel diameters and lung function parameters or functional outcomes. After PR, no significant changes in retinal venular or arteriolar diameter were found. To conclude, retinal vessel diameters of COPD patients were significantly associated with systolic blood pressure and systemic inflammation, whilst there was no evidence for an association with lung function parameters, functional outcomes or other cardiovascular risk factors. Furthermore, an exercise-based PR program did not affect retinal vessel diameter.

Weighing the evidence for pharmacological treatment interventions in mild COPD; a narrative perspective

There is increasing focus on understanding the nature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during the earlier stages. Mild COPD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease [GOLD] stage 1 or the now-withdrawn GOLD stage 0) represents an early stage of COPD that may progress to more severe disease. This review summarises the disease burden of patients with mild COPD and discusses the evidence for treatment intervention in this subgroup.

Overall, patients with mild COPD suffer a substantial disease burden that includes persistent or potentially debilitating symptoms, increased risk of exacerbations, increased healthcare utilisation, reduced exercise tolerance and physical activity, and a higher rate of lung function decline versus controls. However, the evidence for treatment efficacy in these patients is limited due to their frequent exclusion from clinical trials. Careful assessment of disease burden and the rate of disease progression in individual patients, rather than a reliance on spirometry data, may identify patients who could benefit from earlier treatment intervention.

Inhaled corticosteroids and the risk of lung cancer in COPD: a population-based cohort study

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) are often prescribed in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Their impact on the risk of lung cancer, a leading cause of mortality in COPD patients, remains uncertain.

Population-based linked administrative data between the years 1997 and 2007 from the province of British Columbia, Canada, were used to evaluate the association between lung cancer risk and ICS use in COPD patients. COPD was defined on the basis of receipt of three COPD-related prescriptions in subjects ≥50 years of age. Exposure to ICS was incorporated into multivariable Cox regression models using several time-dependent methods (“ever” exposure, cumulative duration of use, cumulative dose, weighted cumulative duration of use and weighted cumulative dose).

There were 39 676 patients who met the inclusion criteria. The mean±sd age of the cohort was 70.7±11.1 years and 53% were female. There were 994 (2.5%) cases of lung cancer during follow-up. In the reference case analysis (time-dependent “ever” exposure), ICS exposure was associated with a 30% reduced risk of lung cancer (HR 0.70 (95% CI 0.61–0.80)). ICS exposure was associated with a decrease in the risk of lung cancer diagnosis over all five methods of quantifying exposure.

This population-based study suggests that ICS use reduces the risk of lung cancer in COPD patients.

Change in inhaled corticosteroid treatment and COPD exacerbations: an analysis of real-world data from the KOLD/KOCOSS cohorts

Background

This cohort study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was performed to evaluate the status of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) prescriptions following the 2017 revision of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines.

Methods

A total of 1144 patients from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease and Korea Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders Subgroup Study cohorts, with final follow-up visits completed between 2017 and 2018, were analyzed. Features indicative of ICS usage were as follows: a history of asthma, blood eosinophils of ≥300 cells/μl, or ≥ 2 exacerbations in the year prior to enrollment. Among baseline ICS users, we compared annual total and severe exacerbation rates, based on ICS continuation or withdrawal.

Results

ICS-containing regimens were prescribed to 46.3% of the enrolled of patients in 2014; this decreased to 38.8% in 2017, and long-acting dual bronchodilators were used instead. Among ICS users in 2017, 47.5% did not exhibit features indicative of ICS usage; 478 used ICS at baseline, and ICS was withdrawn in 77 (16.1%) during the study period. The proportion of patients with asthma and the baseline annual exacerbation rate were greater in the ICS withdrawal groinup than in the ICS continued group (56.6% vs. 41%, p = 0.01; 0.79 vs. 0.53, p < 0.001). Annual exacerbation rates during the follow-up period were similar between the ICS-withdrawal and ICS -continued groups (0.48 vs. 0.47, p = 0.84); however, former exhibited a significantly higher rate of severe exacerbation (0.22 vs. 0.12, p = 0.03).

Conclusions

Prescriptions of ICS to treat COPD decreased with increased use of long-acting dual bronchodilators. ICS withdrawal might impact severe exacerbation; the potential risks and benefits of withdrawing ICS should therefore be considered based on patients’ characteristics.

Chronic Lung Pathologies That Require Repair and Regeneration

Chronic lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis, are a major cause of mortality worldwide. With the increasing incidence with ageing, the full impact of these diseases is yet to be realised. For most chronic lung diseases there are limited treatments options, with the existing approaches mainly addressing symptom relief. Little progress has been made, in recent years, in the development of new therapeutic strategies for managing these burdensome pathologies. There is an urgent need to increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these diseases. Endogenous progenitor cells (stem cells) have been recognised in many organs, including the lungs where they are suggested to maintain a population of cells that are able to facilitate the endogenous repair processes. Emerging knowledge of how these repair processes are disrupted in chronic lung diseases and the potential to capitalise upon the regenerative capacity of stem cell populations raise the hopes of the field worldwide for innovative treatment approaches for these devastating diseases in the future. This chapter outlines the series of diseases that may benefit from these emerging new therapeutic outlooks.

Effect of allergic phenotype on treatment response to inhaled bronchodilators with or without inhaled corticosteroids in patients with COPD

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disorder encompassing different phenotypes with different responses to treatment. The present 1-year, two-center hospital-based study investigated whether the plasma immunoglobulin E (IgE) level and/or eosinophil cell count could be used as biomarkers to stratify patients with COPD according to predicted responses to inhaled corticosteroids (ICS)-based therapy.

METHODS

A hospital-data based cohort study of COPD patients treated at two territory hospital centers was conducted for 1 year. Allergic biomarkers, including blood eosinophil counts and IgE levels, were assessed at baseline. Lung function parameters, including forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and the COPD Assessment Test (CAT), were also evaluated. The frequencies of acute exacerbation (AE) and pneumonia were also measured. Eosinophilia and a high IgE level were defined as >3% and 173 IU/mL, respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 304 patients were included. Among patients with eosinophilia and high IgE levels, ICS-based therapy was associated with significant improvements in FEV1, FVC, and CAT scores, compared with bronchodilator (BD) therapy (P≤0.042). ICS-based therapy was also associated with a significantly lower incidence of AE vs BD-based therapy (11.7% vs 24.1%; P<0.008). Among patients with only eosinophilia, ICS-based therapy yielded significantly better CAT score results vs BD-based treatment (7 vs 13; P=0.032). A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis found that the combination of a high plasma IgE level and eosinophilia most sensitively and specifically identified patients who would benefit from the addition of ICS to BD therapy.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the use of blood eosinophil cell counts plus IgE levels as predictive biomarkers of the ICS response in certain patients with COPD. Both biomarkers could potentially be used to stratify COPD patients regarding ICS-based therapy.

Humidity affects the morphology of particles emitted from beclomethasone dipropionate pressurized metered dose inhalers

The effects of propellant type, cosolvent content, and air humidity on the morphology and solid phase of the particles produced from solution pressurized metered dose inhalers containing the corticosteroid beclomethasone dipropionate were investigated. The active ingredient was dissolved in the HFA propellants 134a and 227ea with varying levels of the cosolvent ethanol and filled into pressurized metered dose inhalers. Inhalers were actuated into an evaporation chamber under controlled temperature and humidity conditions and sampled using a single nozzle, single stage inertial impactor. Particle morphology was assessed qualitatively using field emission scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam-helium ion microscopy. Drug solid phase was assessed using Raman microscopy. The relative humidity of the air during inhaler actuation was found to have a strong effect on the particle morphology, with solid spheroidal particles produced in dry air and highly porous particles produced at higher humidity levels. Air humidification was found to have no effect on the solid phase of the drug particles, which was predominantly amorphous for all tested formulations. A critical level of air relative humidity was required to generate porous particles for each tested formulation. This critical relative humidity was found to depend on the amount of ethanol used in the inhaler, but not on the type of propellant utilized. The results indicate that under the right circumstances water vapor saturation followed by nucleated water condensation or ice deposition occurs during particle formation from evaporating propellant-cosolvent-BDP droplets. This finding reveals the importance of condensed water or ice as a templating agent for porosity when particle formation occurs at saturated conditions, with possible implications on the pharmacokinetics of solution pMDIs and potential applications in particle engineering for drug delivery.

The place of inhaled corticosteroids in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a narrative review

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) belong to the armament for treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and as such, they are widely used in real life. This is a narrative review on evidence-based papers published in the English language listed in Medline between 1990 and March 2016 discussing ICS application in COPD. Recent meta-analyses clearly show that ICSs are able to decrease the rate of exacerbation and to delay the decline of lung function, although they do not prolong life, nor stop the progression of the disease. ICSs are included in guidelines for COPD treatment, exclusively in combination with bronch-15 odilators. However, adverse effects as pneumonia, cataracts, osteoporosis, etc. seem obvious. Newer studies show that patients with COPD are not a homogeneous population, and recently several phenotypes were identified, including asthma-COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS), among others. The efficacy of ICSs seems to be unequal for different subpopulations of patients with COPD and further research is needed to address a personalized approach in the treatment of COPD patients, and to 20 identify predictors for ICS treatment success. Usage of ICSs in patients with COPD needs to be précised especially in patients with COPD without asthma.

Combination therapy of inhaled steroids and long-acting beta2-agonists in asthma-COPD overlap syndrome

BACKGROUND

The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs)/long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) treatment in patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) compared to patients with COPD alone has rarely been examined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy for the improvement of lung function after ICS/LABA treatment in patients with ACOS compared to COPD alone patients.

METHODS

Patients with stable COPD were selected from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease (KOLD) cohort. Subjects began a 3-month ICS/LABA treatment after a washout period. ACOS was defined when the patients had 1) a personal history of asthma, irrespective of age, and wheezing in the last 12 months in a self-reported survey and 2) a positive bronchodilator response.

RESULTS

Among 152 eligible COPD patients, 45 (29.6%) fulfilled the criteria for ACOS. After a 3-month treatment with ICS/LABA, the increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV₁) was significantly greater in ACOS patients than in those with COPD alone (240.2±33.5 vs 124.6±19.8 mL, P=0.002). This increase in FEV₁ persisted even after adjustment for confounding factors (adjusted P=0.002). According to severity of baseline FEV₁, the ACOS group showed a significantly greater increase in FEV₁ than the COPD-alone group in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation (223.2±42.9 vs 84.6±25.3 mL, P=0.005), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in patients with severe to very severe airflow limitation.

CONCLUSION

This study provides clinical evidence that ACOS patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation showed a greater response in lung function after 3 months of ICS/LABA combination treatment.

The association between inhaled corticosteroid and pneumonia in COPD patients: the improvement of patients' life quality with COPD in Taiwan (IMPACT) study

To investigate the association between inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) exposure patterns and the risk of pneumonia in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, we performed a nested case-control study. Between 1998 and 2010, 51,739 patients, including 19,838 cases of pneumonia, were matched to 74,849 control subjects selected from a cohort of COPD patients using ICSs via risk-set sampling of the database constructed by the National Health Research Institutes of Taiwan. After adjusting for covariates, the current use of ICSs was associated with a 25% increase in the risk of pneumonia (odds ratio [OR] =1.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] =1.20–1.30), and there was an increase in the OR with increase in the average daily dosage. Additionally, users of fluticasone/salmeterol, fluticasone, and either fluticasone/salmeterol or fluticasone were more likely to be at a higher risk of pneumonia (OR =1.35, 95% CI =1.28–1.41; OR =1.22, 95% CI =1.10–1.35; and OR =1.33, 95% CI =1.27–1.39, respectively). In contrast, there were no statistically significant associations between the risk of pneumonia and the use of budesonide/formoterol, budesonide, or either budesonide/formoterol or budesonide. In conclusion, ICSs are significantly associated with an increased risk of pneumonia in COPD patients. The effect is prominent for fluticasone-containing ICSs but not for budesonide-containing ICSs.

Do inhaled corticosteroids protect against lung cancer in patients with COPD? A systematic review

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are commonly prescribed to COPD patients, particularly those with more advanced stages of the disease. These patients are also at increased risk of lung cancer. A systematic review was undertaken to identify studies that examined the association between lung cancer risk and ICS therapy in COPD patients. The search strategy was created in MEDLINE and extended to EMBASE as well as other relevant databases. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies were considered for inclusion. Studies were required to have incident lung cancer or deaths from lung cancer as an outcome in order to be included in the review. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Two observational studies directly addressed the specific research. Four RCTs presented sufficient data to calculate the relative risk of lung cancer in COPD patients. None of the identified RCTs showed a statistically significant association of ICS use with lung cancer risk. Observational studies showed a protective effect from ICS use, particularly at high doses. Given the observational evidence and the low numbers of lung cancer events in the RCTs, these results may be prone to type II error. The observational studies dealt with very specific patient populations and exposure definitions, which might not have adequately captured the complex relationship between ICS exposure and lung cancer risk. Results from RCTs suggest no effect of ICS on the risk of lung cancer. However, results from observational studies suggest the potential that ICS may confer a protective effect, particularly at high doses.

Updates in the management of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a preventable and treatable disease state characterized by persistent airflow limitation that is usually progressive and associated with an enhanced chronic inflammatory process. It is increasingly recognized as a major public health problem, affecting more than 20 million adults in the US. It is also recognized as a leading cause of hospitalizations and is the fourth leading cause of death in the US. The Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) operates to promote evidence-based management of COPD, increase awareness and encourage research. In 2011, GOLD published a consensus report detailing evidence-based management strategies for COPD, which were last updated in 2015. In recent years, newer strategies and a growing number of new pharmacologic agents to treat symptoms of COPD have also been introduced and show promise in improving the management of COPD. We aim to provide an evidence-based review of the available and upcoming pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment options for stable COPD, with continued emphasis on evidence-based management.

Overview of the pharmacological challenges facing physicians in the management of patients with concomitant cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD), including ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure (HF), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are often concomitant because they share both risk factors (smoke) and pathological pathways (systemic inflammation). Cardiovascular disease and COPD association is increasing overtime. Several registries clearly showed a negative impact on the clinical outcome of the concomitant presence of CVD and COPD. Patients with CVD and COPD present an increased risk for myocardial infarction, HF, and hospital admission for acute exacerbation of COPD, with a negative impact on prognosis. To reduce the effect of this negative association, it is of paramount importance the pharmacological treatment with both cardiovascular and respiratory drugs, according to current guidelines. Nevertheless, several registries and studies showed that evidence-based drugs (both cardiovascular and respiratory) are often under administered in this subset of patients. In this overview, we summarize the available data regarding the use of cardiovascular drugs (antiplatelet agents, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, β-blockers, and statins) in COPD patients, with or without concomitant IHD. Furthermore, we report advantages and disadvantages of respiratory drugs (β2 agonists, anti-cholinergics, and corticosteroids) administration in COPD patients with CVD.

Inhaled corticosteroids in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a pro-con perspective

Current guidelines limit regular use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) to a specific subgroup of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in whom the forced expiratory volume in 1 s is <60% of predicted and who have frequent exacerbations. In these patients, there is evidence that ICS reduce the frequency of exacerbations and improve lung function and quality of life. However, a review of the literature suggests that the evidence available may be interpreted to favour or contradict these observations. It becomes apparent that COPD is a heterogeneous condition. Clinicians therefore need to be aware of the heterogeneity as well as having an understanding of how ICS may be used in the context of the specific subgroups of patients with COPD. This review argues for and against the use of ICS in COPD by providing an in-depth analysis of the currently available evidence.

Cytokine response to the 6-min walk test in individuals with different degrees of COPD

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Physical exercise is a key part of rehabilitation programs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, although it could modulates immune system responses by altering the cytokine profile of such individuals. Furthermore, the degree of severity of COPD could influence the inflammatory response induced by exercise. To evaluate the cytokine profile of individuals with different degrees of COPD in response to a 6-min walk test (6MWT).

METHODS

Forty-one patients with COPD were classified according to the severity of the disease by Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease method: moderate = 14 individuals; severe = 14 individuals; very severe = 13 individuals. Blood sample collection was performed in the subjects pre and post a 6MWT. Cytokine plasma levels were analyzed to determine the cytokine profile using a Cytometric Bead Array technique (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA, USA) assay in flow cytometry.

RESULTS

A significant difference was observed in the interleukin (IL)-6 levels after test between very severe and severe groups (P = 0.036). Also, lower levels of IL-4 were observed in the severe group compared with the very severe and the moderate groups in the pretest (P = 0.029; P = 0.003, respectively), and different values between the moderate and severe groups in the post-test (P = 0.044). A significant time pre-post effect was found in the IL-4 levels on the very severe group (P = 0.046).

CONCLUSION

After the 6MWT, a discrete inflammatory response was observed in COPD patients, independent of the degree of severity. The results concerning IL-4 and IL-6 levels can be indicative of an attempt to control inflammation after the 6MWT in COPD patients.

Prevalence of inappropriate prescribing of inhaled corticosteroids for respiratory tract infections in the Netherlands: a retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended in prevailing guidelines for use in patients with persistent asthma or moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and recurrent exacerbations. Recent data from Australia showed that 44% of patients with a single ICS dispensing and without other respiratory inhalation medications ('one-off ICS') were co-dispensed oral antibiotics. Evidence of the merit of ICS for treating respiratory infections in subjects without asthma or COPD is lacking.

AIMS

The aims of the study were to describe the rate of one-off ICS dispensing in combination with oral antibiotics in subjects without chronic respiratory conditions in the Netherlands, and to compare this with the rate of one-off ICS dispensing in combination with oral antibiotics as reported earlier from Australia.

METHODS

Dispensing data were obtained from the Dutch Foundation of Pharmaceutical Statistics. Additional information was available on patients' age, sex and prescriber. Patients with any ICS dispensing in 2011 were selected.

RESULTS

Data were available from 1,725 Dutch community pharmacies (88%). Of 845,068 ICS users in 2011, 10% were dispensed one-off ICS, among which 13% had oral antibiotics co-dispensed. These ICS were mainly prescribed by general practitioners, mostly during winter months, for elderly persons, after high dosages of oral corticosteroids, and in single-inhaler combinations with a long-acting β2-agonist. The extrapolated total annual expense for this ICS use was € 555,000.

CONCLUSION

In the Netherlands one-off ICS dispensing in combination with oral antibiotics in subjects without chronic respiratory conditions was considerably lower than in Australia.

Inhaled corticosteroids and the increased risk of pulmonary tuberculosis: a population-based case-control study

AIMS

The association between inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) development is uncertain. We conducted a population-based case-control study to investigate whether ICS use increases the risk of developing TB.

METHODS

Tuberculosis patients aged 18 years and older were identified using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan between 2002 and 2010. Each TB patient was frequency matched to four control patients according to age, sex and index year. We retrospectively followed up the medications and comorbid medical conditions for the 5 years prior to the index date. We calculated the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of TB development using multiple logistic regression models.

RESULTS

Most of the study participants were men (68.7%), and the mean age among the 8091 TB patients and 32,364 comparison participants was 61.3 ± 18.6 years. After adjusting for potential covariates, ICS use caused a 2.04-fold increased risk of developing TB (adjusted OR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.78-2.33). When considering dose-response and adjusting for potential covariates, ICS and oral corticosteroids (OCS) use remained independent risk factors and exhibited a dose-response relationship of TB development. The multiplicative increased risk of TB was also significant in patients using ICS and OCS compared with patients not using ICS and OCS (adjusted OR: 4.31, 95% CI: 3.39-5.49). Previous TB history exhibited the greatest risk of TB development among the comorbidities (adjusted OR: 8.50, 95% CI: 7.52-9.61).

CONCLUSION

Long-term ICS use may increase the risk of TB.

Evaluating the safety of COPD medications: an evidence-based review

The goals of management of COPD include reducing exposure to risk factors; improving lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life; and decreasing exacerbations and mortality. Pharmacologic treatments, such as inhaled β2-agonists, anticholinergics, and inhaled corticosteroids, are widely used to help achieve these goals. In addition to efficacy, medication safety is an important consideration in selecting COPD treatments. Clinical trials conducted in support of the regulatory review and approval process establish the general efficacy and tolerability of pharmacologic treatments for COPD, and these data are reflected in product labeling. Following approval, further research continues to provide more data with longer follow-up and in broader settings than feasible in clinical trials. These data add to our knowledge of the efficacy of medications. Understanding medication safety requires assessment of the quality and appropriateness of study design, as well as knowledge of study findings, and is of paramount importance in making sound clinical judgments in the treatment of patients with COPD. In recent years, a wealth of data on COPD medications has been published from different sources, including randomized clinical trials, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and observational studies. This review discusses important considerations in interpreting data from different types of studies, summarizes the tolerability profile of COPD medications established in preapproval studies, and discusses new findings from more recent postapproval data.

Efficacy and safety of inhaler steroids in COPD patients: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health dilemma and cause of morbidity and mortality in either industrialized or developing countries and inhaled corticosteroids are widely used worldwide in these patients. In this systematic review, we aimed to analyze the effectiveness of these gents compared to placebo.

METHODS

Pubmed and Google Scholar literature search has been done to find randomized placebo-controlled trials investigating effectiveness of inhaled steroids in COPD patients. Finally, the data from 18 trials had been retrieved and included into a database, and analyzed using Stata ® v.9.0.

RESULTS

Data of 12, 297 COPD subjects were analyzed. Analysis of survival of patients in the two groups showed no significant difference between those taking inhaled corticosteroids or placebo (relative risk (RR): 1.071, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.938-1.224, P=0.309). Patients taking inhaled steroids were significantly less likely to develop an exacerbation episode (RR: 0.697, 95%CI: 0.596-0.816, p<0.001) or to have less withdrawal rate than placebo (RR: 0.882, 95%CI: 0.811-0.960; P=0.004).

CONCLUSION

Because steroid inhalers represent no survival effects in COPD patients, and due to their life threatening side effects (pneumonia, candidemia, etc.), we propose to replace steroid inhalers to cheaper agents which provide patients with comparable advantages (e.g. few exacerbations) and fewer side effects. Pulmonary rehabilitations as well as anti-inflammatory drugs are recommended to be more attended in COPD patients.

Beclometasone for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic obstructive lung condition, diagnosed in patients with dyspnoea, chronic cough or sputum production and/or a history of risk factor exposure, if their postbronchodilator forced expiratory lung volume in 1 second (FEV1)/forced vital lung capacity (FVC) ratio is less than 0.70, according to the international GOLD (Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease) criteria.Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) medications are now recommended for COPD only in combination treatment with long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs), and only for patients of GOLD stage 3 and stage 4 severity, for both GOLD groups C and D.ICS are expensive and how effective they are is a topic of controversy, particularly in relation to their adverse effects (pneumonia), which may be linked to more potent ICS. It is unclear whether beclometasone dipropionate (BDP), an unlicensed but widely used inhaled steroid, is a safe and effective alternative to other ICS.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the effectiveness and safety in COPD of inhaled beclometasone alone compared with placebo, and of inhaled beclometasone in combination with LABAs compared with LABAs alone.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of trials (CAGR) (includes Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED and PsycINFO, and handsearching of respiratory journals and meeting abstracts) (February 2013), conference abstracts, ongoing studies and reference lists of articles. We contacted pharmaceutical companies and drug marketing authorisation bodies/ethics committees in 49 countries and obtained licensing information.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials of BDP compared with placebo, or BDP/LABA compared with LABA, in stable COPD. Minimum trial duration is 12 weeks.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Inclusion, bias assessment and data extraction were conducted by two review authors independently. The analysis was performed by one review author. Study authors were contacted to obtain missing information.

MAIN RESULTS

For BDP versus placebo, two studies were included, of which one trial (participants n = 194) was included in the quantitative analysis. This study was a very high-dose trial with stable stage 2 and 3 COPD participants. No statistically significant results in change in lung function, mortality, exacerbations, dyspnoea scores or withdrawal were obtained. The quality of the evidence of all these outcomes was graded low to very low. Data on risk of pneumonia were lacking.The main focus of the review was the more clinically relevant BDP/LABA versus LABA arm. Therefore the findings are reported more fully.For BDP/LABA versus LABA, one study (n = 474) was included, with a further ongoing study identified for future inclusion. The included trial was a high-dose study of stable stage 3 COPD participants. Compared with LABA, people receiving BDP/LABA showed a statistically significant improvement in FEV1 lung function measurements of 0.051 L (95% confidence Interval (CI) 0.001 to 0.102, P = 0.046) (high quality of evidence) and in (self-reported) days without rescue bronchodilators (mean difference 7.05, 95% CI 0.84 to 13.26, P = 0.03) (low quality), both of which are unlikely to be clinically significant. Participants receiving BDP/LABA also had a statistically significant increased rate of exacerbations leading to hospitalisation (risk ratio (RR) 1.84, 95% CI 1.17 to 2.90, P = 0.008) (moderate quality), although this finding is debatable as this study's post hoc analysis showed no statistically significant difference when accounting for country-specific differences in hospitalisation policies. We did not find statistically significant differences for mortality (very low quality), pneumonia (low quality), exacerbations, exercise capacity, quality of life and dyspnoea scores, adverse events and withdrawal (all moderate quality).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found little evidence to suggest that beclometasone is a safer or more effective treatment option for people with COPD when compared with placebo or when used in combination with LABA; when statistically significant differences were found, they mostly were not clinically meaningful or were based on data from only one study. The review was limited by an inability to obtain data from one study and likely publication bias for BDP versus placebo, and by the inclusion of one study only for BDP/LABA versus LABA. An ongoing study of BDP/LABA versus LABA may have a further impact on these conclusions.

Optimizing safety of COPD treatments: role of the nurse practitioner

As the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continues to grow, management of the disease still faces considerable challenges. Despite the existence of effective pharmacological treatments, patient adherence is often poor. Side effects of medications and patients' concerns about potential side effects may contribute to poor adherence. Situated as they are at the frontline of patient care in the clinic, nurse practitioners play an important role in the management of COPD. This review discusses the current literature on medications available for management of COPD, focusing primarily on their safety and tolerability. This information can be particularly important for nurse practitioners, who can be invaluable in identifying side effects, and providing education to patients with COPD on the available treatments and the associated side effects. By helping patients to understand the balance of benefits and risks of treatment, nurse practitioners may be able to help improve adherence and thereby improve patient outcomes.

The evaluation of general practitioners' awareness/knowledge and adherence to the GOLD guidelines in a Shanghai suburb

The aim of this study was to determine levels of awareness of basic knowledge concerning control and prevention of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) among general practitioners (GPs) in a Shanghai suburb and to evaluate adherence to GOLD (COPD) guidelines in primary care. All 593 practitioners, including rural and urban community GPs at 15 primary care centers in the Songjiang district of Shanghai, were questioned, comprising 331 from urban communities and 262 from rural. Only 115 GPs (19.4%) understood that COPD is categorized into acute exacerbation and stable stages, and 328 GPs (55.3%) recognized that treatment for COPD patients was still required during stable stages. A total of 235 GPs (39.6%) knew that oxygen therapy should be administered for >15 h/d as regular home therapy. In 97 cases of stage III and IV COPD, only 1 patient had accepted long-term home oxygen therapy. Prescriptions that conformed with the GOLD recommendations occurred in approximately 8% of patients according to GOLD COPD severity staging. Basic knowledge of prevention and treatment of COPD was seriously lacking in GPs. Additional training is clearly needed.

Eight-step method to build the clinical content of an evidence-based care pathway: the case for COPD exacerbation

BACKGROUND

Optimization of the clinical care process by integration of evidence-based knowledge is one of the active components in care pathways. When studying the impact of a care pathway by using a cluster-randomized design, standardization of the care pathway intervention is crucial. This methodology paper describes the development of the clinical content of an evidence-based care pathway for in-hospital management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation in the context of a cluster-randomized controlled trial (cRCT) on care pathway effectiveness.

METHODS

The clinical content of a care pathway for COPD exacerbation was developed based on recognized process design and guideline development methods. Subsequently, based on the COPD case study, a generalized eight-step method was designed to support the development of the clinical content of an evidence-based care pathway.

RESULTS

A set of 38 evidence-based key interventions and a set of 24 process and 15 outcome indicators were developed in eight different steps. Nine Belgian multidisciplinary teams piloted both the set of key interventions and indicators. The key intervention set was judged by the teams as being valid and clinically applicable. In addition, the pilot study showed that the indicators were feasible for the involved clinicians and patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The set of 38 key interventions and the set of process and outcome indicators were found to be appropriate for the development and standardization of the clinical content of the COPD care pathway in the context of a cRCT on pathway effectiveness. The developed eight-step method may facilitate multidisciplinary teams caring for other patient populations in designing the clinical content of their future care pathways.

Effect of once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol on 24-hour pulmonary function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized, three-way, incomplete block, crossover study

BACKGROUND

Available inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting β(2)-agonist combinations for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) require twice-daily administration. The combination of fluticasone furoate (FF) and vilanterol (VI) FF/VI is being developed in a novel dry powder inhaler for the treatment of COPD and asthma with the potential for once-daily dosing. Results from Phase II studies have shown clinically and statistically significant improvements over placebo in trough (24-hour postdose) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)) after once-daily dosing with FF or VI (VI concurrently with an inhaled corticosteroid) in asthma and VI in COPD.

OBJECTIVES

This Phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed based on guidance from drug regulators with the goal of evaluating the 24-hour spirometric effect of once-daily FF/VI in patients with COPD.

METHODS

Patients (aged ≥40 years) who completed a 2-week placebo run-in period were randomized to 1 of 18 three-course sequences of placebo and 2 of 3 dose combinations of FF/VI (50/25 μg, 100/25 μg, and 200/25 μg), dosed once daily in the morning. Each 28-day treatment period was separated by a 2-week, single-blind, placebo washout period. The primary end point was time-adjusted (weighted mean) 0 to 24-hour FEV(1) (AUC) at the end of each 28-day treatment period (period days 28-29). Safety profile assessments included incidence of adverse events (AEs) (defined according to the Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities), 12-lead ECG outputs, vital signs (pulse rate, diastolic and systolic blood pressure) and clinical laboratory assessments (including fasting serum glucose and potassium) and 24-hour serum cortisol. The pharmacokinetics of FF and VI were assessed at the end of each 28-day treatment period with FF/VI.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven patients were screened; 54 completed run-in and were randomized to double-blind treatment. The mean patient age was 57.9 years, and 46% were male. The majority of patients were current smokers (83%) and were receiving short-acting β(2)-agonists within the 3 months before screening (63%). All 3 strengths of once-daily FF/VI demonstrated significantly higher 0 to 24-hour (period days 28-29) change from period baseline weighted mean FEV(1) than placebo: adjusted mean improvements from placebo in FEV(1) for FF/VI were 220 to 236 mL (all, P < 0.001). Improvements versus placebo in change from period baseline serial FEV(1) measures were observed at each time-point and with each strength of FF/VI over the 0 to 25-hour period (period days 28-29), indicating sustained bronchodilation. The overall incidence of on-treatment AEs was low (10%-12% with FF/VI; 4% with placebo); 2 serious AEs were reported during washout periods (1 AE after FF/VI 50/25 μg and 1 AE after placebo) but neither was considered treatment related. No serious AEs were reported during the treatment periods or during the follow-up period. No clinically or statistically significant differences from placebo were reported for serum glucose or potassium. No significant effects on vital signs, ECG, or 24-hour serial serum cortisol were reported. The extent of systemic exposure to FF and VI at steady state was low for all strengths of FF/VI.

CONCLUSIONS

FF/VI inhaled once daily in the morning for 28 days produced significant improvements in pulmonary function with a prolonged (>24 hours') duration of action in this population of patients with COPD. The combination was well tolerated. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01072149.

Inhaled corticosteroids for stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

The role of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been the subject of much controversy. Major international guidelines recommend selective use of ICS. Recently published meta-analyses have reported conflicting findings on the effects of inhaled steroid therapy in COPD.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the efficacy and safety of inhaled corticosteroids in stable patients with COPD, in terms of objective and subjective outcomes.

SEARCH METHODS

A pre-defined search strategy was used to search the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register for relevant literature. Searches are current as of July 2011.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We included randomised trials comparing any dose of any type of inhaled steroid with a placebo control in patients with COPD. Acute bronchodilator reversibility to short-term beta(2)-agonists and bronchial hyper-responsiveness were not exclusion criteria. The a priori primary outcome was change in lung function. We also analysed data on mortality, exacerbations, quality of life and symptoms, rescue bronchodilator use, exercise capacity, biomarkers and safety.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We contacted study authors for additional information. We collected adverse effects information from the trials.

MAIN RESULTS

Fifty-five primary studies with 16,154 participants met the inclusion criteria. Long-term use of ICS (more than six months) did not consistently reduce the rate of decline in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) in COPD patients (generic inverse variance analysis: mean difference (MD) 5.80 mL/year with ICS over placebo, 95% confidence interval (CI) -0.28 to 11.88, 2333 participants; pooled means analysis: 6.88 mL/year, 95% CI 1.80 to 11.96, 4823 participants), although one major trial demonstrated a statistically significant difference. There was no statistically significant effect on mortality in COPD patients (odds ratio (OR) 0.98, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.16, 8390 participants). Long-term use of ICS reduced the mean rate of exacerbations in those studies where pooling of data was possible (generic inverse variance analysis: MD -0.26 exacerbations per patient per year, 95% CI -0.37 to -0.14, 2586 participants; pooled means analysis: MD -0.19 exacerbations per patient per year, 95% CI -0.30 to -0.08, 2253 participants). ICS slowed the rate of decline in quality of life, as measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (MD -1.22 units/year, 95% CI -1.83 to -0.60, 2507 participants). Response to ICS was not predicted by oral steroid response, bronchodilator reversibility or bronchial hyper-responsiveness in COPD patients. There was an increased risk of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OR 2.65, 95% CI 2.03 to 3.46, 5586 participants) and hoarseness. In the long-term studies, the rate of pneumonia was increased in the ICS group compared to placebo, in studies that reported pneumonia as an adverse event (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.30 to 1.86, 6235 participants). The long-term studies that measured bone effects generally showed no major effect on fractures and bone mineral density over three years.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Patients and clinicians should balance the potential benefits of inhaled steroids in COPD (reduced rate of exacerbations, reduced rate of decline in quality of life and possibly reduced rate of decline in FEV(1)) against the potential side effects (oropharyngeal candidiasis and hoarseness, and risk of pneumonia).

Efficacy and safety characteristics of mometasone furoate/formoterol fumarate fixed-dose combination in subjects with moderate to very severe COPD: findings from pooled analysis of two randomized, 52-week placebo-controlled trials

Background

The clinical efficacy and safety of a mometasone furoate/formoterol fumarate (MF/F) fixed-dose combination formulation administered via a metered-dose inhaler was investigated in patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

Two 52-week, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials with identical study designs were conducted in current or ex-smokers (aged ≥40 years), and pooled study results are presented herein. Subjects (n = 2251) were randomized to 26 weeks of twice-daily treatment with MF/F 400/10 μg, MF/F 200/10 μg, MF 400 μg, F 10 μg, or placebo. After the 26-week treatment period, placebo subjects completed the trial and 75% of subjects on active treatment entered a 26-week safety extension. Coprimary efficacy variables were mean changes in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), area under the curve from 0 to 12 hours postdose (AUC_{0–12 h}), and morning predose/trough FEV₁ from baseline to the week 13 endpoint. Key secondary efficacy variables were St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores, symptom-free nights, time-to-first exacerbation, and partly stable COPD at the week 26 endpoint.

Results

In the 26-week treatment period, significantly greater increases in FEV₁ AUC_{0–12 h} occurred with MF/F 400/10 versus MF 400 and placebo at the week 13 and week 26 endpoints (P ≤ 0.032). These increases were over three-fold greater with MF/F 400/10 than with MF 400. Also, significantly greater increases in morning predose/trough FEV₁ occurred with MF/F 400/10 versus F 10 and placebo at the week 13 endpoint (P < 0.05). The increase was four-fold greater with MF/F 400/10 than with F 10. All active treatment groups achieved minimum clinically important differences from baseline (>4 units) in St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire scores at week 26. Symptom-free nights increased by ≥14% in the MF/F 400/10, MF 400, and F 10 groups (P ≤ 0.033 versus placebo). The incidence of exacerbations was lower in the MF/F groups (≤33.3%) than it was in the MF, formoterol, and placebo groups (≥33.8%) over the 26-week treatment period. The incidence of adverse events was similar in the active-treated and placebo-treated subjects across 26 weeks of treatment. Over the 1-year study period, there were no notable differences in the incidence or types of adverse events between the MF/F 400/10 and MF/F 200/10 groups compared with the MF or formoterol groups. Differences in rates of individual treatment-emergent adverse events were <3% between treatment groups. Rates of pneumonia were low (≤2%) across all treatment groups.

Conclusion

Patients treated with MF/F demonstrated significant improvements in lung function, health status, and exacerbation rates. Although significant improvements were seen with both doses, a trend showing a dose-response effect was observed in the lung function measurements.

Determinants of spirometry use and accuracy of COPD diagnosis in primary care

BACKGROUND

It is unclear if primary care physicians are following guidelines or using other patient characteristics and factors to determine when to perform spirometry in patients at risk for COPD. It is also unclear to what degree a diagnosis of COPD is accurately reflected by spirometry results.

OBJECTIVES

To examine characteristics associated with use of spirometry in primary care for patients with increased risk for COPD and to determine the accuracy of COPD diagnosis in patients with spirometry.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SUBJECTS

A cohort that met the following criteria was identified: ≥35 years of age; ≥ 2 primary care visits in internal medicine clinic in 2007; at least one respiratory or smoking cessation medication, or diagnosis of COPD or shortness of breath or dyspnea in 2007.

MAIN MEASURES

Medical records of all primary care physician visits prior to the time of inclusion in 2007 were reviewed. Data on patient demographics, co-morbidities, respiratory medication use, presence of symptoms, history of tobacco use, and pulmonary function tests were extracted.

KEY RESULTS

A total 1052 patients were identified. Dyspnea on exertion (Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.52 [95% CI 1.06-2.18]) and chronic cough (AOR 1.71 [1.07-2.72]) were the only chronic symptoms associated with use of spirometry. Current (AOR 1.54 [0.99-2.40]) or past smoking (AOR 1.09 [0.72-1.65]) status were not associated with use of spirometry. Of the 159 patients with a diagnosis of COPD, 93 (58.5%) met GOLD criteria and 81(50.9%) met lower limit of normal (LLN) criteria for COPD.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians use spirometry more often among patients with symptoms suggestive of COPD but not more often among patients with current or past tobacco use. For patients who had a spirometry and a diagnosis of COPD, primary care physicians were accurate in their diagnosis only half of the time.

Nebulized corticosteroids in the management of acute exacerbation of COPD

Acute exacerbations in chronic onstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are common and systemic steroids play an important role in the management of these cases along with the bronchodilators. Nebulized budesonide is being used in the acute attacks of bronchial asthma either in children or in adults. But the role of nebulized steroids in acute exacerbation of COPD is not much studied in the literature. In this clinical review we have evaluated the role of nebulized corticosteroids in the management of acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD). Through Medline, Pubmed and Embase we analyzed the various studies that has been done to study the role of nebulized corticosteroids in the management of acute exacerbation of COPD. The key words used for the search criteria were: acute exacerbation, COPD, nebulized corticosteroids, budesonide, fluticasone. Only eight studies were found which had evaluated the role of nebulized corticosteroids in acute exacerbations of COPD. All these studies had used nebulized budesonide in AECOPD in different dosages, and had been compared with both either parental or oral steroids, and standard bronchodilator therapy. All the studies had found the clinical efficacy of nebulized budesonide to be of similar extent to that of either parental or oral steroids in AECOPD. Side effects profile of nebulized budesonide was minimal and acceptable as compared to systemic steroids. Nebulized budesonide may be an alternative to parental/oral prednisolone in the treatment of acute exacerbations of COPD but further studies should be done to evaluate its long-term impact on clinical outcomes after an initial episode of COPD exacerbation.

Copd

INTRODUCTION

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a disease state characterised by airflow limitation that is not fully reversible. The airflow limitation is usually progressive and associated with an abnormal inflammatory response of the lungs to noxious particles or gases. Classically, it is thought to be a combination of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, although only one of these may be present in some people with COPD. The main risk factor for the development and deterioration of COPD is smoking.

METHODS AND OUTCOMES

We conducted a systematic review and aimed to answer the following clinical questions: What are the effects of maintenance drug treatment in stable COPD? What are the effects of smoking cessation interventions in people with stable COPD? What are the effects of non-drug interventions in people with stable COPD? We searched: Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and other important databases up to April 2010 (Clinical Evidence reviews are updated periodically; please check our website for the most up-to-date version of this review). We included harms alerts from relevant organisations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

RESULTS

We found 119 systematic reviews, RCTs, or observational studies that met our inclusion criteria. We performed a GRADE evaluation of the quality of evidence for interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

In this systematic review, we present information relating to the effectiveness and safety of the following interventions: alpha(1) antitrypsin, antibiotics (prophylactic), anticholinergics (inhaled), beta(2) agonists (inhaled), corticosteroids (oral and inhaled), general physical activity enhancement, inspiratory muscle training, nutritional supplementation, mucolytics, oxygen treatment (long-term domiciliary treatment), peripheral muscle strength training, psychosocial and pharmacological interventions for smoking cessation, pulmonary rehabilitation, and theophylline.

Mortality in COPD: causes, risk factors, and prevention

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading and increasing cause of death, the extent of which is underestimated as a consequence of underdiagnosis and underreporting on death certificates. Data from large trials, such as the Lung Health Study, Towards a Revolution in COPD Health (TORCH), Understanding Potential Long-term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium (UPLIFT), European Respiratory Society Study on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (EUROSCOP), and Inhaled Steroids in Obstructive Lung Disease (ISOLDE), have shown that the causes of death in patients with mild COPD are predominantly cancer and cardiovascular disease, but as COPD severity increases, deaths due to non-malignant respiratory disease are increasingly common. In practice, mortality of patients with COPD can be predicted by a variety of measures including: forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)), the ratio of inspiratory and total lung capacities, exercise capacity, dyspnea scores, and composite indices such as the body-mass index (B), degree of airflow obstruction (O), degree of functional dyspnea (D), and exercise capacity (E) (BODE) index. Smoking cessation improves survival in COPD patients, and in select patients with advanced disease, oxygen therapy, lung volume reduction surgery, or lung transplantation may also improve survival.

Airway obstructive diseases in older adults: from detection to treatment

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease occur commonly and may overlap among older adults. Smoking, air pollution, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness are the main risk factors. The treatment of these diseases in older adults does not differ from the available guidelines but may be complicated by the presence of comorbidities. Smoking cessation is essential for smokers, and pulmonary rehabilitation must be considered regardless of the age of the patient.

Association between incidence of acute exacerbation and medication therapy in patients with COPD

BACKGROUND

As exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) significantly worsen patients' health status and increase disease-related mortality, greater control of exacerbations has important implications for improving patients' health and survival. The incremental benefits of pharmacologic therapies in preventing COPD exacerbations remain unclear. The objective of this observational study was to examine the risk of COPD-related exacerbations between groups of patients receiving inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), anticholinergics (AC), long-acting beta(2)-agonists (LABA), or fixed-dose combinations of ICS and LABA.

METHODS

A 12-month retrospective cohort analysis of 2923 patients, who were at least 40 years old with the first time COPD in 12 months (i.e., no COPD for 12 months prior to this time) between 2000 and 2004, was conducted using the MarketScan research databases. Patients with at least two prescriptions for ICS, AC, LABA, or ICS + LABA during the observation period were followed from the index prescription date for the duration of the study. COPD-related exacerbations were defined as clinical events in which a primary diagnosis for a respiratory condition had resulted in hospitalization, an emergency room visit, or an outpatient visit followed by a prescription fill of oral corticosteroids or antibiotics within 14 days of the visit. Exacerbation rates were evaluated using a Cox proportional hazard model with adjustment for age, gender, comorbidities, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and the number of outpatient visits.

FINDINGS

Compared with ICS alone, COPD exacerbation rates were 35% (CI:22-42%) lower with ICS + LABA, 32% (CI:13-43%) lower with LABA, and 28% (CI:15-36%) lower with AC. The hazard ratio of the first observed COPD exacerbation was 13-18% lower with the use of bronchodilators, with or without ICS, than with ICS alone. In addition, patients receiving ICS alone experienced more exacerbations during the 12-month period following initiation of therapy than those patients receiving LABA, AC, or ICS + LABA. Generalizability of the results and randomization of treatments were limited due to nature of the administrative claim databases.

CONCLUSION

The present study found that use of bronchodilators, with or without ICS, in COPD patients resulted in a lower exacerbation rate when compared with ICS monotherapy. Further research is required to understand the clinical effects of specific pharmacologic therapies on COPD exacerbations, as well as their impact on long-term outcomes and costs.