Chen S, Miravitlles M, Rhee CK, Pavord ID, Jones R, Carter V, Emmanuel B, Alacqua M, Price DB. Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Evidence of Eosinophilic Inflammation Experience Exacerbations Despite Receiving Maximal Inhaled Maintenance Therapy.
Int J Chron Obstruct Pulmon Dis 2022;
17:2187-2200. [PMID:
36110306 PMCID:
PMC9470244 DOI:
10.2147/copd.s378649]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Some patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience frequent exacerbations despite maximal inhaled therapy (“triple therapy”), possibly leading to high health care resource utilization (HCRU).
Aim
Describe characteristics, future HCRU, and mortality of patients with COPD who experience frequent exacerbations despite triple therapy; characterize individuals who may be candidates for biologic therapies.
Methods
This descriptive observational study used primary care data of patients aged ≥40 years in the United Kingdom receiving maintenance therapy for COPD who had ≥1 year of data prior to index date and ≥1 year of follow-up data. We described these patients’ clinical and demographic characteristics, including blood eosinophil counts (BEC), pattern of exacerbations, hospitalizations, and corticosteroid exposure, as well as future exacerbations, hospitalizations, and death.
Results
Of 43,753 patients with maintenance-treated COPD, 6480 experienced exacerbations despite ≥3 months of triple therapy. Of these, 5669 had available BEC: 1287 (22.7%) had BEC ≥250 cells/µL and ≥3 exacerbations in the year prior to the index date; 471 (36.6%) received ≥4 acute courses of oral corticosteroids. Patients with a pattern of high disease burden continued to have high disease burden: 51.1% experienced ≥3 exacerbations and 2.6% experienced ≥3 hospitalizations. Patients who experienced exacerbations despite triple therapy had a significantly higher risk of COPD-related death than other maintenance-treated patients (5.8% vs 2.1%).
Conclusion
Nearly one-quarter of patients receiving triple therapy for COPD who experienced frequent exacerbations had elevated BEC and ≥3 exacerbations, suggesting a potential mechanism of persistent eosinophilic inflammation that could be a target for eosinophil-depleting biologic therapy.
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