Combination Drug Therapy Better in COPD Patients

Older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) saw better results using a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) and inhaled corticosteroid combination therapy compared to those that used LABA by itself, according to a recent study.

For the study, conducted in Ontario, Canada from 2003 to 2011, researchers matched 8712 participants with COPD, age 66 years and older, beginning combination therapy (LABA and inhaled corticosteroids) to 3160 similar new users of LABA treatment alone.
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The study showed that 57.5% of participants taking the combination therapy experienced death or hospitalization compared to 61.2% of the LABA-alone group, which investigators noted was a significant difference. 

Investigators further noted that participants using the combination therapy who were not using a long-acting anticholinergic inhaler and those with asthma-COPD overlap syndrome saw a greater decrease in risk.

The complete study is published in the September issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association.

-Michelle Canales

References:

Gershon AS, Campitelli MA, Crozford R, et al. Combination long-acting β-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids compared with long-acting β-agonists alone in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. JAMA. 2014 Sept [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.11432.

Calverley PMA. Treating COPD in the real world. JAMA. 2014 Sept [epub ahead of print] doi: 10.1001/jama.2014.11322