Fewer COPD Exacerbations with Low-Dose Triple Therapy?

Compared with dual therapy, either low- or high-dose triple therapy prevented some chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations.

Current chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) guidelines recommend adding an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) to a long-acting β-agonist (LABA) and a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) in patients who continue to have exacerbations while receiving dual therapy (NEJM JW Gen Med Jun 15 2020 and Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2020; 201:56). In an industry funded study, researchers compared two different doses of ICS plus dual therapy with dual therapy alone in 8500 patients with moderate-to-very severe COPD and at least one exacerbation in the previous year. Patients were randomized to one of four groups, with all medications given twice daily:

Budesonide (160 µg) + formoterol + glycopyrrolate (low-dose triple therapy)
Budesonide (320 µg) + …

Reviewing Author

David J. Amrol, MD

Disclosures

Speaker’s BureauAstraZeneca; Incyte

David J. Amrol, MD

Disclosures

Speaker’s BureauAstraZeneca; Incyte

Fewer COPD Exacerbations with Low-Dose Triple Therapy?

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Reviewing Author