Tiotropium as Part of Inhaled Triple Therapy for COPD

Mortality was lower with triple therapy than with double therapy.

In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), how does triple inhaled therapy (tiotropium added to corticosteroid [ICS] plus long-acting β-agonist [LABA]) compare to double therapy (ICS plus LABA)? Because randomized trials are not available to answer this question, Scottish researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of 996 COPD patients on double therapy and 1857 patients on triple therapy.

During mean follow-up of 4.7 years, one third of patients died. Although spirometric measures of COPD at baseline were worse in the triple-therapy group than in the double-therapy group, crude mortality was 37% lower in the triple-therapy group. In analyses that were adjusted for baseline differences between groups, triple therap…

Reviewing Author

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Allan S. Brett, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose