help button home button
AJRCCM
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH

Published ahead of print on October 19, 2006, doi:10.1164/rccm.200602-244OC

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., Volume 175, Number 2, January 2007, 144-149

A more recent version of this article appeared on January 15, 2007
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
200602-244OCv1
175/2/144    most recent
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Kardos, P.
Right arrow Articles by Vogelmeier, C.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Kardos, P.
Right arrow Articles by Vogelmeier, C.

Submitted on February 19, 2006
Accepted on October 18, 2006

Impact of salmeterol/fluticasone propionate versus salmeterol on exacerbations in severe COPD

Peter Kardos1*, Marion Wencker2, Thomas Glaab2, and Claus Vogelmeier3

1 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Maingau Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 2 Department of Respiratory Medicine, TA Respiratory GlaxoSmithKline, Munich, Germany, 3 Department of Respiratory Medicine, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: pkardos{at}aol.com.

Rationale: Exacerbations of COPD greatly contribute to declining health status and the progression of the disease, thereby incurring significant direct and indirect healthcare costs. The prevention of exacerbations, therefore, is an important treatment goal. Objectives: To assess the impact of combination therapy with salmeterol / fluticasone propionate compared with salmeterol alone on moderate and severe exacerbations in COPD patients with severe disease and a history of repeated exacerbations. Methods: Randomized, double-blind parallel-group study. After a 4 week run-in period 994 clinically stable patients were randomized to one of two treatment groups: 507 patients received the salmeterol / fluticasone combination 50/500 µg bd and 487 received salmeterol 50 µg bd for 44 weeks. Main results: The total number of exacerbations was 334 in the combination therapy and 464 in the salmeterol group (p<0.0001). The annualized rate of moderate and severe exacerbations per patient was 0.92 in the combination therapy and 1.4 in the salmeterol group, corresponding to a 35% decrease. In addition, the mean time to first exacerbation in the combination therapy group was significantly longer compared to that of the salmeterol group (128 d vs. 93 d, p<0.0001). Other endpoints including health related quality of life, peak expiratory flow and use of rescue medication were significantly improved in the combination therapy group. Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that combination therapy with salmeterol / fluticasone compared to monotherapy with salmeterol significantly reduces the frequency of moderate/severe exacerbations in patients with severe COPD.


Key words: Inhaled corticosteroids, long acting beta 2 agonists, combination treatment, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, exacerbation




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
cfpHome page
A. D. D'Urzo
The "Towards a Revolution in COPD Health" study: Comparing treatment strategies
Can Fam Physician, May 1, 2008; 54(5): 740 - 741.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc Am Thorac SocHome page
J. A. Falk, O. A. Minai, and Z. Mosenifar
Inhaled and Systemic Corticosteroids in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Proceedings of the ATS, May 1, 2008; 5(4): 506 - 512.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
W. MacNee
Update in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2007
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., April 15, 2008; 177(8): 820 - 829.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
P. Ernst and S. Suissa
Inhaled Corticosteroids and Pneumonia in COPD: An Association Looking for Evidence
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2008; 177(5): 556 - 556.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M. O. Turner
Inhaled Corticosteroids and Pneumonia in COPD: An Association Looking for Evidence
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., March 1, 2008; 177(5): 555 - 556.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ThoraxHome page
S D Aaron, D Fergusson, G B Marks, S Suissa, K L Vandemheen, S Doucette, F Maltais, J F Bourbeau, R S Goldstein, M Balter, et al.
Counting, analysing and reporting exacerbations of COPD in randomised controlled trials
Thorax, February 1, 2008; 63(2): 122 - 128.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ANN INTERN MEDHome page
T. J. Wilt, D. Niewoehner, R. MacDonald, and R. L. Kane
Management of Stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review for a Clinical Practice Guideline
Ann Intern Med, November 6, 2007; 147(9): 639 - 653.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc Am Thorac SocHome page
S. Suissa, R. McGhan, D. Niewoehner, and B. Make
Inhaled Corticosteroids in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Proceedings of the ATS, October 1, 2007; 4(7): 535 - 542.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
ChestHome page
D. A. Mahler, L. A. Waterman, J. Ward, C. McCusker, R. ZuWallack, and J. C. Baird
Validity and Responsiveness of the Self-Administered Computerized Versions of the Baseline and Transition Dyspnea Indexes
Chest, October 1, 2007; 132(4): 1283 - 1290.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
V. Brusasco, E. Crimi, and R. Pellegrino
Airway Inflammation in COPD: Friend or Foe?
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2007; 176(5): 425 - 426.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
S. Suissa
On the Correct Statistical Analysis of Exacerbation Rates in Clinical Trials
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2007; 176(5): 522 - 522.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
P. Kardos, M. Wencker, T. Glaab, and C. Vogelmeier

Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2007; 176(5): 522 - 522.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
M. Woodhead
Inhaled Corticosteroids Cause Pneumonia ...or Do They?
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 15, 2007; 176(2): 111 - 112.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
P. Ernst, A. V. Gonzalez, P. Brassard, and S. Suissa
Inhaled Corticosteroid Use in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and the Risk of Hospitalization for Pneumonia
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., July 15, 2007; 176(2): 162 - 166.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
K. F. Rabe, B. Beghe, F. Luppi, and L. M. Fabbri
Update in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2006
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2007; 175(12): 1222 - 1232.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
S. D. Aaron
Avoiding Mistakes in Calculating the Number Needed to Treat in Severe COPD
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2007; 175(12): 1347a - 1347a.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
P. Kardos, M. Wencker, T. Glaab, and C. Vogelmeier
Avoiding Mistakes in Calculating the Number Needed to Treat in Severe COPD
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2007; 175(12): 1347b - 1348.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
Y. Oba
Hospitalizations with Severe COPD
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 1, 2007; 175(11): 1207 - 1207.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
P. Kardos, M. Wencker, T. Glaab, and C. Vogelmeier
Hospitalizations with Severe COPD
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 1, 2007; 175(11): 1207a - 1208.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
NEJMHome page
P. J. Barnes, C. La Vecchia, L. M. Fabbri, M. Duerden, Y. Kupfer, S. Tessler, N. Keaney, P. Calverley, J. Anderson, and B. Celli
Prevention of Death in COPD
N. Engl. J. Med., May 24, 2007; 356(21): 2211 - 2214.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Eur Respir JHome page
P. Maestrelli
Same role and same treatment for airway eosinophilia in asthma and COPD?
Eur. Respir. J., May 1, 2007; 29(5): 831 - 833.
[Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
D. E. Niewoehner and T. J. Wilt
Inhaled Corticosteroids for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Status Report
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., January 15, 2007; 175(2): 103 - 104.
[Full Text] [PDF]




HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Proc. Am. Thorac. Soc. Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol.
Copyright © 2006 American Thoracic Society
  Solid Organ Transplant for the Intensivist 2008