Advair Won't Lower COPD Death Risk: Study

Related Encyclopedia • Acne • Angina Pectoris • Angiogram • Angioplasty More... Related Healthscout Videos Stents for Lungs? New Sinusitis Diagnosis Method Building Strength for Lung Patients Knocking Out Allergic Asthma More... Related Animations • Asthma More... Related Drug Information • Advair Diskus • Combivent • Flovent • Flovent Diskus More... Related News Articles • HEPA Filters May Improve Cardiovascular Health • Older Smokers More Likely to Deny Habit • Acute Coronary Events Drop After Italy's Public Smoking Ban • Respiratory Distress Treatment Studies Conflict More...

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3

"I am surprised, and I am worried [about the pneumonia findings]," said the author of an accompanying editorial in the same issue of the journal, Dr. Klaus Rabe, chairman of the department of pulmonology at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands.

In his editorial, Rabe wrote that "caution in the use of combination therapy is urged because of the finding in [this] trial of an increased rate of pneumonia among all patients receiving treatment containing inhaled corticosteroids."

On the other hand, Dr. Bohdan Pichurko, chief of pulmonology at Providence Hospital in Southfield, Mich., said he was reassured that after three years of treatment, the study found no increased risk of eye or bone problems. Also, there have been some studies questioning the safety of salmeterol, but, in this population, the drug appears to be safe.

Text Continues Below

---

"With the exception of minor oral-comfort issues and this peculiar increase in pneumonia, this combination seems to be safe and to offer significant benefits. While the endpoint of all-cause mortality is interesting, what's immensely important to patients is that there's some improvement in airway function and improved overall health status," said Pichurko.

Rabe said that combination therapy is probably an acceptable choice for someone with severe COPD who has frequent exacerbations.

The study's authors felt that combination therapy did benefit patients. "The most important message for somebody with COPD is that combination treatment works, and that in addition to producing short-term symptom relief, it can prevent important complications and, in our view, is likely to reduce your chance of dying," said Calverley.

In another study, released online Monday and expected to be published in the April 17 print issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Canadian researchers tested another type of bronchodilator, tiotropium, in three different combinations -- with salmeterol, fluticasone-salmeterol, or a placebo. The study, which included 449 Canadians with COPD, found no statistically significant difference in the number of exacerbations for any of the treatments.

However, similar to Calverley's study, the Canadian team found that the addition of Advair improved lung function and quality of life and reduced the number of COPD-associated hospitalizations.

More information

To learn more about COPD, visit the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3