A recent study from the University of Pennsylvania found that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who took once-daily treatment with an inhaler combining fluticasone furoate (FF), umeclidinium (UMEC) and vilanterol (VI) had a reduced death risk by 42%.
Fluticasone furoate is an inhaled corticosteroid, while umeclidinium is a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (a type of bronchodilator) and vilanterol is a long-acting ß2 agonist (another type of bronchodilator).
The study is published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. The lead author is David A. Lipson, MD.
In the study, the team focused on patients with a history of exacerbations of their COPD.
more than 10,000 participants with COPD who were at risk for severe exacerbations (flare-ups) were in one of three groups: those receiving once-daily inhalations of FF/UMEC/VI, FF/VI or UMEC/VI combinations. These people were followed for one year.
The team found that daily inhalation of FF/UMEC/VI led to more reductions in moderate/severe exacerbations and COPD hospitalizations, as well as improved lung function and health-related quality of life than the two dual combination therapies.
The study also showed patients on triple therapy had lower death rates than those on VI/UMEC.
The team says given the importance of this finding for patients and physicians they undertook a global collection of the missing data at week 52.
These new repeat analyses demonstrate the robustness of the original finding.
The researchers conclude that the three-drug combo can improve survival in people with COPD at risk of exacerbation.
No previous study has demonstrated that drug therapy can reduce death risk in people with COPD.
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