title: Comparison of tiotropium plus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol with tiotropium in COPD: a randomized controlled study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The combination of tiotropium and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FSC) is commonly used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), but no study had evaluated the effectiveness of tiotropium plus FSC with 250 μg of fluticasone propionate. Our aim was to assess whether tiotropium (18 μg once daily) plus FSC (250/50 μg twice daily) provides better clinical outcomes compared to tiotropium monotherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this 24-week, randomized, open label, multicenter two-arm parallel study, 479 patients received tiotropium plus FSC (n = 237) or tiotropium alone (n = 242).
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 24 weeks of treatment, the triple-inhaled treatment group had a significant improvement in pre-bronchodilator FEV(1) (L) compared to the tiotropium-only group (0.090 L vs. 0.038 L; P = 0.005). Regarding health-related quality of life, the mean change in total score on the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire for COPD patients (SGRQ-C) was -6.6 points in the tiotropium plus FSC group, but -1.5 points in the tiotropium-only group (P = 0.001). In the subgroup of GOLD stage II patients with COPD, treatment with tiotropium plus FSC also improved FEV(1) compared to tiotropium alone (0.088 L vs. 0.030 L; P = 0.011) and improved the total SGRQ-C score than tiotropium alone (-4.5 points vs. -1.0 points, respectively). This triple-inhaled treatment approach did not induce more adverse events, such as pneumonia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Over the course of 24 weeks, FSC (250/50 μg twice daily) added to tiotropium provided greater improvement in lung function and quality of life in patients with COPD (FEV(1) ≤ 65%) than tiotropium alone.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical School, Pyeongchon-dong, Dongan-gu, Anyang-si, Gyeonggido, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Suck
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Hye Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: So Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Se Kyu
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Young-Kyoon
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae-Jeong
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Hwa Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Kwan Ho
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jee-Hong
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sang Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000420:Albuterol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000465:Algorithms; D000730:Androstadienes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D000068297:Fluticasone-Salmeterol Drug Combination; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume / Q000187:drug effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000730:Androstadienes; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000068297:Fluticasone-Salmeterol Drug Combination; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D012602:Scopolamine Derivatives; D000420:Albuterol; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide