title: Long-acting bronchodilators improve health related quality of life in patients with COPD.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Long-acting bronchodilators are first-line treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and their efficacy on lung function and clinical parameters is recognized.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the available evidence about the effects of long acting bronchodilators on Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and Health Status (HS) in clinical research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials published till December 2012 evaluating HRQoL/HS in COPD by means of validated questionnaires were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-one trials on Long acting β2 agonist (LABA) and Long acting Anticholinergic (LAMA) met the inclusion criteria. A total of 37,225 moderate-severe COPD patients testing 6 drugs, 12 different devices and 22 different dosages, with a study duration ranging from 4 weeks to 4 years were studied. A statistical significant HRQoL/HS improvement was reached in 93% of the studies. Nevertheless, the Minimal Important Difference (MID) was reached in 70.6% of the studies considering the difference between baseline and end of the study, and in 50% when comparing active treatment and placebo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data coming from the review support the efficacy of long acting bronchodilators in improving HRQoL/HS of COPD patients. Further research evaluating HRQoL/HS as primary outcome and according to guidelines on Patient Reported Outcomes is needed.
authors.affiliation: Allergy & Respiratory Diseases Clinic - DIMI - University of Genoa, IRCCS AOU San Martino-IST, Genova, Italy. Electronic address: fulvio.braido@unige.it.
authors.forename: Fulvio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Braido
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Baiardini
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cazzola
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brusselle
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marugo
authors.forename: Giorgio Walter
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Canonica
mesh_terms: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists
keywords: COPD; Health status; Long-acting bronchodilators; Quality of life