title: Combination therapy of inhaled steroids and long-acting beta2-agonists in asthma-COPD overlap syndrome.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The efficacy of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs)/long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) treatment in patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) compared to patients with COPD alone has rarely been examined. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy for the improvement of lung function after ICS/LABA treatment in patients with ACOS compared to COPD alone patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with stable COPD were selected from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease (KOLD) cohort. Subjects began a 3-month ICS/LABA treatment after a washout period. ACOS was defined when the patients had 1) a personal history of asthma, irrespective of age, and wheezing in the last 12 months in a self-reported survey and 2) a positive bronchodilator response.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 152 eligible COPD patients, 45 (29.6%) fulfilled the criteria for ACOS. After a 3-month treatment with ICS/LABA, the increase in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was significantly greater in ACOS patients than in those with COPD alone (240.2±33.5 vs 124.6±19.8 mL,P=0.002). This increase in FEV1persisted even after adjustment for confounding factors (adjustedP=0.002). According to severity of baseline FEV1, the ACOS group showed a significantly greater increase in FEV1than the COPD-alone group in patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation (223.2±42.9 vs 84.6±25.3 mL,P=0.005), whereas there was no statistically significant difference in patients with severe to very severe airflow limitation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides clinical evidence that ACOS patients with mild-to-moderate airflow limitation showed a greater response in lung function after 3 months of ICS/LABA combination treatment.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Suh-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul.
authors.forename: Hye Yun
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Bundang CHA Medical Center, CHA University College of Medicine, Seongnam.
authors.forename: Eun Kyung
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Seong Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul.
authors.forename: Chin Kook
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University Medical School, Gyeonggido.
authors.forename: Yong Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yeon-Mok
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Do
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine.
authors.forename: Yong Bum
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D020127:Recovery of Function; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013147:Spirometry; D013577:Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014797:Vital Capacity
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D058666:Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations
keywords: asthma; chronic obstructive; pulmonary disease; respiratory function tests