Triple Inhaled Therapy at Two Glucocorticoid Doses in Moderate-to-Very-Severe COPD.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Triple fixed-dose regimens of an inhaled glucocorticoid, a long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), and a long-acting β2-agonist (LABA) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have been studied at single dose levels of inhaled glucocorticoid, but studies at two dose levels are lacking.

METHODS:

In a 52-week, phase 3, randomized trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of triple therapy at two dose levels of inhaled glucocorticoid in patients with moderate-to-very-severe COPD and at least one exacerbation in the past year, we assigned patients in a 1:1:1:1 ratio to receive twice-daily inhaled doses of triple therapy (inhaled glucocorticoid [320 μg or 160 μg of budesonide], a LAMA [18 μg of glycopyrrolate], and a LABA [9.6 μg of formoterol]) or one of two dual therapies (18 μg of glycopyrrolate plus 9.6 μg of formoterol or 320 μg of budesonide plus 9.6 μg of formoterol). The primary end point was the annual rate (the estimated mean number per patient per year) of moderate or severe COPD exacerbations, as analyzed in the modified intention-to-treat population with the use of on-treatment data only.

RESULTS:

The modified intention-to-treat population comprised 8509 patients. The annual rates of moderate or severe exacerbations were 1.08 in the 320-μg-budesonide triple-therapy group (2137 patients), 1.07 in the 160-μg-budesonide triple-therapy group (2121 patients), 1.42 in the glycopyrrolate-formoterol group (2120 patients), and 1.24 in the budesonide-formoterol group (2131 patients). The rate was significantly lower with 320-μg-budesonide triple therapy than with glycopyrrolate-formoterol (24% lower: rate ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.69 to 0.83; P<0.001) or budesonide-formoterol (13% lower: rate ratio, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.95; P = 0.003). Similarly, the rate was significantly lower with 160-μg-budesonide triple therapy than with glycopyrrolate-formoterol (25% lower: rate ratio, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.69 to 0.83; P<0.001) or budesonide-formoterol (14% lower: rate ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.95; P = 0.002). The incidence of any adverse event was similar across the treatment groups (range, 61.7 to 64.5%); the incidence of confirmed pneumonia ranged from 3.5 to 4.5% in the groups that included inhaled glucocorticoid use and was 2.3% in the glycopyrrolate-formoterol group.

CONCLUSIONS:

Triple therapy with twice-daily budesonide (at either the 160-μg or 320-μg dose), glycopyrrolate, and formoterol resulted in a lower rate of moderate or severe COPD exacerbations than glycopyrrolate-formoterol or budesonide-formoterol. (Funded by AstraZeneca, ETHOS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02465567.).

• Authors: Klaus F Rabe, Fernando J Martinez, Gary T Ferguson, Chen Wang, Dave Singh, Jadwiga A Wedzicha, Roopa Trivedi, Earl St Rose, Shaila Ballal, Julie McLaren, Patrick Darken, Magnus Aurivillius, Colin Reisner, Paul Dorinsky, ETHOS Investigators
• Journal: The New England journal of medicine (N Engl J Med) Vol. 383 Issue 1 Pg. 35-48 (07 02 2020) ISSN: 1533-4406 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 32579807 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Phase III, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Massachusetts Medical Society.

Chemical References

• Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists
• Drug Combinations
• Glucocorticoids
• Muscarinic Antagonists
• Budesonide
• Glycopyrrolate
• Formoterol Fumarate

Topics

• Administration, Inhalation
• Adrenergic beta-2 Receptor Agonists (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Budesonide (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Double-Blind Method
• Drug Combinations
• Female
• Forced Expiratory Volume (drug effects)
• Formoterol Fumarate (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Glucocorticoids (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Glycopyrrolate (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Humans
• Intention to Treat Analysis
• Kaplan-Meier Estimate
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Muscarinic Antagonists (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive (drug therapy, mortality)