Budesonide/formoterol Plus Tiotropium Improves The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Severe COPD

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Preliminary results from a double-blind, randomised, multicentre trial among 660 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) show that budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®: AstraZeneca) plus tiotropium (Spiriva™: Boehringer Ingelheim Limited) significantly improves disease control and patients' quality of life.1,2



The study known as CLIMB, compared 12 weeks treatment with budesonide/formoterol (400/12 mcg one inhalation twice-daily) plus tiotropium (18 ?µg one inhalation once daily) vs. tiotropium alone plus placebo.


"Combined inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) therapy with budesonide/formoterol (Symbicort®) is indicated for COPD patients with a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) < 50% predicted normal and a history of repeated exacerbations",3 explained Professor Tobias Welte, the international coordinating investigator of the CLIMB study. "While budesonide/formoterol combination is commonly used together with tiotropium for the management of patients with severe COPD, CLIMB is the first study to evaluate the therapeutic effect of combining budesonide/formoterol with tiotropium. The results of the study confirmed that this triple therapy regimen has a key role to play in the management of patients with COPD," he continued.


CLIMB showed that tiotropium plus budesonide/formoterol combination versus tiotropium alone:


- reduced the rate of severe exacerbations by 62% (p







Full results of the CLIMB study are due to be published later in 2009.


Notes


An estimated 3.7 million people in the UK have COPD; COPD is the 5th biggest killer in the UK; around 30,000 people in the UK die from COPD each year, which is more than from bowel cancer, breast cancer or prostate cancer.6



References


1. Welte T, et al. Budesonide/formoterol added to tiotropium improves the management of COPD patients. American Thoracic Society International Conference, San Diego, USA, 15-20 May 2009; Abst 953775.


2. Welte T, et al. Budesonide/formoterol added to tiotropium is well tolerated and reduces the risk of severe exacerbations in COPD patients. American Thoracic Society International Conference, San Diego, USA, 15-20 May 2009; Abst 953763.


3. Symbicort 400/12® Summary of Product Characteristics, December 2008.


4. Miravitlles M et al. Patient's perception of exacerbations of COPD - The PERCEIVE study. Respir Med 2007; 101: 453-60.


5. 'Unleash the life within...' a patient's perspective of living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Survey. Sponsored by AstraZeneca UK Ltd.


6. British Lung Foundation. Invisible Lives. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) - finding the missing millions, November 2007.


Source
AstraZeneca


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