Change in inhaled corticosteroid treatment and COPD exacerbations: an analysis of real-world data from the KOLD/KOCOSS cohorts

BACKGROUND: This cohort study of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) was performed to evaluate the status of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) prescriptions following the 2017 revision of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease guidelines. METHODS: A total of 1144 patients from the Korean Obstructive Lung Disease and Korea Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders Subgroup Study cohorts, with final follow-up visits completed between 2017 and 2018, were analyzed. Features indicative of ICS usage were as follows: a history of asthma, blood eosinophils of ≥300 cells/μl, or ≥ 2 exacerbations in the year prior to enrollment. Among baseline ICS users, we compared annual total and severe exacerbation rates, based on ICS continuation or withdrawal. RESULTS: ICS-containing regimens were prescribed to 46.3% of the enrolled of patients in 2014; this decreased to 38.8% in 2017, and long-acting dual bronchodilators were used instead. Among ICS users in 2017, 47.5% did not exhibit features indicative of ICS usage; 478 used ICS at baseline, and ICS was withdrawn in 77 (16.1%) during the study period. The proportion of patients with asthma and the baseline annual exacerbation rate were greater in the ICS withdrawal groinup than in the ICS continued group (56.6% vs. 41%, p = 0.01; 0.79 vs. 0.53, p < 0.001). Annual exacerbation rates during the follow-up period were similar between the ICS-withdrawal and ICS -continued groups (0.48 vs. 0.47, p = 0.84); however, former exhibited a significantly higher rate of severe exacerbation (0.22 vs. 0.12, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Prescriptions of ICS to treat COPD decreased with increased use of long-acting dual bronchodilators. ICS withdrawal might impact severe exacerbation; the potential risks and benefits of withdrawing ICS should therefore be considered based on patients’ characteristics.