Tiotropium may improve asthma symptoms and lung function in asthmatic patients with irreversible airway obstruction: the real-life data.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Some patients with asthma have poorly controlled disease despite the use of high-dose inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), long-acting β2 agonists (LABAs) and antileukotrienes. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of tiotropium as an add-on therapy to the standard treatment with high-dose ICS/LABA on asthma control and lung function in patients with severe asthma.


METHODS
Of the 633 asthmatic patients, 64 (10.1%) patients with severe asthma who were add-on treated at least for 3 months were evaluated. Number of exacerbations, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and lung functions of patients belonging to 12 months before starting add-on treatment were compared with those of 12 months after starting add-on treatment.


RESULTS
The mean duration of add-on tiotropium treatment was 8.3 ± 0.5 months. For patients with severe asthma that was poorly controlled with standard combination therapy, tiotropium improved asthma control in 42.2%, decreased the number of emergency department visits in 46.9% and decreased the number of hospitalizations in 50.0% of them. The mean baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 s before add-on tiotropium was 57.5 ± 1.9% and forced vital capacity was 74.3 ± 15.6%. However, after 12 months of add-on tiotropium treatment, these rates became 65.5 ± 1.9% and 82.5 ± 15.1%, respectively. The addition of tiotropium significantly improved the percentages of the number of emergency department visits, the number of hospitalizations (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSION
Our study has suggested that, for patients with poorly controlled asthma despite of the use of ICS/LABA, the addition of tiotropium to standard care may be beneficial.
['Abadoglu|Oznur|O|', 'Berk|Serdar|S|']
D000280:Administration, Inhalation D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D000402:Airway Obstruction D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents D001249:Asthma D001993:Bronchodilator Agents D004334:Drug Administration Schedule D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination D005260:Female D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume D006801:Humans D020024:Leukotriene Antagonists D008297:Male D011241:Prednisone D012189:Retrospective Studies D013806:Theophylline D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide D016896:Treatment Outcome
tiotropium asthma airway obstruction high-dose inhaled steroid