Does addition of inhaled steroid to combined bronchodilator therapy affect health status in patients with COPD?
YILDIZ F, BASYIGIT I, YILDIRIM E, BOYACI H, ILGAZLI A. Respirology 2004; 9: 352 355 Objective: Withdrawal of corticosteroid is associated with a deterioration of health status in COPD. In this study the aim was to determine whether high dose inhaled corticosteroid improves quality of life in patients with COPD. Methodology: In total, 38 male patients with moderate COPD were included in the study. Baseline quality of life scores were determined using a Turkish version of the St George’s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 20 patients who received existing bronchodilator therapy plus inhaled corticosteroid (800 µg budesonide) for 12 weeks, while 18 patients in group 2 received bronchodilator and placebo. The SGRQ was repeated after the treatment period. Results: All patients were male and mean age was 67 ± 8.2 years. Symptom, activity, impact, and total scores were assessed and a difference of four units with treatment wa
