Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA post-hoc subgroup analysis of data from a six month clinical trial comparing the efficacy and safety of losmapimod in moderate-severe COPD patients with ≤2% and >2% blood eosinophils.
A six month study of the p38 MAPK inhibitor, losmapimod, suggested a trend in reducing COPD exacerbations with the 15 mg twice daily dose. ⋯ These findings indicate eosinophil-related heterogeneity within COPD and suggest that losmapimod could be a potential therapy to reduce exacerbations in COPD patients with eosinophil levels ≤2%. This needs to be explored further in a prospectively designed study with pre-specified criteria for blood eosinophil subgroups in COPD patients.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyImprovements in lung function with umeclidinium/vilanterol versus fluticasone propionate/salmeterol in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD and infrequent exacerbations.
Umeclidinium (UMEC; long-acting muscarinic antagonist [LAMA])/vilanterol (VI; long-acting beta2-agonist [LABA]) and fluticasone propionate/salmeterol (FP/SAL) (inhaled corticosteroid/LABA) are approved maintenance therapies for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Two studies compared efficacy and safety of UMEC/VI with FP/SAL in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD with no exacerbations in the previous year. ⋯ DB2114930/NCT01817764; DB2114951/NCT01879410.
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Respiratory medicine · Jul 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyValidation of test performance characteristics and minimal clinically important difference of the 6-minute walk test in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.
The 6-minute walk test distance (6MWD) has been shown to be a valid and responsive outcome measure in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The analyses were based, however, on a single phase 3 trial and require validation in an independent cohort. ⋯ The 6MWD is a valid and responsive clinical endpoint, which provides objective and clinically meaningful information regarding functional status and near-term prognosis. These results confirm previous findings in an independent cohort of patients with IPF.