Table 3.
Events recorded in the 30 days prior to first treatment switch or addition in patients initially prescribed LAMA monotherapya
| Description, n (%) | Added to LAMA monotherapy (n=497) | Switched from LAMA to ICS or ICS + LABA (n=313) |
|---|---|---|
| Moderate exacerbation | 77 (15.5) | 37 (11.8) |
| Severe exacerbation | 37 (7.4) | 18 (5.8) |
| Any exacerbation | 97 (19.5) | 48 (15.3) |
| Also had lower respiratory tract infection and shortness of breath | 23 (4.6) | 11 (3.5) |
| Also had lower respiratory tract infection | 49 (9.9) | 22 (7.0) |
| Also had shortness of breath | 4 (0.8) | 6 (1.9) |
| Exacerbation only | 21 (4.2) | 9 (2.9) |
| All-cause hospitalization | 33 (6.6) | 20 (6.4) |
| Emphysema | 22 (4.4) | 5 (1.6) |
| Lower respiratory tract infection | 84 (16.9) | 43 (13.7) |
| Shortness of breath | 61 (12.3) | 33 (10.5) |
| Also had lower respiratory tract infection and exacerbation | 23 (4.6) | 11 (3.5) |
| Also had lower respiratory tract infection | 2 (0.4) | 0 |
| Also had exacerbation | 4 (0.8) | 6 (1.9) |
| Shortness of breath only | 32 (6.4) | 16 (5.1) |
a
Notes: Patients had not received ICS at the long-acting bronchodilator index date or during the 12-month prior history. Categories are not mutually exclusive. Note that it may be difficult to distinguish between an exacerbation and a lower respiratory tract infection in a clinical setting.
Abbreviations: ICS, inhaled corticosteroids; LABA, long-acting β2-agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist.