1. Summary of characteristics of included studies.
| Study | LAMA+LABA | LABA+ICS | Key inclusion criteria | Follow‐up duration (weeks) | Mean/median age (years) | Number randomised |
| Beeh 2016 | Tiotropium/olodaterol (2.5/5 μg) or tiotropium/olodaterol (5/5 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/250 μg) twice daily or salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily. | %pred FEV1 30% to 80% Ex(‐) | 6 × 4 time periods (cross‐over) | 64 | 229 |
| Donohue 2015a | Umeclidinium/vilanterol (62.5/25 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/250 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 30% to 70%, mMRC ≥ 2, Ex(‐) | 12 | 63 | 707 |
| Donohue 2015b | Umeclidinium/vilanterol (62.5/25 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/250 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 30% to 70%, mMRC ≥ 2, Ex(‐) | 12 | 64 | 700 |
| Hoshino 2015 | Tiotropium/indacaterol (18/150 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/250 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 30% to 80%, Ex(‐) | 16 | 71 | 46 |
| Magnussen 2012 | Tiotropium/salmeterol (18/50 μg) twice daily | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 ≤ 65%, Ex(‐) | 8 x 2 time periods (cross‐over) | 61 | 344 |
| Rabe 2008 | Tiotropium/formoterol (18/24 μg) twice daily | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 ≤ 65%, Ex(‐) | 6 | 62 | 605 |
| Singh 2015 | Umeclidinium/vilanterol (62.5/25 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 30% to 70%, mMRC ≥ 2, Ex(‐) | 12 | 62 | 717 |
| Vogelmeier 2013 | Indacaterol/glycopyrronium bromide (110/50 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | Stage II/III, Ex(‐) | 26 | 63 | 523 |
| Vogelmeier 2016 | Aclidinium/formoterol (400/12 μg) twice daily | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 < 80%, CAT ≥ 10, Ex(‐) | 24 | 63 | 933 |
| Wedzicha 2016 | Indacaterol/glycopyrronium bromide (110/50 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | %pred FEV1 25% to 60%, mMRC ≥ 2, Ex(+) | 52 | 65 | 3362 |
| Zhong 2015 | Indacaterol/glycopyrronium bromide (110/50 μg) | Salmeterol/fluticasone (50/500 μg) twice daily | Stage II/III, mMRC ≥ 2, Ex(‐) | 26 | 65 | 744 |
%pred FEV1: % predicted forced expiratory volume in one second; CAT: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test; Ex(‐): without recent exacerbation; Ex(+): with recent exacerbation; LABA: long‐acting beta‐agonist; LAMA: long‐acting muscarinic antagonist; mMRC: modified Medical Research Council dyspnoea scale.