Table 3.
Effects of ICS on yearly exacerbation
| Period | Study | Yearly exacerbations (95% CI) | Rate ratio* | 95% | ||
| ICS | Alternative | |||||
| 0–52 weeks | Wedzicha | Current smoker (n=658 to 647) | – | – | 0.83 | 0.74 to 0.92 |
| Ex-smoker (n=998 to 1004) | – | – | 0.92 | 0.83 to 1.01 | ||
| 0–52 weeks | Pascoe | Current smoker (n=1421 to 726) | – | – | 0.99 | 0.87 to 1.12 |
| Ex-smoker (n=2704 to 1339) | – | – | 1.2 | 1.10 to 1.33 | ||
| 0–52 weeks | Bhatt | Current smoker (n=7678) | – | – | 19%† | 7% to 29% |
| Ex-smoker (n=8807) | – | – | 36%† | 27% to 43% | ||
| 0–52 weeks | Hinds | >46 pack years (n=587) | 1.62 (1.29 to 2.02) | 1.32 (1.00 to 1.76) | 0.81 | 0.63 to 1.06 |
| ≤46 pack years (n=891) | 0.66 (0.54 to 0.81) | 0.85 (0.67 to 1.08) | 1.29 | 1.02 to 1.58 | ||
*Rate ratio of yearly exacerbations: <1 favours the alternative; >1 favours ICS, except Bhatt et al where % reduction in exacerbations versus placebo was reported.
†Fluticasone furoate/vilanterol versus placebo, no difference was seen for fluticasone furoate versus placebo or vilanterol versus placebo.
ICS, inhaled corticosteroids.