Table 4.

Description of Inhalation Therapies Used in Different GOLD Classifications Based on Airflow Limitation (N=3820)

Therapies, Only Used, n (%)	GOLD 1 (n=292)	GOLD 2 (n=1295)	GOLD 3 (n=1447)	GOLD 4 (n=786)	P value
Monotherapy
SABA	2 (0.7)	14 (1.1)	1 (0.1)	5 (0.6)	N/A
LABA	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
SAMA	9 (3.1)	3 (0.2)	2 (0.1)	2 (0.3)	N/A
LAMA	205 (70.2)	672 (51.9)	448 (31.0)	157 (20.0)	<0.001*
ICS	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	1 (0.1)	5 (0.6)	N/A
Dual therapy
LABA/ICS	36 (12.3)	207 (16.0)	221 (15.3)	94 (12.0)	0.044*
LAMA+ICS	0 (0)	2 (0.2)	0 (0)	0 (0)	N/A
LABA/LAMA	0 (0)	3 (0.2)	2 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
Triple therapy
LAMA+LABA/ICS	20 (6.8)	299 (23.1)	684 (47.3)	477 (60.7)	<0.001*
Other therapies
SABA+LABA/ICS	2 (0.7)	14 (1.1)	0 (0)	5 (0.6)	N/A
SABA or SAMA +LAMA+LABA/ICS	0 (0)	23 (1.8)	50 (3.5)	29 (3.7)	N/A
SABA+SAMA	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
SABA+LAMA	3 (1.0)	23 (1.8)	13 (0.9)	5 (0.6)	N/A
SAMA+LAMA	10 (3.4)	11 (0.8)	3 (0.2)	0 (0)	N/A
SAMA+LAMA/LABA	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	2 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
SAMA+LABA/ICS	0 (0)	8 (0.6)	10 (0.7)	1 (0.1)	N/A
SABA+ICS	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
LABA/ICS+ICS	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	0 (0)	N/A
SAMA+LAMA+LABA/ICS+ ICS	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (0.1)	N/A

Notes: LABA/ICS means LABA and ICS are in an inhaler. LAMA/LABA also means they are in an inhaler. “+” means “and”, it was defined to show the all inhalations with different inhalers used simultaneously by patients. To test for differences of proportion in some variables according to the type of bronchodilators taken, a Chi-square test was used, *P<0.05. N/A means not applicable.

Abbreviations: GOLD, Global Initiative for COPD; SABA, short-acting β2-agonist; SAMA, short-acting muscarinic agonist; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist; LABA, long-acting β2-agonist; ICS, inhaled corticosteroids.