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Combining a long-acting beta-agonist (LABA) and inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) reduces the risk of death or hospitalisation for COPD compared to LABA alone, JAMA reports.

Researchers from Canada enrolled 8,712 new users of LABAs plus ICS and 3,160 new users of LABAs alone aged 66 years or older. In the combination group, 36.4 per cent died and 27.8 per cent needed hospitalisation for COPD over the next five years. In the LABA group, 37.3 per cent died and 30.1 per cent were hospitalised.

After five years, the main outcome €“ a composite of death and hospitalisations for COPD €“ was 8 per cent lower with combination treatment than with a LABA alone. However, the benefits were more marked in people with concomitant asthma (16 per cent reduction) and those not receiving long-acting anticholinergics (21 per cent reduction) at five years.

Randomised controlled trials should confirm these findings, say the researchers.