Corticosteroid Reduction in COPD

Launched by CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE TRIAL NETWORK, DENMARK · Aug 2, 2016

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

The most commonly used treatment for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a 5-day treatment with corticosteroids in moderate-high dose. Some patients receive repeated treatments, although it has been shown that corticosteroids only have temporary beneficial effects and no effect in relation to serious incidents or mortality. It has been found that the higher accumulated prednisolone dose disables patients due to serious side effects, including pneumonia, dysregulated diabetes, bone fracture in the context of osteoporosis, mental disorder and adrenal insuf...

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion criteria:
• • Patients hospitalized with AECOPD
• • Age ≥ 40 years
• • Spirometry-verified COPD (defined as FEV1 / FVC ≤ 70%)
• • Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) class C or D
• • Inclusion within 24 hours after admission
• Exclusion criteria:
• • Known with a diagnosis of asthma
• • Life expectancy less than 30 days
• • Serious exacerbation requiring invasive ventilation or admission to ICU
• • Allergy to systemic corticosteroids
• • Severe mental illness, which is not controlled by medication
• • People who are detained under the act on the use of coercion in psychiatry
• • Severe language problems or inability to provide written informed consent
• • Pregnancy and lactation
• • Systemic fungal infections