All participants, n=40 | ICS withdrawal,* n=20 | Usual care, n=20 | P value | |
Age (years): mean (SD)† | 70.10 (±9.22) | 71.07 (±8.33) | 69.19 (±10.16) | 0.53 |
Male sex, n (%)‡ | 20 (50) | 10 (50) | 10 (50) | 1.00 |
BMI (kg/m2): mean (SD)† | 26.40 (±5.29) | 26.09 (±5.55) | 26.72 (±5.15) | 0.71 |
Current smoker, n (%)‡ | 14 (35) | 6 (30) | 8 (40) | 0.44 |
Tobacco exposure (pack-years): mean (SD)† | 33.47 (±20.79) | 29.83 (±17.96) | 37.11 (±23.20) | 0.29 |
AECOPD in prior year: mean (SD)† | 0.48 (±0.51) | 0.50 (±0.51) | 0.45 (±0.51) | 0.76 |
History of atopy, n (%)‡ | 65 | 75 | 55 | 0.18 |
Pre-bronchodilator FEV1 (L): mean (SD)† | 1.74 (±0.54) | 1.68 (±0.46) | 1.80 (±0.49) | 0.52 |
Post-bronchodilator FEV1 (L): mean (SD)† | 1.82 (±0.54) | 1.77 (±0.47) | 1.87 (±0.61) | 0.58 |
Pre-bronchodilator FEV1 % predicted: mean (SD)† | 69.63 (±14.03) | 69.20 (±14.41) | 70.05 (±13.99) | 0.85 |
Post-bronchodilator FEV1 % predicted: mean (SD)† | 72.85 (±13.56) | 73.53 (±14.12) | 72.79 (±13.70) | 0.98 |
Pre-bronchodilator FVC (L): mean (SD)† | 2.84 (±0.79) | 2.68 (±0.67) | 3.00 (±0.88) | 0.19 |
Post-bronchodilator FVC (L): mean (SD)† | 2.87 (±0.78) | 2.72 (±0.68) | 3.03 (±0.87) | 0.23 |
Pre-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC: mean (SD)† | 0.61 (±0.09) | 0.63 (±0.09) | 0.60 (±0.10) | 0.36 |
Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC: mean (SD)† | 0.63 (±0.07) | 0.65 (±0.05) | 0.62 (±0.08) | 0.23 |
Currently on LABA+LAMA+ ICS (%)‡ | 100 | 100 | 100 | 1.00 |
CAT score: mean (SD)† | 15.76 (±7.54) | 17.84 (±6.87) | 13.68 (±7.79) | 0.08 |
CRQ dyspnoea score: median (IQR)§ | 5.33 (4.25–6.48) | 5.25 (4.60–6.50) | 5.60 (4.00–6.35) | 0.87 |
CRQ fatigue score: mean (SD)† | 4.11 (±1.42) | 4.04 (±1.15) | 4.18 (±1.69) | 0.67 |
CRQ emotional functioning score: mean (SD)† | 4.80 (±1.25) | 4.81 (±1.06) | 4.79 (±1.44) | 0.93 |
CRQ mastery score: median (IQR)§ | 5.63 (4.69–6.56) | 5.25 (4.25–6.50) | 5.75 (5.00–6.75) | 0.10 |
HADS anxiety score: mean (SD)† | 6.29 (±3.59) | 6.42 (±3.32) | 6.16 (±3.93) | 0.79 |
HADS depression score: median (IQR)§ | 4.00 (1.50–5.50) | 4.00 (1.00–6.00) | 3.50 (1.75–5.75) | 0.82 |
Blood eosinophil count ≥300 cells/µL (%)‡ | 8 (20) | 2 (10) | 6 (30) | 0.11 |
Blood eosinophil count (cells/µL): median (IQR)§ | 200 (100–220) | 200 (100–200) | 200 (100–300) | 0.41 |
FeNO concentration ≥25 ppb (%)‡ | 11 (28) | 5 (25) | 6 (30) | 0.72 |
FeNO concentration (ppb): median (IQR)§ | 15 (9–25) | 14 (8–20) | 17 (12–26) | 0.42 |
Blood periostin concentration (ng/mL): median (IQR)§ | 27.45 (19.99–60.00) | 29.33 (22.53–60.00) | 26.06 (16.14–60.00) | 0.69 |
*Inhaled corticosteroids.
†t-test.
‡χ2 test.
§Mann-Whitney U test.
AECOPD, moderate exacerbation of COPD (max of 1 for inclusion in trial); AECOPD, acute moderate exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; BMI, body mass index; CAT score, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test; CRQ dyspnoea, Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire Self-Administered Standardised Dyspnoea score; FeNO, fractional exhaled nitric oxide; FEV1, post-bronchodilatation forced expiratory volume in 1 s; FVC, post-bronchodilatation forced expiratory volume; HADS, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; LABA, long-acting beta-agonis; LAMA, long-acting muscarinic antagonist.