The use of indacaterol/glycopyrronium (IND/GLY) may reduce exacerbation risk in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to the DACCORD* study presented at APSR 2017.

This study evaluated 467 patients (mean age 67.1 years, 56.7 percent male) with COPD. Participants were switched from LABA + ICS (long-acting β2-agonist + inhaled corticosteroid) to IND/GLY therapy regimen. COPD assessment test (CAT) results were collected. Patients were followed up every 3 months for a year. [APSR 2017, abstract AP235]

A higher percentage of patients had no COPD exacerbation with IND/GLY treatment at 1-year follow-up compared with baseline (77.9 percent vs 68.5 percent).

Also, the percentage of patients who had one or more exacerbations was reduced with IND/GLY at 1-year follow-up compared with baseline (15.8 percent vs 31 percent).

Based on the CAT total score, majority of the participants who were switched from LABA + ICS to IND/GLY treatment reported a reduction in the CAT total score from 20.7 percent at baseline to 17.4 percent at 1-year follow-up.

In addition, a 1-year treatment persistence rate was noted to be higher with IND/GLY vs LABA + ICS treatment (86.7 percent vs 4.7 percent).

“Majority of patients [experienced] a clinically relevant improvement in health status [with IND/GLY treatment],” said lead author Prof Konstantinos Kostikas from the Division of Respiratory Diseases II at National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

The findings were consistent with a previous study which revealed that indacaterol treatment was associated with an increased physical activity in patients with moderate COPD. [BMC Pulm Med 2014;14:158]

“This real-life study supports the new GOLD** recommendations, suggesting that [a] switch from LABA + ICS to [IND/GLY] is a valid treatment option for patients with COPD in clinical practice,” Kostikas noted.

*DACCORD: Outpatient care with long-acting bronchodilators