Demographic, Physiologic and Radiographic Characteristics of COPD Patients Taking Chronic Systemic Corticosteroids

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Flow chart demonstrating subject inclusion and exclusion. RA = rheumatoid arthritis.

Table 1.  Patient demographics and past medical history

	No Oral Steroids	Oral Steroids	P-value
N = 1264	1206	58
Age	64.0 ± 0.2	64.8 ± 1.1	0.46
Gender	M: 47%	M: 50%	0.69
Race	C: 83% AA: 17%	C: 74% AA: 26%	0.10
BMI kg/m2	28 ± 0.2	29 ± 0.8	0.3
Pack-years	52 ± 0.7	53 ± 3.5	0.7
History of Asthma (%)	24	44	0.0005
Hay Fever (%)	30	43	0.03
Watery/Itchy Eyes (%)	42	60	0.009
DM (%)	10	10	1
Osteoporosis (%)	13	19	0.23
Pneumonia	50	57	0.30

BMI –body mass index, DM –diabetes mellitus.

Table 2.  Medication use

	No Oral Steroids	Oral Steroids	p-value
N = 1264	1206	58
SABA (%)	73	88	0.01
LABA (%)	10	19	0.04
ICS (%)	14	21	0.17
Combination ICS/Beta-agonist (%)	52	68	0.02
Tiotroprium (%)	51	79	<0.0001
Theophylline (%)	6	19	0.001
Nebulizer (%)	39	80	<0.0001

SABA –short active beta-agonist, LABA –long acting beta-agonist, ICS –inhaled corticosteroid.

Table 3.  Pulmonary function testing, exercise testing, and exacerbation history

	No Oral Steroids	Oral Steroids	P-value
N = 1264	1206	58
FEV1/FVC (%)	51 ± 0.4	41 ± 1.7	<0.0001
FEV1% predicted	57 ± 0.7	35 ± 3	<0.0001
BDA responsive (%)	35	26	0.2
RA O2 Sat (%)	95 ± 0.10	93 ± 0.49	0.001
6MWT distance (meters)	367.2±3.9	245.4±17.4	<0.0001
6MWT oxygen required (L/min)	0.59 ± 0.05	2.31 ± 0.21	<0.0001
Exacerbations/yr	0.62 ± 0.03	1.7 ± 0.16	<0.0001
Severe exacerbations/yr	0.18 ± 0.01	0.41 ± 0.05	<0.0001

BDA –bronchodilator, RA –room air, 6MWT –6-min walk test, RA O2 Sat –room air oxygen saturation. BDA responsiveness is defined according to ATS/ERS guidelines (an increase in FEV1 and/or FVC ≥ 12% and an increase of ≥ 200 ml above baseline) (4).

Figure 2.  BODE scores for those on oral corticosteroids are significantly higher than scores for those not on oral corticosteroids. (p < 0.0001).

Pellefrino R, Viegi G, Brusasco V, Crapo RO, Burgos F, Casaburi R, Series “ATS/ERS Task Force: Standardisation of lung function testing”. Eur Respir J 2005; 26:948–968.

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