Characteristics of reversible and nonreversible COPD and asthma and COPD overlap syndrome patients: an analysis of salbutamol Easyhaler data

Figures & data

Figure 1 Sex distribution among patients with COPD, ACOS, and asthma (%).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Figure 2 Smoking habits among patients with COPD, ACOS, and asthma (%).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Table 1 Baseline characteristics and prebronchodilator lung function values in patients with COPD, ACOS, and asthma controls

Variable	All (n=121)	Asthma (n=46)	COPD (n=63)	Asthma/COPD (n=12)	Overall P-value
Age	57.8±17.3	50.2±21.0	62.8±11.8#	60.8±16.5	<0.0001
Male/female (n)	49/72	17/29	24/39	8/4	0.152
Smoker: current/ex/non (n)	33/42/35	3/15/25	30/22/6	0/5/4	<0.0001
Outpatient/inpatient (n)	87/24	37/6	43/17	7/1	0.179
Weight (kg)	74.25±16.85	75.07±17.23	72.70±16.94	79.25±14.87	0.431
Height (cm)	166.78±8.79	167.59±9.94	165.75±8.06	169.08±7.66	0.356
BMI (kg/m^2)	26.64±5.52	26.71±5.60	26.39±5.62	27.73±4.89	0.741
Pre-FVC (L)	2.67±1.07	3.09±1.27*	2.31±0.84	2.93±0.72	<0.0001
Pre-FVC% predicted	79.84±19.56	88.33±19.48*	72.94±17.72	83.58±16.21	<0.0001
Pre-FEV1 (L)	1.63±0.78	1.98±0.86*	1.32±0.61	1.93±0.56	<0.0001
Pre-FEV1% predicted	58.97±18.61	67.93±16.71*	50.60±16.74	68.50±14.88	<0.0001
Pre-FEV1/FVC	60.29±10.56	63.97±7.58*	56.56±11.60	65.74±7.39	<0.0001
Pre-TLC (L)	6.13±1.24	6.17±1.32	6.11±1.26	6.08±0.76	0.965
Pre-TLC% predicted	109.64±20.46	109.95±19.52	111.03±21.76	101.25±15.50	0.316
Pre-RV (L)	3.16±1.04	2.79±0.73	3.49±1.16#	2.80±0.74	0.001
Pre-RV% predicted	157.30±52.75	150.35±48.62	167.56±55.99#	128.33±34.59	0.033
Pre-Raw (kPa/s)	0.52±0.36	0.42±0.17	0.62±0.46#	0.34±0.11	0.003

Notes: Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation, if not stated otherwise.

* Asthma statistically significantly greater than COPD (asthma vs COPD P<0.05).

# COPD statistically significantly greater than asthma (COPD vs asthma P<0.05).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity; Pre, prebronchodilator; Post, postbronchodilator; Raw, airway resistance; RV, residual volume; TLC, total lung capacity.

Table 2 Lung function values after inhalation of 400 µg salbutamol via Easyhaler dry powder inhaler

Variable	COPD (n=63)	ACOS (n=12)	Controls (asthma) (n=46)	Overall P-value
Post-FVC (L)	2.50±0.85	3.05±0.75	3.30±1.23*	<0.0001
Post-FVC% predicted	79.08±18.34	87.58±18.94	94.72±18.39*	<0.0001
Post-FEV1 (L)	1.44±0.65	2.05±0.57	2.24±0.96*	<0.0001
Post-FEV1% predicted	55.27±17.46	73.17±15.80	77.09±19.12*	<0.0001
Post-FEV1/FVC	56.88±11.95	67.37±7.48	67.24±8.79*	<0.0001
Post-TLC (L)	6.18±1.38	6.00±0.83	6.11±1.30	0.904
Post-TLC% predicted	112.35±21.10#	91.58±30.10	109.19±18.91	0.011
Post-RV (L)	3.41±1.21#	2.56±0.75	2.53±0.77	<0.0001
Post-RV% predicted	161.85±51.03#	116.92±34.07	135.74±45.59	0.002
Post-Raw (kPa/s)	0.45±0.28#	0.24±0.07	0.31±0.14	0.000

Notes: Data expressed as mean ± standard deviation, if not stated otherwise.

* COPD statistically significantly inferior compared with asthma (asthma vs COPD P<0.05).

# COPD statistically significantly greater than asthma (COPD vs asthma P<0.05).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity; Post, postbronchodilator; Raw, airway resistance; RV, residual volume; TLC, total lung capacity.

Figure 3 Reversibility in patients with COPD, ACOS, and asthma (%).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; ATS/ERS, American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Figure 4 Reversibility in relation to smoking habits in patients with COPD, ACOS, and asthma (%).

Abbreviations: ACOS, asthma and COPD overlap syndrome; ATS/ERS, American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society.

Table 3 Characteristics of reversible and nonreversible patients with COPD

Variable	COPD reversible	COPD nonreversible	P-value
Age (years)	61.6	62.4	0.790
Male (N)	10	20	0.783
Female (N)	13	30	0.783
Current and ex-smokers (N)	17	44	0.969
Nonsmokers (N)	2	5	0.969
Weight (kg)	64.0	77.1	0.003
Height (cm)	165.4	166.7	0.564
BMI (kg/m^2)	23.3	27.7	0.001
FEV1 (L)	1.38	1.62	0.188
FEV1% predicted	52.1	60.4	0.068
FEV1/FVC	53.7	62.5	0.010
FVC (L)	2.58	2.53	0.798
FVC% predicted	80.7	77.9	0.537

Abbreviations: BMI, body mass index; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; FEV₁, forced expiratory volume in 1 second; FVC, forced vital capacity.

Figure 5 Patients’ use of a rapid-acting bronchodilator (RABA) at the time of the study in relation to diagnoses (%).

Abbreviation: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Figure 6 The patients’ experience of ease of use of Easyhaler and pMDI.

Abbreviations: COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; pMDI, pressurized metered dose inhaler.