The Allergy News summarizes a study by Ringdal et al 1 demonstrating that “patients using the [asthma] medications in combination were 17% less likely to stop their medication and were also 17% less likely to have a moderate to severe asthma exacerbation.”
“Medications in combination” refers here to LABAs and ICSs administered together in a single inhaler.
Commentary
This tactic seems especially useful since compliance with treatment is a frequent concern in the management of asthma (adherence to asthma therapy has been the subject of three previous posts; click the “asthma” tag).
Simplifying a treatment regimen appears to be one of the more reliable adherence enhancements; see these previous posts:
Evidence Linking Medication Combinations & Adherence
Meta-Review: Improving Medication Adherence In Chronic Cardiovascular Disorders
My only caveat is that treatment regimen simplification is not a panacea; see
Myth #3: Noncompliance Can Be Eliminated By Educating The Patient, Motivating The Patient, Eradicating Or Relieving Side-effects, Simplifying Treatment, …
That said, the use of combination asthma therapy seems a clear improvement over prescribing the two medications separately and carries little or no downside risk. Moreover, the consolidation of two related, complementary medications, as in the case of LABAs and ICSs in the treatment of asthma, into a single administration is particularly apt.
The Allergy News post can be found at
~Monotherapy or Combination Therapy: Which Approach Improves Adherence in Patients With Asthma?~
Footnotes
- Ringdal N, Chuchalin A, Chovan L, Tudoric N, Maggi E, Whitehead PJ. Evaluation of different inhaled combination therapies (EDICT): a randomized, double-blind comparison of Seretide (50/250 microg BD Diskus vs Formoterol (12 microg BD) and budesonide (800 microg BD) given concurrently (both via Turbuhaler) in patients with moderate to severe asthma. Respir Med. 2002;96:851-861.↩