Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

BACKGROUND: An association between the sputum eosinophil count and the response to a 2 week course of prednisolone has previously been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Whether the response to inhaled corticosteroids is related to the presence of eosinophilic inflammation is unclear. METHODS: A randomised, double blind, crossover trial of placebo and mometasone furoate (800 microg/day), each given for 6 weeks with a 4 week washout period, was performed in subjects with COPD treated with bronchodilator therapy only. Spirometric tests, symptom scores, chronic respiratory disease questionnaire (CRQ), and induced sputum were performed before and after each treatment phase. RESULTS: Ninety five patients were recruited of which 60 were randomised. Overall there were no treatment associated changes in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)), total CRQ, or sputum characteristics. After stratification into tertiles by baseline eosinophil count, the net improvement in post-bronchodilator FEV(1) increased with mometasone compared with placebo progressively from the least to the most eosinophilic tertile. The mean change in post-bronchodilator FEV(1) with mometasone compared with placebo in the highest tertile was 0.11 l (95% CI 0.03 to 0.19). This improvement was not associated with a fall in the sputum eosinophil count. CONCLUSIONS: An increased sputum eosinophil count is related to an improvement in post-bronchodilator FEV(1) following treatment with inhaled mometasone in COPD, but the improvement is not associated with a reduction in the sputum eosinophil count.

Original publication

DOI

10.1136/thx.2004.032516

Type

Journal article

Journal

Thorax

Publication Date

03/2005

Volume

60

Pages

193 - 198

Keywords

Administration, Inhalation, Aged, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Bronchodilator Agents, Cross-Over Studies, Double-Blind Method, Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay, Eosinophilia, Eosinophils, Female, Forced Expiratory Volume, Humans, Interleukin-8, Leukocyte Count, Male, Mometasone Furoate, Pregnadienediols, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive, Sputum