Inhaled Corticosteroids Show Promise in Treating Stable Bronchiectasis without Hyperresponsiveness

Strategic Insights -

A pilot study conducted in Karnataka, India, has investigated the effects of inhaled corticosteroids on patients with stable bronchiectasis without bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Researchers from the Department of Respiratory Medicine found that patients treated with inhaled fluticasone 500 mg twice daily for 6 months experienced a clinically significant improvement in health-related quality of life.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study, which included 80 patients with stable bronchiectasis, found that inhaled fluticasone 500 mg twice daily for 6 months improved health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients without bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
  • A clinically significant difference in HRQoL was observed between the intervention and control groups, with the intervention group showing a mean SGRQ score of 5.47 at baseline and 1.65 at the end of treatment.
  • The study found that the mean number of exacerbations at the end of treatment was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group, with a mean of 1 ± 0.9 versus 1.2 ± 1.1, respectively.
  • The study concluded that patients with stable bronchiectasis without BHR, treated with inhaled fluticasone 500 mg twice daily for 6 months, showed a clinically significant improvement in HRQoL, but no statistically significant difference was seen in pulmonary function and frequency of exacerbations.
  • The study was conducted in a tertiary care chest hospital in Karnataka, India, and involved 40 patients in each arm.
  • The most common etiology of bronchiectasis in the study was tuberculosis, with 40% of the patients in the intervention group and 37.5% of the patients in the control group having TB as an underlying cause.

Statistics:

  • 80 patients were enrolled in the study, with 40 patients in each arm (intervention and control groups).
  • The mean age of the patients in the study was 49.7 ± 17.6 years for the intervention group and 49.9 ± 16.6 years for the control group.
  • The mean FEV1 in the intervention group was 0.054L at the end of treatment, compared to 0.004L in the control group.
  • The mean number of exacerbations at the end of treatment was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to the control group, with a mean of 1 ± 0.9 versus 1.2 ± 1.1, respectively.

Sources:

  • Efficacy of Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients with Bronchiectasis without Airway Hyperresponsiveness: A Pilot Study. Journal of Advanced Lung Health, 2024.
  • NewsRx. Researcher from Karnataka Provides Details of New Studies and Findings in the Area of Bronchiectasis (Efficacy of Inhaled Corticosteroids in Patients with Bronchiectasis without Airway Hyperresponsiveness: A Pilot Study). Respiratory Therapeutics Week. June 24, 2024; p 5336.