Comparative Effectiveness of COPD Treatments

Comparative Effectiveness of Combination Therapies in COPD

To assess the effectiveness of maintenance treatment of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with the combination of a long-acting bronchodilators (LABA and the long-acting muscarinic antagonists (LAMA) tiotropium (LABA-TIO)) compared with the combination of a LABA and an ICS (LABA-ICS) on the time to COPD exacerbation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• New users of long-acting bronchodilators, LABA and tiotropium on the same date or of LABA and ICS, either as a fixed-dose combination or free combination, on the same date between January 2002 and December 2015
• Diagnosis of COPD and age ≥ 55 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• Less than one year of medical history information prior to the date of combined treatment initiation (cohort entry)
• Asthma diagnosis