[Clinical study of inhaled corticosteroid in non-asthmatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease]

There is less unanimity about the effects of inhaled corticosteroid in patients with non-asthmatic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). The aim of this study is to determine whether patients with non-asthmatic COPD have favorable responses to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS).

A randomized, placebo-controlled, single-blind trial of inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate(BDP 1000 micrograms daily for 6 weeks) was carried out in 61 patients with stable non-asthmatic COPD. Before and after the therapy, the scores of clinical symptoms and the scores of quality of life were recorded, and the pulmonary function and plasma level of endothelin-1 (ET-1) were measured.

58 patients finished the study. Compared with the placebo-group, after receiving 6 weeks of ICS therapy, the BDP group showed significant improvement in clinical symptoms (P < 0.05), but not in the quality of life (P > 0.05). There was also an improvement in FEV1(P < 0.001), but not in MMEF (P > 0.05). The plasma concentration of ET-1 was not changed significantly in both groups.

The study suggested that the therapy of ICS (1000 micrograms daily for 6 weeks) can improve clinical symptoms and pulmonary function in patients with stable non-asthmatic COPD, but cannot affect the quality of life and the plasma concentration of ET-1.