Open Access<p>Inhaled Corticosteroids in COPD: Trying to Make a Long Story Short</p>
Author(s) -
Claudio Tantucci,
Laura Pini
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
international journal of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/international journal of copd
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1178-2005
pISSN - 1176-9106
DOI - 10.2147/copd.s233462
Subject(s) - medicine , inhaled corticosteroids , copd , intensive care medicine , asthma
The use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in long-term treatment of COPD has been a debated topic for a long time. According to the evidence produced till now, ICSs are presently advocated in combination with long-acting bronchodilators for high-risk symptomatic COPD patients with a history of frequent COPD exacerbations. However, the heterogeneity of COPD patients in terms of prevalent underlying disease, with its associated biological and functional characteristics, and different types of exacerbation makes this recommendation highly questionable. This review aims to discuss the usefulness of ICSs in the pharmacological management of COPD and trys to detect those aspects that may likely anticipate a beneficial response following their therapeutic use related to respiratory function, functional decline, prevention of exacerbation, and quality of life. In this respect, the BERN acronym, meaning Bronchiolitis, Eosinophilia, Responsiveness to bronchodilator, and Non-smoker, may be of practical utility to select among COPD patients those that can take more advantage from ICS adoption when positive and vice versa when negative.