Benefit of aligning to GOLD recommendations in COPD treatment

Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim today presented three new data analyses, which reinforce the importance of adhering to the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) recommendations when prescribing treatments for people living with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Presented today at the virtual American Thoracic Society International Conference (ATS 2021), one data analysis showed the initiation of LAMA (long-acting muscarinic antagonist) therapy decreased the escalation rate to triple therapy (long-acting muscarinic antagonist/long-acting β2-agonist (LAMA/LABA) + ICS, which is an inhaled corticosteroid), compared with initiation of LABA/ICS therapy. A second analysis demonstrated no differences in all-cause mortality between LAMA/LABA and triple therapy. The third analysis showed great geographic disparity in how GOLD recommendations are followed.

According to the GOLD recommendations, inhaled bronchodilators, such as LAMAs and LAMA/LABAs, remain the preferred maintenance treatment. GOLD recommends triple therapy as an escalation treatment and not for the initiation of COPD treatment.