Algorithms for de-escalation of basic therapy, including the abolition of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS), in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as well as the development of clear criteria for prescribing triple therapy in clinical practice remain the subject of numerous studies and discussions. The given case report of managing a patient with a long experience of smoking and severe COPD demonstrated an unsuccessful experience of de-escalation of therapy with the abolition of ICS due to concerns about the fact of pneumonia. The dual bronchodilator therapy prescribed in accordance with modern recommendations was insufficiently effective in preventing exacerbations, and the stabilization of the patient’s condition was observed after the appointment of a fixed triple combination of drugs in a single inhaler (VI/UMEC/FF), which contains vilanterol (VI), umeclidinium bromide (UMEC) and ICS fluticasone furoate (FF). An additional contribution to ensuring clinical success was made by such factors as strict compliance with medical prescriptions by the patient, smoking cessation and compliance with recommendations for maintaining physical activity, compliance with a strict self-isolation regime during the pandemic, which reduced the risks of respiratory viral infections. Additional clinical predictors of the effectiveness of ICS in COPD were the bronchitis type, the persistence of symptoms and the recurrence of exacerbations of the disease after discontinuation of the drug, the level of blood eosinophilia. When deciding whether to prescribe or cancel triple therapy, it is recommended to take into account the data on the effect of ICS on improving the functional parameters and clinical course of the disease with a decrease in symptoms, on reducing the risk of exacerbations, on increasing patient survival and a positive prognosis during COPD.
Clinical predictors of frequent exacerbations in subjects with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)