Efficacy of triple therapy inhalers in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of triple inhaled therapy, a combination of inhaled glucocorticoids, long-acting muscarinic antagonists, and long-acting β2 agonists in managing acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: Medical data of 100 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD admitted to Shaoxing Second Hospital, Shaoxing, China between January 2020 to December 2022 was collected and retrospectively analyzed. The patients were randomized into control (n = 50) and study groups (n = 50). Control group received budesonide/formoterol inhalers while the study group received triple inhaled therapy (budesonide/glycopyrronium/formoterol inhalers). Arterial blood gas, pulmonary function, immune function, adverse effects, and efficacy were evaluated. Results: The study group exhibited significantly higher pH, partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), and lower partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) compared to control group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the study group showed significantly higher levels of pulmonary function and immune function indices compared to control group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (p > 0.05). The study group was associated with higher clinical efficacy compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Triple inhaled therapy significantly alleviates the clinical symptoms of patients with COPD and enhances pulmonary and immune functions. Future studies should cover a larger and more diverse group of participants for broader validity.