Richard H. Stanford, PharmD, MS

Treatment with fluticasone furoate/umeclidinium/vilanterol (FF/UMEC/VI) compared with FF/VI or UMEC/VI reduced exacerbation-related costs associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the US healthcare system.

This cost analysis using data from the Study to Understand Mortality and Morbidity in COPD (SUMMIT) trial found that fluticasone furoate/vilanterol reduced the rates and costs of combined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations and revascularization/cardiovascular events versus placebo.

A health insurance claims-based risk assessment tool to predict patients’ first severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation has been developed and validated.

The controller-to-total asthma medication ratio was a significant predictor of exacerbations in pediatric and adult commercially insured and Medicaid patients.