Impact on the efficacy of combination therapy for patients with ACOS related diseases

Objective To investigate and analyze the clinical features and efficacy of combination therapy on patients with asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome (ACOS) related diseases and their comparisons with asthma and COPD with the purpose of improving the understanding of ACOS related diseases and the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods A total 170 patients admitted to our hospital between January 2014 and January 2015 were included in this research.Fifty of which were ACOS patients who were treated with tiotropium bromide and symbicort turbulaler, 56 of which were COPD patients who were treated with tiotropium bromide and symbicort turbulaler, other 64 patients with asthma were treated with salmeterol and fluticas and symbicort turbulaler. Data collected at each treatment were pulmonary function, the score of Asthma control test (ACT) or Chronic obsturctive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) and the number of acute exacerbations for evaluation of the effect of each drug treatment. These data were taken before the treatment and after treating for three months. Results The pulmonary function test (FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, MMEF, DLCO%, DLCO%/VA) and ACT or CAT showed clinical improvement after three months treatment in 3 groups of patients and the differences were statistically significant comparing with that before treatment (P<0.05). Conclusions Asthma, COPD and ACOS have commonality as well as individuality, these clinical features can be used to diagnose and guide drug usage. After combination therapy for three months, the three groups of patients present remarkable clinical curative effects, the pulmonary function and the quality of patients′ life were improved in the three groups. Moreover, the effect on asthma patients was the best, followed by COPD and ACOS patients. This study can contribute to the improvement and understanding of ACOS related diseases and the level of clinical diagnosis and treatment. Key words: Asthma; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap syndrome; Combination therapy