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Corticosteroid Reduction in COPD

The Effect of Reduced Corticosteroid Therapy in Patients With Acute Exacerbation of COPD

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02857842
Acronym
Cortico-cop
Enrollment
318
Registered
2016-08-05
Start date
2016-08-31
Completion date
2019-01-31
Last updated
2019-02-08

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Blood Eosinophil Count, COPD, Glucocorticoids, Lung Diseases, Obstructive, Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

Brief summary

This study explores whether patients hospitalized with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbation may have fewer days with prednisolone and with the same treatment effect by controlling the treatment by daily measurements of eosinophils.

Detailed description

The most commonly used treatment for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a 5-day treatment with corticosteroids in moderate-high dose. Some patients receive repeated treatments, although it has been shown that corticosteroids only have temporary beneficial effects and no effect in relation to serious incidents or mortality. It has been found that the higher accumulated prednisolone dose disables patients due to serious side effects, including pneumonia, dysregulated diabetes, bone fracture in the context of osteoporosis, mental disorder and adrenal insufficiency etc. However, the extent of the side effects is unknown. Recent research has shown that it is presumably only a small subset of COPD patients who benefit from corticosteroid therapy. This group can be identified by the biomarker blood-eosinophils as already measured on most AECOPD patients during hospitalization. This is a randomized, controlled, multi-center, non-Inferiority trial evaluating the effect of eosinophil guided corticosteroid therapy to patients with AECOPD. The aim of the study is to investigate whether the accumulated dose corticosteroid treatment during admissions for AECOPD can be reduced, including the presumed side effects, while (still) remaining the optimal treatment effect.

Interventions

DRUGPrednisolone

Sponsors

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Trial Network, Denmark
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Patients hospitalized with AECOPD * Age ≥ 40 years * Spirometry-verified COPD (defined as FEV1 / FVC ≤ 70%) * Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) class C or D * Inclusion within 24 hours after admission

Exclusion criteria

* Known with a diagnosis of asthma * Life expectancy less than 30 days * Serious exacerbation requiring invasive ventilation or admission to ICU * Allergy to systemic corticosteroids * Severe mental illness, which is not controlled by medication * People who are detained under the act on the use of coercion in psychiatry * Severe language problems or inability to provide written informed consent * Pregnancy and lactation * Systemic fungal infections

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frame
Days alive and out of hospital within 14 days after recruitment14 days from recruitment

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in lung function (ΔFEV1) on day 3, after 1 month and 3 month90 days
Mortality360 days
Infection requiring antibiotic treatment within 180 days after the index of AECOPD180 days
The period between index AECOPD and the next AECOPD exacerbation90 days1. Readmission with AECOPD or death 2. Time to readmission with AECOPD or death
Cumulative corticosteroid dose at 1 and 3 month follow-up90 days1. Proportions of patients using corticosteroids during hospitalization (day 1 to day 5) between treatment arms 2. Mean total cumulative dose from recruitment to 3-month follow-up
Hyperglycemia during admission14 days
Changes in PTH and Vitamin D status between hospitalization and 3-month follow-up90 days
Treatment failure (Recurrence of AECOPD resulting in emergency room visits, hospitalization or need to intensify pharmacological treatment within 30 days)30 days
Dyspepsia or ulcer complications (gastrointestinal bleeding)90 days
New onset or worsening of diabetes mellitus30 days
Increase in body mass index between hospitalization, at 30 days and 3-month follow-up90 days
The impact of COPD (cough, sputum, dysnea, chest tightsenes etc) on health status (COPD Assessment Test) between hospitalization, at 30 days and 3-month follow-up90 days
Changes in level of dyspnea using the Medical Research Council (MRC) Dyspnoea Scale between hospitalization, at 30 days and 3-month follow-up90 days
Osteoporotic fractures360 days
Change in bone marker levels (Serum P1NP, Serum CTX)90 days

Countries

Denmark

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Mar 3, 2026