Abstract
This review summarizes the development of triple therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in recent years. It describes the initial studies published before 2016, comparing the effectiveness of free triple therapy with other basic COPD treatments such as monotherapy with long-acting muscarinic receptor antagonists (LAMA) or a fixed combination of long-acting beta agonists and inhaled corticosteroids (LABA/ICS).
Also reported are results of the recently published studies TRILOGY, TRINITI and TRIBUTE comparing fixed LABA/LAMA/ICS triple therapy (Trimbow) delivered as an extrafine aerosol with the effectiveness of LAMA monotherapy, a fixed ICS/LABA combination and, finally, dual LABA/LAMA therapy. The results of all three studies showed that the first fixed triple therapy, to be available in the Czech Republic in autumn 2018, is beneficial in that it reduces the number of acute exacerbations (by 15% to 23%) and improves pulmonary function and other parameters (symptoms, quality of life).