Inhaled Corticosteroids and Pneumonia in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) have been recommended for use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in order to decrease exacerbation rates and improve health related quality of life parameters. Nevertheless, recent studies have reported an increased risk of pneumonia associated with this treatment. However, most studies were not specifically designed to detect pneumonia as a possible secondary effect and for this reason it is difficult to determine whether this risk exists and assess its magnitude. This paper reviews the published studies reporting pneumonia events in COPD patients treated with ICS.