Rationale: Inhaled corticosteroids are commonly prescribed to patients with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objectives: To examine whether these medications
might be associated with an excess risk of pneumonia. Methods: We conducted a nested
case-control study within a cohort of patients with COPD from Quebec, Canada, over the
period 1988–2003, identified on the basis of administrative databases linking hospitalization
and drug-dispensing information. Each subject hospitalized for pneumonia during follow-up …

The effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) in patients with chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) remains controversial. Randomized controlled trials, meta-
analyses, medication withdrawal studies, and observational reports have examined this
question, with mixed results. Observational studies have been subject to criticism because of
study design involving immortal time bias. Some randomized controlled trials suggest small
benefits in lung function and health status, and a reduction in the rate of acute exacerbations …