Hospitalization for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia: association with the dose of inhaled corticosteroids. A nation-wide cohort study of 52 100 outpatients

In the dose-response relationship analysis, ICS dose were associated with a substantially increased risk of hospitalization for pneumonia of up to 50%. Our data support that ICSs should be administered at the lowest possible dose and only to patients with COPD who have a documented need.