Inhaled corticosteroid containing combinations and mortality in COPD.

Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: J. Vestbo reports personal fees (consultancy for COPD phase 2 and 3 programme and payment for lectures including service in speaker bureau) from GlaxoSmithKline, Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer-Ingelheim, Novartis, and AstraZeneca, all outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: L. Fabbri reports grants for research, personal fees and non-financial support (paid lectures, advisory board and travel expenses reimbursement) from Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi Farmaceutici, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Takeda, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Menarini, Laboratori Guidotti and Almirall, personal fees and non-financial support (paid lectures, advisory board and travel expenses reimbursement) from Pearl Therapeutics, Mundipharma and Boston Scientific, personal fees (paid lectures) from Kyorin and Bayer, personal fees from Zambon (paid lectures, advisory board and travel expenses reimbursement, grant for research), and grants from Pfizer, Dompè, Malesci, Biofutura Italia and Vree Health Italia, all outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: A. Papi reports grants and personal fees from Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, during the conduct of the study; grants, personal fees, non-financial support and other (board membership, consultancy, payment for lectures, grants for research, travel expenses reimbursement) from Chiesi, Astrazeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Boehringer Ingelheim, Pfizer, Mundipharma and TEVA, personal fees and non-financial support (payment for lectures, travel expenses reimbursement) from Menarini, Novartis and Zambon, all outside the submitted work. Conflict of interest: S. Petruzzelli has nothing to disclose. Conflict of interest: M. Scuri is a full-time employee of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. Conflict of interest: A. Guasconi is an employee of Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. Conflict of interest: S. Vezzoli is an employee of Chiesi Farmaceutici SpA, the sponsor of the studies. Conflict of interest: D. Singh reports personal fees from Chiesi, during the conduct of the study; personal fees from Apellis, Cipla, Genentech, Peptinnovate and Skyepharma, grants and personal fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingleheim, Chiesi, GlaxoSmithKline, Glenmark, Menarini, Merck, Mundipharma, Novartis, Pfizer, Pulmatrix, Teva, Therevance and Verona, all outside the submitted work.