Salmeterol/fluticasone propionate and salbutamol/ipratropium bromide [albuterol] combination products are both commonly used in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A new study reported at the 100th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society [Orlando, US; May 2004] shows that patients treated with salmeterol/fluticasone propionate achieve statistically and clinically superior improvements in lung function and symptoms of COPD, including dyspnoea, compared to those treated with salbutamol/ipratropium bromide. The primary endpoint of the study, morning predose FEV1, increased by 124mL from baseline in the salmeterol/fluticasone propionate group, but decreased by 3.2mL in the salbutamol/ipratropium bromide group (p < 0.001). A second study presented at the meeting demonstrates that the superiority of fluticasone propionate/salmeterol over salbutamol/ipratropium bromide persists whether or not patients are responsive to salbutamol.