| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2567070 | Pulmonary Pharmacology & Therapeutics | 2014 | 6 Pages |
BackgroundBronchodilators form the main stay of treatment for COPD. When symptoms are not adequately controlled with one bronchodilator, addition of another bronchodilator is recommended. We have recently developed a combination of tiotropium and formoterol in a single pressurized metered dose inhaler (pMDI) (Cipla Ltd., India). The aim of this study was to compare the bronchodilator effects of a single dose of 18 mcg of tiotropium versus a single dose of a combination of 18 mcg tiotropium plus 12 mcg formoterol administered via a pMDI in subjects with moderate-to-severe COPD.Study design44 COPD subjects were enrolled in this randomized, double-blind, multi-centre, cross-over study. 18 mcg tiotropium and 18 mcg tiotropium plus 12 mcg formoterol were administered via pressurized metered dose inhalers on two separate days. FEV1, FVC and Inspiratory capacity (IC) were measured before, 15, 30 min, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12 and 24 h after the study drugs were administered.ResultsCompared with tiotropium alone, a combination of tiotropium plus formoterol showed a faster onset of bronchodilator response (p < 0.01 for FEV1 and FVC), a greater mean maximum change in FEV1 (p = 0.01) and FVC (p = 0.008) and greater AUC0–24h values for FEV1, FVC and IC. Trough FEV1 and FVC values were also greater in the combination group.ConclusionA combination of tiotropium plus formoterol administered via a single inhaler produced a superior bronchodilator response than tiotropium alone over a period of 24 h.
