Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Effect of Inhalation of Tiotropium Once Daily 18 Mcg Versus Salmeterol Twice Daily 50 Mcg on Time to First Exacerbation in COPD Patients (a Randomised, Double-blind, Double-dummy, Parallel Group, One-year Study).
Brief Summary: This is a randomised, double-blind, double-dummy, multinational, multicentre, parallel group trial comparing tiotropium (18 mcg) inhalation capsule via HandiHaler and salmeterol (50 mcg) via MDI in patients with COPD. There will be a two-week run-in period followed by a 52-week randomised treatment phase. Patients who withdraw prematurely from trial medication will be encouraged to remain in the trial and participate in follow-up telephone contacts until their predicted normal exit date from the trial (i.e. 52 weeks after taking the first dose of randomised treatment). The phone calls will be made at all scheduled visits.

The primary objective of this study is to compare the effect of tiotropium (18 mcg) inhalation capsule via HandiHaler with that of salmeterol (50 mcg) via MDI on COPD exacerbations.

The primary endpoint is time to first COPD exacerbation during the 52 week randomised treatment period. A COPD exacerbation will be defined as a complex of respiratory events / symptoms (increase or new onset) of more than one of the following: cough, sputum, wheezing, dyspnoea or chest tightness with at least one symptom lasting at least three days requiring treatment with antibiotics and/or systemic steroids and/or hospitalisation.

The onset of an exacerbation is defined as the onset of the first new or increased reported symptom. The end of the exacerbation should be recorded as defined by the investigator.

Only COPD exacerbations with onset during randomised treatment will be included in the analysis.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

1. All patients must have a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and must meet the following criteria at Visit 1:

   Patients must have relatively stable, moderate to very severe airway obstruction with a post-bronchodilator FEV1 \<=70% of predicted normal and FEV1 \<=70% of FVC post-bronchodilator (i.e. 30 minutes after inhalation of 4 puffs of 100 µg salbutamol or equivalent SABA). Predicted normal values will be calculated according to ECSC.

   For Height measured in inches Males: FEV1 predicted (L) = 4.30 x (height (inches) / 39.37)-0.029 x age (yrs) - 2.49 Females:FEV1 predicted (L) = 3.95 x (height (inches) / 39.37)-0.025 x age (yrs) - 2.60 For Height measured in metres Males: FEV1 predicted (L) = 4.30 x (height (metres)) - 0.029 x age (years) - 2.49 Females: FEV1 predicted (L) = 3.95 x (height (metres)) - 0.025 x age (years) - 2.60
2. All patients must sign an informed consent consistent with ICH-GCP guidelines prior to participation in the trial.
3. Male or female patients 40 years of age or older.
4. Patients with a history of at least one exacerbation within the past year requiring treatment with either antibiotics and/or systemic steroids and/or hospitalisation.
5. Patients must be current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of \>= 10 pack-years. (Patients who have never smoked cigarettes must be excluded.)
6. Patients must be able to perform all study-related procedures including technically acceptable pulmonary function tests (PFTs).
7. Patients must be able to inhale medication in a competent manner from the HandiHaler and a metered dose inhaler (MDI).
8. Patients must be able to maintain records (patient daily diary card) during the study period as required in the protocol.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Significant diseases other than COPD. A significant disease is defined as a disease or condition which, in the opinion of the investigator, may put the patient at risk because of participation in the study or may influence either the results of the study or the patients' ability to participate in the study.
2. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma.
3. Patients with a life-threatening pulmonary obstruction, or a history of cystic fibrosis.
4. Patients with known active tuberculosis.
5. Patients with a known symptomatic prostatic hyperplasia or bladder neck obstruction. Patients with symptomatically-controlled prostatic hyperplasia on medication may be included and should continue their medication.
6. Patients with known narrow-angle glaucoma.
7. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction within the year prior to Visit 1.
8. Patients with a history of hospital admission for heart failure within the year prior to Visit 1.
9. Patients with cardiac arrhythmia requiring medical or surgical treatment.
10. Patients with severe cardiovascular disorders.
11. Patients with a known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, beta-adrenergics, lactose or any other component of the medication delivery system.
12. Patients with known moderate or severe renal insufficiency (known creatinine clearance of \<= 50 mL/min).
13. Patients with untreated known hypokalaemia.
14. Patients with untreated known thyrotoxicosis.
15. Patients with brittle/unstable diabetes mellitus.
16. Patients with a history of and/or active significant alcohol or drug abuse. See exclusion criterion 1.
17. Patients who have taken an investigational drug within 30 days or six half-lives (whichever is greater) prior to Screening Visit (Visit 1).
18. Use of systemic corticosteroid medication at unstable doses (i.e less than six weeks on stable dose) or at doses in excess of the equivalent of 10 mg prednisolone per day or 20 mg every other day.
19. Pregnant or nursing women or women of childbearing potential not using a medically approved means of contraception (i.e oral contraceptives, intrauterine devices, diaphragm or subdermal implants e.g Norplant) for at least three months prior to, and for the duration of the trial.
20. Previous participation (receipt of randomised treatment) in this study.
21. Patients who are currently participating in another study.
22. Patients with any respiratory infection or COPD exacerbation in the four weeks prior to the Screening Visit (Visit 1) or during the run-in period should be postponed. In the case of a respiratory infection or COPD exacerbation during the run-in period, the latter may be extended up to four weeks.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

- Diagnosis of COPD (moderate-to-severe as classified by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) Guidelines, 2007) and:

* a) Smoking history of at least 10 pack-years
* b) Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) \< 80% and ≥ 30% of the predicted normal value
* c) Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (forced vital capacity) \< 70%

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have received systemic corticosteroids or antibiotics and/or was hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation in the 6 weeks prior to screening
* Patients who have had a respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks prior to screening
* Patients with concomitant pulmonary disease
* Patients with a history of asthma
* Patients with diabetes Type I or uncontrolled diabetes Type II
* Any patient with lung cancer or a history of lung cancer
* Patients with a history of certain cardiovascular comorbid conditions

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to the study.
C: Inclusion criteria:

1. All patients must sign an informed consent consistent with International Conference on Harmonization-Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines prior to participation in the trial, which includes medication washout and restrictions.
2. All patients must have a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and must meet the following spirometric criteria: Patients must have a relatively stable airway obstruction with a post-bronchodilator FEV1 = 30 % and \< 80% of predicted normal and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC \<70% at Visit 1.
3. Male or female patients, 40 years of age or older.
4. Patients must be current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of more than 10 pack years
5. Patients must be able to: perform technically acceptable pulmonary function tests, and maintain records(paper diary).
6. Patients must be able to inhale medication in a competent manner from the Respimat Inhaler as well as the Handihaler.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Patients with a significant disease other than COPD; a significant disease is defined as a disease which, in the opinion of the investigator, may (i) put the patient at risk because of participation in the study, (ii) influence the results of the study, or (iii) cause concern regarding the patients ability to participate in the study.
2. Patients with clinically relevant abnormal baseline haematology, blood chemistry, or urinalysis; all patients with an AST \>x2 ULN, ALT \>x2 ULN, bilirubin \>x2 ULN or creatinine \>x2 ULN will be excluded regardless of clinical condition (a repeat laboratory evaluation will not be conducted in these patients).
3. Patients with a history of asthma. For patients with allergic rhinitis or atopy, source documentation is required to verify that the patient does not have asthma. If a patient has a total blood eosinophil count =600/mm3, source documentation is required to verify that the increased eosinophil count is related to a non-asthmatic condition.
4. A diagnosis of thyrotoxicosis (due to the known class side effect profile of ß2-agonists).
5. A diagnosis of paroxysmal tachycardia (\>100 beats per minute) (due to the known class side effect profile of ß2-agonists).
6. A history of myocardial infarction within 1 year of screening visit (Visit 1).
7. Unstable or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia.
8. Hospitalization for heart failure within the past year.
9. Known active tuberculosis.
10. A malignancy for which patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy within last five years (patients with treated basal cell carcinoma are allowed).
11. A history of life-threatening pulmonary obstruction.
12. A history of cystic fibrosis.
13. Clinically evident bronchiectasis.
14. A history of significant alcohol or drug abuse.
15. Patients who have undergone thoracotomy with pulmonary resection (patients with a history of thoracotomy for other reasons should be evaluated as per exclusion criterion No. 1).
16. Patients being treated with oral or patch ß-adrenergics.
17. Patients being treated with oral corticosteroid medication at unstable doses (i.e., less than six weeks on a stable dose) or at doses in excess of the equivalent of 10 mg of prednisone per day or 20 mg every other day.
18. Patients who regularly use daytime oxygen therapy for more than one hour per day and in the investigators opinion will be unable to abstain from the use of oxygen therapy during clinic visits.
19. Patients who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation program in the six weeks prior to the screening visit (Visit 1) or patients who are currently in a pulmonary rehabilitation program.
20. Patients who have taken an investigational drug within one month or six half lives (whichever is greater) prior to screening visit (Visit 1).
21. Patients with known hypersensitivity to ß-adrenergic drugs, BAC, EDTA, or any other component of the Respimat® inhalation solution.
22. Patients with known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, lactose, or any other components of the HandiHaler®.
23. Pregnant or nursing women.
24. Women of childbearing potential not using a highly effective method of birth control\*. Female patients will be considered to be of childbearing potential unless surgically sterilised by hysterectomy or bilateral tubal ligation, or post-menopausal for at least two years.

    \* as per ICH M3(R2) a highly effective method of birth control is defined as those which result in a low failure rate (i.e. less than 1% per year).
25. Patients who have previously been randomised in this study or are currently participating in another study.
26. Patients who are unable to comply with pulmonary medication restrictions prior to randomisation.
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), as classified by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines and:

  1. Smoking history of at least 20 pack-years.
  2. Post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) \< 80% and ≥ 30% of the predicted normal value.
  3. Post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC (forced vital capacity) \< 70%.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients who have been hospitalized for a COPD exacerbation in the 6 weeks prior to screening or during the 14 day run-in period prior to randomization.
* Patients requiring long-term oxygen therapy (\> 15 hours a day) for chronic hypoxemia.
* Patients who have had a respiratory tract infection within 6 weeks prior to screening.
* Patients with concomitant pulmonary disease.
* Patients with a history of asthma.
* Patients with diabetes Type I or uncontrolled diabetes Type II.
* Any patient with lung cancer or a history of lung cancer.
* Any patient with active cancer or a history of cancer with less than 5 years disease-free survival time.
* Patients with a history of long QT syndrome or whose QTc interval (Bazett's) measured at screening or randomization is prolonged.
* Patients who have been vaccinated with live attenuated vaccines within 30 days prior to screening or during the run-in period.
* Patients unable to successfully use a dry powder inhaler device or perform spirometry measurements.

Other protocol-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria applied to the study.

Answer: A