Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Phase III Randomised, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Parallel-group Trial to Evaluate Efficacy and Safety of Tiotropium Inhalation Solution Delivered Via Respimat® Inhaler (2.5 and 5 µg Once Daily) Compared With Placebo and Salmeterol HFA MDI (50 µg Twice Daily) Over 24 Weeks in Moderate Persistent Asthma
Brief Summary: The aim of this trial is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of 2.5 and 5 mcg tiotropium over a 24-week treatment period as compared to placebo and salmeterol (50 mcg twice daily). Tiotropium inhalation solution delivered by the Respimat® inhaler will be examined on top of maintenance treatment with inhaled corticosteroid controller medication in patients with moderate persistent asthma. Efficacy and safety will be assessed by measuring effects on lung function, effects on asthma exacerbations, effects on quality of life, effects on asthma control, effects on health care resource utilisation, and number of adverse events.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Signed informed consent
* Outpatient at least 12 years of age
* Both genders; females of child bearing potential must be willing to use approved birth control method
* Pre-bronchodilator FEV1 of 40-90% predicted
* Reversibility FEV1 of at least 12% and 200mLs
* Current asthma therapy that includes an inhaled corticosteroid for at least 4 weeks prior to first visit

Exclusion Criteria:

* History of life threatening asthma
* Respiratory infection or candidiasis
* Asthma exacerbation within 6 months prior to first visit
* Concurrent respiratory disease or other disease that would confound study participation or affect subject safety
* Allergies to study drugs, study drug excipients, medications related to study drugs
* Taking another investigational medication or medication prohibited for use during this study
B: Inclusion criteria:

1. All patients and their parent(s) (or legally accepted representative) must sign and date respectively an informed assent and an informed consent consistent with International Conference on Harmonisation - Harmonised Tripartite Guideline for Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines and local legislation prior to the patient's participation in the trial. A separate informed consent/assent is required for pharmacogenomic sampling.
2. Male or female patients between 12 and 17 years of age (at date of informed consent/assent).
3. All patients must have at least a 3-month history of asthma at the time of enrolment into the trial.
4. All patients must have been on maintenance treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid either at stable high dose in combination with another controller medication, OR at stable medium dose in combination with two other controller medications, for at least 4 weeks before Visit 1.
5. All patients must be symptomatic at Visit 1 (screening) and prior to randomisation at Visit 2 as defined by an Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) mean score of = 1.5.
6. All patients must have a pre-bronchodilator Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1) = 60% and = 90% of predicted normal at Visit 1.
7. Variation of absolute FEV1 values of Visit 1 (pre-bronchodilator, considered as 100%) as compared to Visit 2 (pre-dose) must be within ± 30%.
8. All patients must confirm the diagnosis of asthma by bronchodilator reversibility at Visit 1, resulting in an increase in FEV1 of = 12% and = 200 mL 15 to 30 minutes after 400 µg salbutamol (albuterol). If patients in the lower age range (e.g. 12 to 14 year old patients) exhibit a very small total lung volume, positive reversibility testing might be based solely on the relative (=12%) post-bronchodilator response.
9. All patients must be never-smokers or ex-smokers who stopped smoking at least one year prior to enrolment.
10. Patients must be able to use the Respimat® inhaler correctly.
11. Patients must be able to perform all trial related procedures including technically acceptable spirometric manoeuvres according to American Thoracic Society/ European Respiratory Society (ATS/ERS) standards and use of the electronic diary/peak flow meter (diary compliance of at least 80% is required).

Exclusion criteria:

1. Significant disease other than asthma.
2. Abnormal haematology or blood chemistry.
3. History of heart disease, and/or hospitalised for cardiac syncope or failure.
4. Any unstable or life-threatening or requiring intervention or cardiac arrhythmia.
5. Malignancy for which the patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
6. Active tuberculosis.
7. Alcohol or drug abuse.
8. Thoracotomy with pulmonary resection.
9. Pulmonary rehabilitation program.
10. Hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, or any components of the study medication delivery system.
11. Pregnant or nursing adolescent female patients.
12. Female patients of child-bearing potential not using a highly effective method of birth control.
13. Investigational drug within four weeks or six half lives prior to Visit 1.
14. Long-acting anticholinergics within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
15. Systemic corticosteroids at a high dose or at a not stable low dose within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
16. Leukotriene modifiers if not stabilised for at least four weeks prior to Visit 1.
17. Long-acting theophylline preparations if not stabilised for at least two weeks prior to Visit 1.
18. Anti Immunoglobulin E (Anti-IgE) treatment if not stabilised for at least six months prior to Visit 1.
19. Cromones if not stabilised within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
20. Oral beta-blocker medication within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
21. Systemic oral or i.v. or s.c. beta-adrenergics within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
22. Other non-approved and according to international guidelines not recommended experimental drugs for routine asthma therapy within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
23. Any acute asthma exacerbation or respiratory tract infection in the four weeks prior to Visit 1and/or in the four weeks prior to Visit 2. In case of an asthma deterioration occurring in the four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or in the four weeks prior to Visit 2, the visit must be postponed.
24. Randomised in this trial or currently participating in another trial.
25. Narrow-angle glaucoma, or any other disease where anticholinergic treatment is contraindicated.
26. Moderate to severe renal impairment.
27. Patients requiring 10 or more puffs of rescue medication per day on more than 2 consecutive days in the four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or in the four weeks prior to Visit 2. In case of an asthma deterioration occurring in the four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or in the four weeks prior to Visit 2, the visit must be postponed.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Diagnosis of asthma and baseline lung function tests as determined by the protocol
* Required and received treatment with inhaled corticosteroids within the timeframe and doses specified in the protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

* Severe asthma
* Has required treatment with any non-inhaled corticosteroids within previous 4 weeks, has sensitivity to drugs specified in protocol or requires treatment with beta-blockers
D: Inclusion criteria:

1. All patients must sign and date an Informed Consent Form consistent with International Conference on Harmonisation - Good Clinical Practice (ICH-GCP) guidelines and local legislation prior to participation in the trial (i.e. prior to any trial procedures, including any pre-trial washout of medications and medication restrictions for pulmonary function test at Visit 1).
2. Male or female patients aged at least 18 years but not more than 75 years.
3. All patients must have at least a 3 month history of asthma at the time of enrolment into the trial. The diagnosis should be confirmed at Visit 1 by fulfilling inclusion criterion 5.
4. The initial diagnosis of asthma must have been made before the patient's age of 40.
5. The diagnosis of asthma has to be confirmed at Visit 1 with a bronchodilator reversibility (15 minutes after 400 mcg salbutamol (albuterol)) resulting in a Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1) increase of at least 12% and at least 200mL.
6. All patients must have been on maintenance treatment with a medium, stable dose of inhaled corticosteroids for at least for 4 weeks prior to Visit 1. 7. All patients must be symptomatic at Visit 1 (screening) and prior to randomisation at Visit 2 as defined by an Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) mean score of at least 1.5.

8. All patients must have a pre-bronchodilator FEV1 at least 60% and less than or equal to 90% of predicted normal at Visit 1.

9. Variation of absolute FEV1 values of Visit 1 (pre-bronchodilator) as compared to Visit 2 (pre-dose) must be within ± 30%.

10. Patients must be never-smokers or ex-smokers who stopped smoking at least one year prior to enrolment (Visit 0) and who have a smoking history of less than 10 pack years.

11. Patients must be able to use the Respimat® inhaler and metered dose inhaler correctly.

12. Patients must be able to perform all trial related procedures including technically acceptable pulmonary function tests and use of electronic diary/peak flow meter.

Exclusion criteria:

1. Patients with a significant disease other than asthma. 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 trial, or (ii) influence the results of the trial, or (iii) cause concern regarding the patient's ability to participate in the trial.
2. Patients with a clinically relevant abnormal screening (Visit 1) haematology or blood chemistry if the abnormality defines a significant disease as defined in exclusion criterion 1.
3. Patients with a recent history (i.e. six months or less) of myocardial infarction.
4. Patients who have been hospitalised for cardiac failure during the past year.
5. Patients with any unstable or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia or cardiac arrhythmia requiring intervention or a change in drug therapy within the past year.
6. Patients with lung diseases other than asthma (e.g. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)).
7. Patients with known active tuberculosis.
8. Patients with malignancy for which the patient has undergone resection, radiation therapy or chemotherapy within the last five years. Patients with treated basal cell carcinoma are allowed.
9. 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.
10. Patients with significant alcohol or drug abuse within the past two years.
11. Patients who are currently in a pulmonary rehabilitation program or have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation program in the 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 (screening).
12. Patients with known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, benzalkonium chloride (BAC), ethylenediamineteraacetic acid (EDTA), salmeterol xinafoate or any other components of the study medication delivery systems.
13. Pregnant or nursing woman.
14. Women of childbearing potential not using a highly effective method of birth control.
15. Patients who have taken an investigational drug within four weeks prior to Visit 1.
16. Patients who have been treated with beta-blocker medication within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period. Topical cardio-selective beta-blocker eye medications for non-narrow angle glaucoma are allowed.
17. Patients who have been treated with the long-acting anticholinergic tiotropium (Spiriva®) within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
18. Patients who have been treated with oral or patch beta-adrenergics within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the Screening period.
19. Patients who have been treated with oral corticosteroids within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
20. Patients who have been treated with anti-IgE antibodies, e.g. omalizumab (Xolair®), within 6 months prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
21. Patients who have been treated with cromone within two weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
22. Patients who have been treated with methylxanthines or phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors within two weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
23. Patients who have been treated with other non-approved and according to international guidelines not recommended "experimental" drugs for routine asthma therapy within four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
24. Patients with any asthma exacerbation or any respiratory tract infection iin the four weeks prior to Visit 1 and/or during the screening period.
25. Patients who have previously been randomised in this trial or in the respective twin trial (205.418) or are currently participating in another trial.

Answer: D