Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Advair - CRP Study
Brief Summary: Large population-based studies suggest that patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are 2 to 3 times at risk for cardiovascular mortality, which accounts for a large proportion of the total number of deaths. How COPD increases the risk of poor cardiovascular outcomes is largely unknown. However, there is growing evidence that persistent low-grade systemic inflammation is present in COPD and that this may contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease among COPD patients. Inflammation and more specifically, C-reactive protein (CRP), has been linked with all stages of atherosclerosis, including plaque genesis, rupture and subsequent thrombo-fibrosis of vulnerable vessels. Recently, our group has demonstrated in a relatively small study that short-term inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) therapy can repress serum CRP levels in stable COPD patients. Conversely, withdrawal of ICS leads to a marked increase in serum CRP levels. Although very promising, these data cannot be considered definitive because the study was small in size and scope (N=41 patients). Additionally, this study did not address the potential effects of combination therapy with ICS and long-acting β2 agonists (LABA). This is an important short-coming because combination therapy of ICS and LABA have been shown to produce improved clinical outcomes over ICS monotherapy and is commonly used by clinicians in the treatment of moderate to severe COPD. We hypothesize that inhaled fluticasone (Flovent®) reduces systemic inflammation and that combination therapy (Advair®) is more effective than steroids alone in reducing systemic inflammation in COPD. In this proposal, we will implement a randomized controlled trial to determine whether ICS by themselves or in combination with LABAs can:

1. reduce CRP levels in stable COPD patients and
2. reduce other pro-inflammatory cytokines, which have been linked with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1)


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients must have a clinical diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines.
* Patients must have a cigarette smoking history of more than 10 pack-years
* Patients must be clinically stable and at least 4 weeks from last acute exacerbation (and return to baseline level of symptoms)
* Patients must have an FEV1 of less than 80% of predicted values with FEV1 to FVC ratio of less than 0.70 (post-bronchodilator values)
* Men or women ≥ 45 years of age
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* 40 years and older
* Clinical diagnosis of COPD for greater than one year
* History of cigarette smoking

Exclusion Criteria:

* Other lung diseases (not including COPD), such as asthma
* A condition that could interfere with your ability to perform exercise tests
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* A clinical diagnosis of COPD with symptoms for more than 2 years
* Smoking history of 10 or more pack years
* A history of at least one COPD exacerbation requiring a course of oral steroids and/or antibiotics within 1-12 months before first visit.

Exclusion Criteria:

* A history of asthma
* Patients taking oral steroids.
* Any significant disease or disorder that may jeopardize the safety of the patient
D: Inclusion criteria:

* Established clinical history of moderate to severe COPD.
* Post bronchodilator FEV1 of \< 50% of predicted normal.
* FEV1 / FVC ratio \<70%.
* Reversibility to 400mcg albuterol of less or equal to 10 predicted at Visit 1.
* Free from exacerbation in the 6 weeks prior to screening.
* Current or former smoker with a smoking history of = 10 pack-years and has a history of COPD exacerbations.

Exclusion criteria:

* Current asthma, eczema, atopic dermatitis and/or allergic rhinitis.
* Has a known respiratory disorder other than COPD (e.g. lung cancer, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis or lung fibrosis).
* Has narrow-angle glaucoma, prostatic hyperplasia or obstruction of the neck of the bladder that in the opinion of the investigator should prevent the subject from entering the study.
* Has undergone lung transplantation and/or lung volume reduction.
* Female who is a nursing mother.
* Requires regular (daily) long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT).
* Is receiving beta-blockers (except eye drops).
* Has a serious, uncontrolled disease likely to interfere with the study.
* Has received any other investigational drugs within the 4 weeks prior to Visit 1.
* Has, in the opinion of the investigator, evidence of alcohol, drug or solvent abuse.
* Has a known or suspected hypersensitivity to beta2-agonists, inhaled corticosteroids, anticholinergic agents or any components of the formulations (e.g. lactose or milk protein).

Answer: A