Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Acute and Long-term Effects of Once Daily Oral Inhalation of Tiotropium 18 Mcg Dry Powder Inhalation Capsules in a Placebo Controlled Parallel Group Design Study in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) of Different Severity
Brief Summary: The primary objective of this study is to investigate the effect of tiotropium vs. placebo on trough FEV1 and FEV1 2 hours post inhalation after 12 weeks of treatment. For both endpoints changes from baseline will be analysed. Three strata of patients will be included (severe COPD, i.e. \<35% of predicted FEV1, moderate COPD, i.e. 35% - \<50% of predicted FEV1, mild COPD, i.e. 50% - 70% of predicted FEV1, according to American Thoracic Society \[ATS\] criteria). The study is conducted in order to find out for which endpoint tiotropium is different from placebo in which stratum.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Written informed consent.
* Male or female patients 40 years of age or older.
* Smoking history of at least 10 pack years.
* Diagnosis of COPD with post bronchodilator FEV1 less than or equal to 70% of predicted normal and FEV1\<70% of FVC and on stable respiratory medication.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Significant diseases other than COPD which in the opinion of the investigator may put the patient at risk or influence the patients ability to participate.
* Myocardial infarction in past 6 months.
* Unstable or life threatening arrhythmia in past year.
* Hospitalization for NYHA heart failure class III or IV in past year.
* Active tuberculosis.
* Asthma.
* Pulmonary resection.
* Malignancy treated with radiation or chemotherapy in past 5 years.
* Respiratory infection in 4 weeks prior to screening.
* Known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs or components.
* Known moderate to severe renal impairment.
* Known narrow angle glaucoma.
* Significant symptomatic BPH or bladder neck obstruction.
* Need for oxygen therapy \>12 hr/day.
* Use of oral corticosteroids at unstable doses or \>10 mg/day.
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* Type of subject: outpatient
* Informed consent: Subjects must give their signed and dated written informed consent to participate.
* Gender: Male or female subjects A female is eligible to enter and participate in the study if she is of:
* Non-child bearing potential OR
* Child bearing potential, has a negative pregnancy test at screening, and agrees to one of the acceptable contraceptive methods defined in the protocol
* Age: ≥40 years of age at Screening (Visit 1)
* COPD diagnosis: Subjects with a clinical history of COPD in accordance with the definition by the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society \[Celli, 2004\]
* Tobacco use: Subjects with a current or prior history of ≥10 pack-years of cigarette smoking at Screening (Visit 1).
* Severity of Disease: Subjects with a Screening (Visit 1) measured post-albuterol/salbutamol:
* FEV1/FVC ratio of ≤0.70 and
* FEV1 ≤70% of predicted normal values
* Dyspnea: Achieved a score of ≥2 on the Modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) at Screening (Visit 1).

Exclusion Criteria:

Subjects meeting any of the following criteria must not be enrolled in the study:

* Pregnancy: Women who are pregnant or lactating or are planning on becoming pregnant during the study.
* Asthma: Subjects with a current diagnosis of asthma
* α1-antitrypsin deficiency: Subjects with α1-antitrypsin deficiency as the underlying cause of COPD
* Other respiratory disorders: Subjects with active tuberculosis, lung cancer, bronchiectasis, sarcoidosis, lung fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, interstitial lung diseases, or other active pulmonary diseases
* Lung resection: Subjects with lung volume reduction surgery within the 12 months prior to Screening (Visit 1)
* Chest X-ray (or CT scan): Subjects with a chest X-ray (or CT scan) that reveals evidence of clinically significant abnormalities not believed to be due to the presence of COPD.
* Hospitalization: Subjects who are hospitalized due to poorly controlled COPD within 12 weeks of Visit 1.
* Poorly controlled COPD: Subjects with poorly controlled COPD, defined as the occurrence of the following in the 6 weeks prior to Visit 1: Acute worsening of COPD that is managed by subject with corticosteroids or antibiotics or that requires treatment prescribed by a physician.
* Lower respiratory tract infection: Subjects with lower respiratory tract infection that required the use of antibiotics within 6 weeks prior to Visit 1.
* Other diseases/abnormalities: Subjects with historical or current evidence of clinically significant cardiovascular (i.e., pacemaker), neurological, psychiatric, renal, hepatic, immunological, endocrine (including uncontrolled diabetes or thyroid disease) or haematological abnormalities that are uncontrolled.
* Peptic Ulcer disease: Subjects with clinically significant peptic ulcer disease that is uncontrolled.
* Hypertension: Subjects with clinically significant hypertension that is uncontrolled.
* Cancer: Subjects with carcinoma that has not been in complete remission for at least 5 years. Carcinoma in situ of the cervix, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma of the skin would not be excluded if the subject has been considered cured within 5 years since diagnosis.
* Drug/food allergy: Subjects with a history of hypersensitivity to any of the study medication or components of the inhalation powder
* Drug/alcohol abuse: Subjects with a known or suspected history of alcohol or drug abuse within the last 2 years
* Medication prior to spirometry: Subjects who are medically unable to withhold their albuterol/salbutamol and/or their ipratropium 4 hours prior to spirometry testing at each study visit
* Additional medication: Use of certain medications such as bronchodilators and corticosteroids for the protocol-specified times prior to Visit 1 (the Investigator will discuss the specific medications)
* Oxygen therapy: Subjects receiving treatment with long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) or nocturnal oxygen therapy required for greater than 12 hours a day. Oxygen prn use (i.e., ≤12 hours per day) is not exclusionary.
* Sleep apnea: Subjects with clinically significant sleep apnea who require use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device or non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) device.
* Pulmonary rehabilitation: Subjects who have participated in the acute phase of a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program within 4 weeks prior to Screening (Visit 1) or who will enter the acute phase of a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program during the study.
* Non-compliance: Subjects at risk of non-compliance, or unable to comply with the study procedures. Any infirmity, disability, or geographic location that would limit compliance for scheduled visits.
* Questionable validity of consent: Subjects with a history of psychiatric disease, intellectual deficiency, poor motivation or other conditions that will limit the validity of informed consent to participate in the study.
* Prior use of study medication/other investigational drugs
* Affiliation with investigator site: Study investigators, sub-investigators, study coordinators, employees of a participating investigator or immediate family members of the aforementioned are excluded from participating in this study.
C: Inclusion Criteria:

1. All patients must have a diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and must meet the following spirometric criteria:

   * Patients must have relatively stable, mild to severe airway obstruction with an FEV1 =\<70% of predicted normal and an FEV1/FVC \< 70 %.
   * Predicted normal values will be taken from the print-outs of the spirometers. Spirometers have to calibrated according to ECCS.
2. Male or female patients 40 years of age or older.
3. Patients must be current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of 10 or more than 10 pack-years. Pack Years = Number of cigarettes/day : 20 x years of smoking (Patients who have never smoked cigarettes must not be included)
4. Patients must be able to perform all study related tests, acceptable pulmonary function tests, including Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) measurements, and must be able to maintain diary cards during the study period as required in the protocol.
5. Patients must be able to inhale medication from the HandiHaler.
6. All patients must sign an Informed Consent Form prior to participation in the trial i.e. prior to pre-study washout of their usual pulmonary medications.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with significant diseases other than COPD will be excluded. A significant disease is defined as a disease which in the opinion of the investigator may either put the patient at risk because of participation in the study or a disease which may influence the results of the study or the patient's ability to participate in the study.
2. Patients with a recent history (i.e., one year or less) of myocardial infarction.
3. Patients with any cardiac arrhythmia requiring drug therapy or who have been hospitalised for heart failure within the past three years.
4. Patients who regularly use daytime oxygen therapy for more than 1 hour per day and in the investigator's opinion will be unable to abstain from the use of oxygen therapy.
5. Patients with known active tuberculosis.
6. Patients with a history of cancer within the last five years. Patients with treated basal cell carcinoma are allowed.
7. Patients with a history of life-threatening pulmonary obstruction, or a history of cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis.
8. Patients who have undergone thoracotomy with pulmonary resection. Patients with a history of thoracotomy for other reasons should be evaluated as per exclusion 1.
9. Patients with any respiratory infection in the past six weeks prior to the Screening Visit (Visit 1) or during the run-in period.
10. Patients who are currently in a pulmonary rehabilitation programme or who have completed a pulmonary rehabilitation programme in the six week prior to the Screening Visit (Visit 1).
11. Patients with known hypersensitivity to anticholinergic drugs, lactose or any other components of the inhalation capsule delivery system.
12. Patients with known symptomatic prostate hypertrophy or bladder neck obstruction.
13. Patients with known narrow-angle glaucoma.
14. Patients using oral corticosteroid medication at unstable doses (i.e., less than four weeks on a stable dose before Visit 1) or at doses in excess of the equivalent of 10 mg of prednisolone per day or 20 mg every other day.
15. 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).
16. Patients with a history of asthma, allergic rhinitis or atopy.
17. Patients with a history of and/or active significant alcohol or drug abuse.
18. Patients who have taken an investigational drug within one month prior to Screening Visit (Visit 1). A log of all subjects screened, and reasons for exclusion for those not randomised will be maintained.
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: C