Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: A Randomised, Double-blind, Active-controlled Study to Evaluate the Impact of Stepwise Withdrawal of Inhaled Corticosteroid Treatment in Patients With Severe to Very Severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) on Optimized Bronchodilator Therapy
Brief Summary: This is a randomised study to be conducted in patients with severe to very severe Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) to establish whether there is a need for these patients to be continuously treated with an inhaled corticosteroid on top of two potent long-acting bronchodilators. The study also aims to identify the type of patients who are likely to benefit from inhaled corticosteroid maintenance therapy.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria

* Given their signed written informed consent to participate.
* Non-child bearing potential (ie, physiologically incapable of becoming pregnant, including any female who is 2 years post-menopausal); or Child bearing potential, has a negative serum pregnancy test at Visit 1, and agrees to acceptable contraceptive methods used consistently and correctly for the duration of the study.
* Subjects with an established clinical history of COPD as defined by the American Thoracic Society (ATS)/European Respiratory Society (ERS), or other local applicable guidelines.
* Current or former smokers with a history of at least 10 pack-years of cigarette smoking.
* Forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1)/Forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio must be \<0.70 and FEV1 must be \<80% predicted normal value calculated using NHANES III reference equations (or reference norms applicable to other regions).
* Required COPD maintenance therapy:
* All Subjects must have been on two or more inhaled maintenance therapies for the management of their COPD for at least 6 weeks prior to Screening. Scheduled SABA and/or scheduled SAMA are considered inhaled maintenance therapies

Please refer to the study protocol for the complete inclusion criteria list.

Exclusion Criteria

* Significant diseases or conditions other than COPD, which, in the opinion of the Investigator, may put the subject at risk because of participation in the study or may influence either the results of the study or the subject's ability to participate in the study.
* Women who are pregnant or lactating, or are planning to become pregnant during the course of the study, or women of childbearing potential who are not using an acceptable method of contraception.
* Subjects, who in the opinion of the Investigator, have a current diagnosis of asthma.
* Subjects who have been hospitalized due to poorly controlled COPD within 3 months prior to Visit 1 (Screening) or during the Screening Period
* Subjects who have poorly controlled COPD, defined as acute worsening of COPD that requires treatment with oral corticosteroids or antibiotics within 6 weeks prior to Visit 1 (Screening) or during the Screening Period
* Immune suppression or severe neurological disorders affecting control of the upper airway or other risk factors that in the opinion of the Investigator would put the subject at substantial risk of pneumonia.
* Subjects with a diagnosis of narrow angle glaucoma, who, in the opinion of the Investigator, have not been adequately treated.
* Subjects who have a history of hypersensitivity to β2-agonists, budesonide or any other corticosteroid components, glycopyrronium or other muscarinic anticholinergics, or any other component of the IMPs.

Please refer to the study protocol for the complete inclusion criteria list.
B: Inclusion criteria:

* COPD Subjects
* A COPD subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive
* A baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \<80% of predicted normal and a baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1/FVC ratio 70%
* Current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Control Subjects - Current/Ex Smokers

* A control subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive, who are free from significant disease as determined by history, physical examination and screening investigations
* Baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \>85% of predicted normal. FEV1/FVC ratio \>70%
* Current or ex-smokers with a smoking history of at least 10 pack-years (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked e.g., 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years, or 10 cigarettes per day for 20 years).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation.
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Control Subjects - Non-smokers

* A non-smoking control subject will be eligible for inclusion in this study only if all of the following criteria apply:
* Male or female subjects, aged 40-75 years inclusive, who are free from significant disease as determined by history, physical examination and screening investigations
* Baseline (post-bronchodilator) FEV1 \>85% of predicted normal. FEV1/FVC ratio \>70%
* Non-smokers with a smoking history of \< 1 pack-year (number of pack years = (number of cigarettes per day / 20) x number of years smoked).
* A signed and dated written informed consent is obtained prior to participation.
* Able to comply with the requirements of the protocol and be available for study visits over 3 years

Exclusion Criteria:

COPD Subjects

* A COPD subject will not be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:
* Known respiratory disorders, or disorders identified at screening/visit 1 (including identification on the first CT scan), other than COPD (e.g.: lung cancer, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, lung fibrosis, cystic fibrosis)
* Known history of significant inflammatory disease, other than COPD (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus)
* Known to be severely alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient (PI SZ or ZZ)
* Having undergone lung surgery (e.g. lung reduction, lung transplant)
* Have cancer or have had cancer in the 5 years prior to study entry
* Serious, uncontrolled disease (including serious psychological disorders) likely to interfere with the study or impact on subject safety
* Is enrolled in a long term blinded drug study (subjects in open label studies may be considered and subjects in short blinded studies (approx less than 12 weeks may be considered following consultation with sponsor) or a study where there is significant radiation exposure (e.g.: CT scans)
* Have, in the opinion of the investigator, evidence of alcohol, drug or solvent abuse
* Have received a blood transfusion in the 4 weeks prior to study start
* Has experienced a moderate or severe exacerbation (requiring oral corticosteroid, antibiotics or hospitalisation) within the last 4 weeks. All courses of oral corticosteroids and antibiotics must be completed at least 2 weeks before study start
* Is on long term oral corticosteroids (long term is considered use for more than 3 consecutive months)
* Unable to walk
* Subject is a participating investigator, sub-investigator, study co-ordinator, or employee of a participating investigator, or is an immediate family member of the aforementioned.

Control Subjects

* A control subject will not be eligible for inclusion in this study if any of the following criteria apply:
* Known respiratory disorders, or disorders identified at screening/visit 1 including identification on the first CT scan (e.g.: COPD, asthma, lung cancer, sarcoidosis, tuberculosis, lung fibrosis)
* Known history of significant inflammatory disease (eg rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus)
* Known to be severely alpha-1-antitrypsin deficient (PI SZ or ZZ)
* Having undergone lung surgery (e.g. lung reduction, lung transplant)
* Have cancer or have had cancer in the 5 years prior to study entry
* Serious, uncontrolled disease (including serious psychological disorders) likely to interfere with the study
* Is enrolled in a long term blinded drug study (subjects in open label studies may be considered and subjects in short blinded studies (approx less than 12 weeks may be considered following consultation with sponsor) or a study where there is significant radiation exposure (e.g.: CT scans)
* Have, in the opinion of the investigator, evidence of alcohol, drug or solvent abuse.
* Have received a blood transfusion in the 4 weeks prior to study start
* Is on long term oral corticosteroids (long term is considered use for more than 3 consecutive months)
* Subject is a participating investigator, sub-investigator, study co-ordinator, or employee of a participating investigator, or is an immediate family member of the aforementioned.
C: Inclusion criteria:

1. Male or female aged 40 years or more
2. Severe to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
3. Current or ex-smoker with smoking history of at least 10 pack years
4. At least one documented exacerbation of COPD in previous year

Exclusion criteria:

1. Significant diseases other than COPD; significant alcohol or drug abuse
2. Current clinical diagnosis of asthma requiring steroid treatment
3. History of thoracotomy with pulmonary resection
4. Regular use of daytime oxygen
5. Recent history (within 3 months) of myocardial infarction
6. Recent (within 6 weeks) respiratory infection or COPD exacerbation
7. Recent (within 6 weeks) treatment with systemic corticosteroids at doses in excess of 5milligram / day
8. Recent (within 3 months) unstable or life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia requiring intervention
9. Recent (within 1 year) hospitalisation for cardiac failure
10. Malignancy requiring chemotherapy or radiotherapy
11. Clinical diagnosis of bronchiectasis
12. Pregnant or nursing women
13. Known hypersensitivity to study drugs
14. Current or recent (within 30 days) participation in another clinical study
15. Current participation in or recent completion (within 4 weeks) of a pulmonary rehabilitation program
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male or female adults aged ≥ 40 years with a diagnosis of COPD
* Current smokers or ex-smokers
* A post-bronchodilator FEV1 \< 50% of the predicted normal value and a post- bronchodilator FEV1/FVC \< 0.7
* At least one exacerbation in the 12 months preceding the screening visit

Exclusion Criteria:

* Pregnant or lactating women
* Diagnosis of asthma or history of allergic rhinitis or atopy
* Patients treated with non-cardioselective β-blockers in the month preceding the screening visit
* Patients treated for exacerbations in the 4 weeks prior to screening visit
* Patients treated with long-acting antihistamines unless taken at stable regimen at least 2 months prior to screening and to be maintained constant during the study or if taken as PRN
* Patients requiring long term (at least 12 hours daily) oxygen therapy for chronic hypoxemia
* Known respiratory disorders other than COPD
* Patients who have clinically significant cardiovascular condition

Answer: C