Effects of Bronchodilators in Mild Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Condition: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
MeSH terms: Lung Diseases; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 4

Summary: 
      In people with mild COPD, the ability to exhale air from the lungs is partly limited because
      of narrowing and collapse of the airways. This results in the trapping of air within the
      lungs and over-distention of the lungs and chest (lung hyperinflation).

      Breathing at high lung volumes (hyperinflation) is an important cause of breathing discomfort
      (dyspnea) in people with COPD. Bronchodilators help to relax muscles in the airways or
      breathing tubes. Bronchodilators are often prescribed if a cough occurs with airway narrowing
      as this medication can reduce coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath. Bronchodilators can
      be taken orally, through injection or through inhalation and begin to act almost immediately
      but with the effect only lasting 4-6 hours. The main purpose of this study is to examine the
      effects of inhaled bronchodilators on breathing discomfort and exercise endurance in patients
      with mild COPD.
    

Detailed description: 
      In people with mild COPD, the ability to exhale air from the lungs is partly limited because
      of narrowing and collapse of the airways. This results in the trapping of air within the
      lungs and over-distention of the lungs and chest - this is known as lung hyperinflation. We
      believe that breathing at high lung volumes (hyperinflation) is an important cause of
      breathing discomfort (dyspnea) in people with COPD. Bronchodilators help to relax muscles in
      the airways or breathing tubes. Bronchodilators are often prescribed if a cough occurs with
      airway narrowing; this medication can reduce coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath.
      Bronchodilators can be taken orally, through injection or through inhalation and begin to act
      almost immediately but with the effect only lasting 4-6 hours. The main purpose of this study
      is to examine the effects of inhaled bronchodilators on breathing discomfort and exercise
      endurance in patients with mild COPD.

      Each subject will attend 4 visits to the laboratory. Visit 1 (screening visit) will involve a
      record of medical history, medications used, anthropometrics measurements, questionnaires,
      breathing tests, an incremental cycle exercise test and a constant-workload cycle exercise
      test. Visit 2 will involve breathing tests and a constant-workload cycle exercise test.
      Visits 3 and 4 will involve breathing tests and a constant-workload cycle exercise test after
      subjects have been randomized to either placebo or Atrovent. These visits will be done on
      separate days and subjects will receive the two above treatments in random order.
    

Intervention name(s): Ipratropium Bromide
Intervention type(s): Drug
Intervention description(s): Nebulized Ipratropium Bromide (4 mL) or saline solution (0.9% NaCl) (4mL) will be administered to subjects once only.
Other intervention name(s): Atrovent
Intervention MeSH terms: Bromides; Ipratropium
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: Triple (Participant, Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Chronic; Obstructive; Pulmonary; Disease; COPD; Atrovent; Ipratropium; Bromide; Exercise; Dyspnea