Conditions: COPD Exacerbation
Keywords: COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Enrollment: 7
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
The purpose of this study is to compare drug delivery and lung function after treatment with formoterol from a nebulizer versus a dry powder inhaler (DPI) in patients recovering from severe exacerbations of COPD. This is to determine if one device is superior in providing better lung function and drug deposition in this clinical setting.

Detailed description:

Arms:
arm 1: Group A: Received Formoterol 12 µg via DPI and placebo via nebulizer at treatment visit #1, and Formoterol 20 µg (solution form) via nebulizer and placebo via DPI at treatment visit 2.

Placebo: The placebo used will be sterile, preservative free, normal saline for nebulizer inhalation and a matched capsule without active drug for the dry powder inhaler. All patients will receive 2 ml of normal saline with the nebulizer to match the volume of nebulized formoterol solution. Patients will receive formoterol and placebo at both study visit #1 and visit #2. arm 2: Group B: Received Formoterol 20 µg (solution form) via nebulizer and placebo via a DPI at treatment visit #1, and Formoterol 12 µg via a DPI with placebo via nebulizer at treatment visit 2.

Placebo: The placebo used will be sterile, preservative free, normal saline for nebulizer inhalation and a matched capsule without active drug for the dry powder inhaler. All patients will receive 2 ml of normal saline with the nebulizer to match the volume of nebulized formoterol solution. Patients will receive formoterol and placebo at both study visit #1 and visit #2.

Interventions: intervention 1: Formoterol intervention 2: Placebo
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: Comparison of dosage administered via a nebulizer versus dosage administered via a dry powder inhaler. 12 µg Formoterol with the dry powder inhaler and 20 µg (solution form) of Formoterol with the nebulizer. Patients will receive formoterol and placebo at both study visit #1 and visit #2. intervention 2: Comparison of drug administered via a nebulizer versus a dry powder inhaler. The placebo used will be sterile, preservative free, normal saline for inhalation for the nebulizer and a matched capsule without active drug for the dry powder inhaler. All patients will receive 2 ml of normal saline with the nebulizer to match the volume of nebulized formoterol solution. Patients will receive formoterol and placebo at both study visit #1 and visit #2.

Protocol document: