The spirometric efficacy of once-daily dosing with tiotropium in stable COPD: a 13-week multicenter trial. The US Tiotropium Study Group.

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To compare the bronchodilator efficacy and safety of tiotropium and placebo.

DESIGN

A 3-month, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial.

SETTING

Outpatient.

PATIENTS

Four hundred seventy patients with stable COPD (mean FEV(1) = 38.6% predicted).

INTERVENTIONS

Tiotropium 18 microg (N = 279) or placebo (N = 191) given once daily via a lactose-based dry-powder inhaler device.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

Spirometry was evaluated on days 1, 8, 50, and 92. Data were expressed as the mean trough (ie, before morning dose; 23 to 24 h after previous dose) and average response observed in the 3 h after the dose was received. Tiotropium produced significant improvement in trough FEV(1) and FVC, averaging 12% greater than baseline on day 8; these improvements were maintained on days 50 and 92. The average postdose FEV(1) was 16% greater than baseline on day 1 and 20% greater than baseline on day 92; FVC was 17% greater than baseline on day 1 and 19% greater than baseline on day 92. Tiotropium was significantly more effective than placebo in both trough and average FEV(1) and FVC response (p < 0.001). These spirometric effects were corroborated by significant improvements in daily morning and evening peak expiratory flow rate, as well as a reduction in "as-needed" albuterol use. Symptoms of wheezing and shortness of breath were significantly less in patients receiving tiotropium, and the physician global assessment noted overall improvements with those treated with tiotropium relative to placebo. The most common reported adverse event after tiotropium was dry mouth (9.3% vs 1.6% relative to placebo; p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

These data demonstrate that tiotropium is a safe and effective once-daily anticholinergic bronchodilator and should prove useful as first-line maintenance therapy in COPD.