Even patients with milder COPD can have significant physiological abnormalities which become more pronounced during exercise, leading to intolerable breathing discomfort (dyspnea). While there is a compelling physiological rationale for the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting bronchodilator combination therapy \[i.e., fluticasone 250μg/salmeterol 50μg (FSC250/50)\] in moderate to severe COPD, little information is available on the potential impact of this therapy in milder symptomatic disease. This study will be the first to explore mechanisms of dyspnea and activity limitation in milder COPD and will determine if there is a sound physiological rationale for the use of FSC as therapy for this subpopulation.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
18
Diskus inhaler, fluticasone 250μg/salmeterol 50μg, twice daily, 6-week duration
Placebo Diskus inhaler, twice daily, 6-week duration
Respiratory Investigation Unit at Kingston General Hospital
Kingston, Ontario, Canada
Dyspnea intensity (Borg rating at a standardized time during exercise)
Time frame: 6 weeks
Exercise endurance time
Time frame: 6 weeks
Measurements of small airway function
Time frame: 6 weeks
Exercise measurements of ventilation, breathing pattern, operating lung volumes and respiratory mechanics
Time frame: 6 weeks
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