RESUMO
The results of bronchodilator therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD] are not satisfactory and because of this, many drugs are administered for treatment of disease. We examined the short-term additive bronchodilator effects of tiotropium in patients with stable COPD already treated with salmeterol twice daily. In a double-blind, double- dummy randomized study we evaluated the acute bronchodilator efficacy of a single 18 micro g dose of tiotropium in patients with COPD under chronic treatment with a long acting beta-adrenergic [salmeterol 50 micro g twice a day]. Measurements of forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] and six-minute walking test [6 MWT] as indicator of daily activities were made before and after giving the drug. A total of 129 outpatients with stable COPD [Gold level 2 -3- 4] were enrolled and 92 completed the study. Tiotropium elicited a significantly greater bronchodilation than the placebo. The action of the drug was elicited as increase in FEV1 [p