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Aclidinium improved physical activity in patients with COPD

Aclidinium bromide significantly improved exercise endurance, exertional dyspnea and physical activity in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, according to recent study results.

“The results of this study show that after 3 weeks, aclidinium 400 mcg twice daily significantly reduced the intensity of exertional dyspnea and improved cycling exercise endurance compared with placebo,” Kai Beeh, MD, PhD, of Insaf Respiratory Research Institute, Wiesbaden, Germany, and colleagues wrote.

Kai Beeh

Researchers administered a randomized, double blind, crossover study from November 2011 to June 2012 at 14 locations in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom. Eligible participants were aged 40 years or older and had moderate-to-severe COPD, along with being current or former cigarette smokers. Participants with a history of asthma or any other respiratory or cardiovascular condition were excluded from the study.

One hundred and twelve participants were randomly assigned aclidinium 400 mcg twice daily or placebo that was administered with a dry powder inhaler (Genuair, AstraZeneca; Tudorza Pressair, Almirall) during a 3-week period. Participants were tested at baseline and after the treatment to determine changes in exercise endurance time and lung volume.

After 3 weeks of therapy, the change — 58.5 seconds — from baseline in endurance time was greater with aclidinium compared with placebo (95% CI, 9-108).

Aclidinium also reduced the potency of dyspnea from baseline to immediately after treatment (–0.63; 95% CI, –1.11 to –0.14). Compared with placebo, aclidinium increased inspiratory capacity from baseline by 78 mL (95% CI, 10-145).

Researchers said the study was limited by short treatment duration and the lack of an active comparator.

“Aclidinium also provided significant improvements in static lung function and lung volumes, and parameters of physical activity compared with placebo,” the investigators wrote.

Disclosure: See the study for a full list of relevant financial disclosures.