Therapeutic Research

Abstract

We conducted a 12 –week open– label study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of thelong– acting anticholinergic, tiotropium, given once daily in chronic obstructive pulmonarydisease（COPD） patients with bronchial asthma. Thirty – two patients aged≧40 years weretreated with tiotropium at a dose of 18 μg（capsule equivalent to 22.5 μg of tiotropiumbromide monohydrate） inhaled once daily using the HandiHaler® device.After 12 weeks of treatment, pulmonary function（FEV1, PEFR, and V450） were significantlyimproved compared with baseline. Quality of life（QOL), assessed by St. George’sRespiratory Questionnaire（SGRQ） score, showed slight improvement. Both patient–basedassessment and physicians’ evaluation were positive, with 75.0％ of patients evaluated asmore than “got better.” In the subgroup of elderly patients（aged≧65 years), tiotropiumwas associated with a significant improvement in pulmonary function.Tiotropium significantly improved pulmonary function in COPD patients with bronchialasthma, especially in the elderly. These results suggest that tiotropium is safe and usefulin COPD patients with bronchial asthma.