Efficacy and safety of tiotropium bromide inhalation in symptomatic patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A multicenter, prospective, and observational study.

Objectives: Treatment guidelines have recommended tiotropium bromide inhalation (TBI), a long-acting muscarinic antagonist, for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD); however, its efficacy in symptomatic Chinese patients with COPD remains uninvestigated.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study enrolled patients with COPD assessment test (CAT) scores exceeding 10 points from 19 hospitals spread across China. All patients received TBI and underwent follow-up for 3 months. The demographic and clinical information were assessed.

Results: The final analysis included 378 patients. The forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV₁) and FEV₁/forced vital capacity (FVC) of all participants improved markedly after 3 months of treatment (FEV₁: mean 1.33 L versus 1.61 L, P < 0.001; FEV₁/FVC: mean 0.53 versus 0.62, P < 0.001). The mean CAT scores decreased from 26.56 to 16.28 (P < 0.001). Patients classified into group D based on the Global Initiative for COPD guidelines showed greater improvement in FEV₁ and FEV₁/FVC than that in patients in group B. The proportion of patients with acute exacerbations also declined from 28.6% in the first month to 4.2% in the third month.

Conclusion: TBI for 3 months could effectively and safely attenuate symptoms and airflow obstruction in symptomatic Chinese patients with COPD.