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CompletedNCT01271556SALM1Updated Jan 6, 2011

Effect of Salmeterol on Fluid Clearance From Alveolar-Capillary Membrane in COPD Patients

An interventional study of Salmeterol and saline infusion (0.9 per cent sodium chloride) in Salmeterol Effect Against an Acute Alveolar Fluid Clearance Challenge Secondary to Lung Fluid Overload in COPD Patients, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Bronchodilator Agents, sponsored by University of Milan. Completed at 1 site in Italy. Open to participants aged 40 Years to 80 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2011-01-06.

Sponsored by University of Milan · Not applicable, Interventional, and Basic science

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
20
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
40 Years to 80 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

The cardiovascular component associated with COPD plays a major role in prognosis of the disease, being responsible of 25% of the deaths. Experimental and initial clinical data suggest that beta-adrenergic agonists accelerate clearance of excess fluid from the alveolar airspace, with potential positive effect on cardiogenic pulmonary edema.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a long-acting beta-2 agonist, salmeterol, on alveolar fluid clearance in COPD patients by evaluating the diffusive and mechanical lung properties. Our experimental model to test alveolar fluid clearance was rapid saline intravenous infusion.

Ten COPD and 10 healthy subjects treated with salmeterol or placebo 4 hours before the begin of the study were evaluated, in four non consecutive days, just before and after a saline infusion or a similar period without infusion.

Both in COPD and healthy subjects rapid saline infusion, with placebo or salmeterol premedication, lead to a significant decrease of DLCO and FEV1. Nonetheless, salmeterol pretreatment lead to a significant reduction of the impairment of gas exchange due to saline infusion (-64% of DLCO reduction in comparison with placebo), whilst it did not affect the changes in FEV1. In the control setting, with no infusion, we did not find any significant change of both DLCO and mechanical properties of the lung.

In conclusions, in COPD patients salmeterol appears to provide a protective effect against an acute alveolar fluid clereance challenge secondary to lung fluid overload providing an intriguing mechanistic explanation for the benefits observed in larger trials.

02

Conditions studied

  • Salmeterol Effect Against an Acute Alveolar Fluid Clearance Challenge Secondary to Lung Fluid Overload in COPD Patients
  • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
  • Bronchodilator Agents
  • Salmeterol

Keywords

  • COPD
  • LABA
  • salmeterol
03

In context

Lung Diseases, Obstructive

2,592 studies on the registry are indexed under Lung Diseases, Obstructive; 198 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 20 is below the median of 66 across 1,837 interventional studies indexed under Lung Diseases, Obstructive.

Browse Lung Diseases, Obstructive studies →

Lead sponsor

University of Milan is the lead sponsor of 177 studies on the registry; 27 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
40 Years to 80 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

  • COPD diagnosis (consistent with the diagnostic standards of the European Respiratory Society, ERS, for the management of COPD)
  • stable condition for ≥4 weeks and had a prebronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) of \<60% of the predicted value

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • known allergies to the study medication
  • long-term oxygen therapy
  • history of asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopy, or a total blood eosinophil count greater than 400/mm3
  • chronic heart failure, untreated arterial hypertension, myocardial infarction within the last 6 months, diabetes mellitus
  • increased serum potassium levels.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Basic science
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Crossover assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
20 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    1, salmeterol, saline infusion

    In 10 COPD patients and 10 healthy subjects, tiotropium and long-acting and short-acting beta-2 agonists were withdrawn at least 72 hours if assumed, 24 hours, and 12 hours, respectively, prior to each test day. Salmeterol 50 mcg on days A was administered between 8 AM and 10 AM. Patients and healthy subjects underwent a rapid 50-minute 750-ml 0.9% saline infusion 240 minutes after inhalatory treatment (salmeterol 50 mcg MDI), and mixed venous blood was withdrawn for measurements of hematocrit (Htc), Hb, and albumin concentration 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the infusion. 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment, pulmonary function tests were performed.

    Drug: Salmeterol · Procedure: saline infusion (0.9 per cent sodium chloride)

  • Placebo comparator
    2, placebo, saline infusion

    In 10 COPD patients and 10 healthy subjects, tiotropium and long-acting and short-acting beta-2 agonists were withdrawn at least 72 hours if assumed, 24 hours, and 12 hours, respectively, prior to test day. Placebo was administered between 8 AM and 10 AM. Patients and healthy subjects underwent a rapid 50-minute 750-ml 0.9% saline infusion 240 minutes after inhalatory treatment (placeboI), and mixed venous blood was withdrawn for measurements of hematocrit (Htc), Hb, and albumin concentration 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the infusion. 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment, pulmonary function tests were performed.

    Procedure: saline infusion (0.9 per cent sodium chloride) · Other: Placebo

  • Active comparator
    3, salmeterol, no saline infusion

    In 10 COPD patients and 10 healthy subjects, tiotropium and long-acting and short-acting beta-2 agonists were withdrawn at least 72 hours if assumed, 24 hours, and 12 hours, respectively, prior to test day. Salmeterol 50 mcg on days A was administered between 8 AM and 10 AM. 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment, pulmonary function tests were performed.

    Drug: Salmeterol

  • Placebo comparator
    4, placebo, no saline infusion

    In 10 COPD patients and 10 healthy subjects, tiotropium and long-acting and short-acting beta-2 agonists were withdrawn at least 72 hours if assumed, 24 hours, and 12 hours, respectively, prior to test day. Placebo was administered between 8 AM and 10 AM. 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment (placebo), pulmonary function tests were performed.

    Other: Placebo

Interventions

  • DrugSalmeterol

    50 mcg MDI (inhalatory), once on days A and C at t=0,

    Also known as: long acting bronchodilator agents

  • Proceduresaline infusion (0.9 per cent sodium chloride)

    rapid 50-minute 750-ml 0.9% saline infusion 240 minutes after inhalatory treatment on day A and B

    Also known as: physiologic saline solution

  • OtherPlacebo

    placebo, inhalatory (MDI) once

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. change caused by the effect of salmeterol on lung diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) and its components after a challenge with rapid intravenous saline infusion

    DLCO was measured twice (Sensor Medics 2200 Pulmonary Functional Test System, USA) for each oxygen mixture, with washout intervals of at least 4 minutes (the average was taken as the final result), according to the European Respiratory Society guidelines. The single-breath alveolar volume (VA) was derived by methane dilution. Alveolar-capillary membrane diffusing capacity (DM) and capillary blood volume available for gas exchange (Vc) were determined with the same equipment, according to the classic Roughton and Forster method

    Time frame: 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment pulmonary function tests were performed

Secondary outcomes

  1. changes in mechanical lung properties

    Mouth flow was measured by a mass flowmeter, and volume was obtained by numerical integration of the flow signal. Spirometry and flow-volume curves were obtained by manoeuvres consisting of six to eight regular tidal breaths, a forced expiration initiated from end-tidal inspiration to residual volume (partial expiratory flow-volume curve, PEFV), followed by a fast inspiration to total lung capacity and a forced expiration to residual volume (maximal expiratory flow-volume curve, MEFV).

    Time frame: 240 and 290 minutes after inhalatory treatment

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Respiratory Medicine Section, Dipartimento Toraco-Polmonare e Cardiocircolatorio, Università degli Studi di Milano, San Paolo Hospital
    Milan, 20142, Italy
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 6, 2011, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01271556
Lead sponsor
University of Milan
First posted
Jan 6, 2011
Start date
Dec 2008
Primary completion
Mar 2009
Completion
Jul 2009
Last update
Jan 6, 2011

Study contacts

Stefano Centanni, MD
study director · Respiratory Medicine Section, Dipartimento Toraco-Polmonare e Cardiocircolatorio, Università degli Studi di Milano, San Paolo Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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