Aridol Challenge as a Tool to Predict Treatment Response to Inhaled Corticosteroids in COPD

Exclusion Criteria

• •Investigators, site personnel directly affiliated with this study, and their immediate families. Immediate family is defined as a spouse, parent, child or sibling, whether biologically or legally adopted.
• •Subjects receiving treatment with inhaled corticosteroids (including combination therapies, e.g. Seretide®, Symbicort®) or oral corticosteroids within the last 6 weeks.
• •Subjects who have had an exacerbation or a chest infection within the 2 weeks prior to the study.
• •Subjects receiving antibiotic treatment for respiratory infection.
• •Known diagnosis of asthma or allergic rhinitis.
• •Myocardial infarction in the six months prior to enrolment.
• •Cerebral vascular accident in the six months prior to enrolment.
• •Ocular surgery in the three months prior to enrolment.
• •Abdominal surgery in the three months prior to enrolment.
• •Active tuberculosis (TB).
• •Lung cancer or any other malignancies, which are considered by the investigator as a contraindication to participating in the study.
• •Lung disease other than COPD (e.g. bronchiectasis).
• •Uncontrolled insulin-dependant or non-insulin dependant diabetes, i.e. \>10% HbA1c.
• •Female subjects of reproductive capability, not using a reliable form of contraception
• •Inability to obtain informed consent from the subject or subject's authorised representative.
• •Subjects who have participated in another investigative drug study parallel to, or within 4 weeks of, study entry.
• •Known intolerance to mannitol.
• •Uncontrolled hypertension - systolic blood pressure (BP) \> 200 mmHg and or diastolic BP \> 100 mmHg.
• •Planned pulmonary rehabilitation.
• •Have had major abdominal, chest or brain surgery in the three months prior to enrolment.
• •Have known cerebral, aortic or abdominal aneurysm.