w27 - you are too kind, but I think you have the real experience and background, which you've demonstrated again and again.
I want to address one point tonight, and this is the criteria for the latest ph2 trial that finished in Sept, which was criticised.
Here it is:
"Potential study participants will be referred from approved smoking cessation programs or be willing to enter a smoking cessation program administered by the participating sites. Individuals who meet all of the following criteria at Visit 1 are eligible for enrollment as study participants:
- Active cigarette-smoking males and females between the ages of 18-70 with chronic cough associated with long-term smoking, with or without airflow obstruction, including Non-obstructive chronic bronchitis (NCB) or physician-diagnosed COPD (chronic bronchitis dominant), as defined by the American Thoracic Society.
- Committed desire to quit smoking in conjunction with participation in an approved smoking cessation program administered by the participating sites. Enrollment in the smoking cessation program must take place prior to Visit 3 (third dose escalation visit).
- Diagnosis of COPD (chronic bronchitis dominant) or NCB, or presenting with chronic cough associated with long-term smoking.
- Pre-bronchodilator FEV1 greater than 55% of predicted
- Baseline blood pressure ≥ 110/65mm Hg
- Baseline heart rate ≥ 60 beats/min.
- Smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day prior to participation in the approved smoking cessation program.
- Self-reported prior failure(s) to quit smoking during participation in a smoking cessation program.
- Able to complete diary cards and comply with study procedures.
- Females of childbearing age may participate only if they have a negative pregnancy test, are non-lactating, and agree to practice an adequate birth control method (abstinence, combination barrier and spermicide, or hormonal) for the duration of the study.
Exclusion Criteria:
Subjects who meet ANY of the following criteria are not eligible for enrollment:
- Diagnosis of asthma, cystic fibrosis, or PiZZ emphysema
- Inability or unwillingness to give written informed consent
- History of upper/lower respiratory tract infection, COPD exacerbation requiring systemic steroids, antibiotics, and or ER visit or urgent care within 6 weeks of Visit 1
- History of adverse reaction or allergy to nadolol
- History of neurological, hepatic, renal, or other medical conditions that may interfere with the interpretation of data or the patient's participation in the study or may increase safety concerns
- History of cardiovascular diseases including uncontrolled hypertension (BP >160/100), ischemic heart disease, congestive heart failure (NYHA III or IV), valvular heart disease or cardiomyopathy
- Known allergy or sensitivity to atropine or ipratropium bromide
- Documented or self-reported current history of alcoholism or drug abuse
- Participation in another research trial within 30 days of starting this trial
- Unwillingness or inability to comply with study procedures
- Inability to swallow the study medication
- Pregnant or nursing
- Current use of any OTC remedies containing pseudoephedrine, ephedrine-based or containing dietary or herbal supplements.
- Scheduled for surgery requiring general anaesthesia
- Referred for smoking cessation without serious commitment to quit"
Christian has a problem with 15 of the
exclusion criteria calling it 'pop psychology' who was in and out of this study.
In reality, 15 is the just a way of excluding a subject in a double blind placebo controlled study who would be a very special person indeed. That person would enroll in a smoking cessation class, and a smoking cessation study (with all the procedures to follow and the instrusive testing), after prior failure in a previous programme with... wait for it.... no real intention to quit. How many people would be caught? Probably not even one in a thousand to hazard a guess. If such an exclusion criteria makes any material difference to a double blind placebo ctrl study then please someone explain that to me.
(20min delay)