Tiotropium for the treatment of asthma: a drug safety evaluation.
BACKGROUND
Tiotropium, a once-daily long-acting anticholinergic bronchodilator, has recently been approved for use in the treatment of asthma in a number of countries, including the EU and the USA, and was incorporated into the 2015 update of the Global Initiative for Asthma treatment guidelines. Here we review safety data from published clinical trials to help inform the use of tiotropium in the treatment of patients with asthma.


METHODS
Safety data from recently published clinical trials, which compared tiotropium with placebo or an active control, were reviewed. Trials included children, adolescents, and adults across severities of symptomatic asthma, and assessed tiotropium delivered via the Respimat and HandiHaler devices.


CONCLUSIONS
Based on the reviewed scientific evidence, tiotropium is a safe and well-tolerated long-acting anticholinergic bronchodilator for use in the treatment of asthma. In the trials assessed, the safety of tiotropium was found to be comparable with that of placebo and alternative therapeutic options, including a doubling in the dose of inhaled corticosteroids and the long-acting β2-agonist salmeterol.
a Department of Pulmonary Medicine and Tuberculosis and Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD , University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen , Groningen , The Netherlands.
Huib A M
HA
Kerstjens
b Department of Medicine , Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health, McMaster University , Hamilton , ON , Canada.
Paul M
PM
O'Byrne
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D002648:Child; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D006801:Humans; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D001993:Bronchodilator Agents; D018680:Cholinergic Antagonists; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000069447:Tiotropium Bromide
Adverse event; asthma; safety; tiotropium