| SFC(n = 19) | FP(n = 20) | Placebo(n = 21) | |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 62 (9) | 64 (8) | 66 (8) |
| Male/female (n) | 19/0 | 15/5 | 17/4 |
| Current/former smokers (n) | 10/9 | 10/10 | 8/13 |
| Mean (SD) pack-years | 65 (33) | 54 (24) | 52 (20) |
| Mean (SD) post-BD FEV1 (% predicted) | 61 (24) | 57 (19) | 57 (19) |
| Mean (SD) BD reversibility (%)* | 9 (10) | 8 (9) | 14 (15) |
| Mean (SD) Tlco (%) | 68 (15) | 67 (17) | 67 (17) |
| GOLD stages (n) | |||
| I: FEV1 ⩾80% | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| II: 50% ⩽ FEV1 <80% | 6 | 10 | 9 |
| III–IV: FEV1 ⩽50% | 9 | 7 | 9 |
| Respiratory medications before study (n) | |||
| Short-acting bronchodilators | 12 | 13 | 13 |
| Long-acting anticholinergic agent | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Long-acting β2 agonists | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Inhaled corticosteroids | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Long-acting β2 agonists/inhaled corticosteroids | 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Theophylline | 1 | 0 | 0 |
SFC, salmeterol xinafoate/fluticasone propionate; FP, fluticasone propionate; BD, bronchodilator; FEV1, forced expiratory volume in 1 s; Tlco, carbon monoxide transfer factor.
*FEV1 reversibility calculated as: post-BD FEV1 (l) – pre-BD FEV1 (l)/pre-BD FEV1 (l) ×100%.