Table 1 Summary of study designs for the studies included in this meta-analysis

Donohue [5]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind (indacaterol and placebo) or open-label (tiotropium), placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre

Indacaterol 150 μg od

1683 randomized;

26 weeks

Indacaterol 300 μg od

1665 evaluable for efficacy

Tiotropium 18 μg od

Placebo

Dahl [6]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre

Indacaterol 300 μg od

1732 randomized;

52 weeks

Indacaterol 600 μg od

1600 evaluable for efficacy

Formoterol 12 μg bid

Placebo

Kornmann [7]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multicentre

Indacaterol 150 μg od

1002 randomized;

26 weeks

Salmeterol 50 μg bid

998 evaluable for efficacy

Placebo

Gotfried-1 [8]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, in the United States

Indacaterol 75 μg od

323 randomized;

12 weeks

Placebo

323 evaluable for efficacy

Gotfried-2 [8]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, in the United States

Indacaterol 75 μg od

318 randomized;

12 weeks

Placebo

317 evaluable for efficacy

Kinoshita [9]

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, in six Asian areas

Indacaterol 150 μg od

347 randomized;

12 weeks

Indacaterol 300 μg od

347 evaluable for efficacy

Placebo