Could a fiber supplement help COPD patients? new study investigates

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Healthy male or female according to the investigator's or appointed staff's judgment * Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently * Age 45 - 100 years for healthy control subjects * Age 18 - 30 years for healthy, young adults * Ability to lay in supine or elevated position for 1.5 hours * No diagnosis of COPD * Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol Inclusion criteria COPD subjects: * Ability to walk, sit down and stand up independently * Age 45 - 100 years * Ability to lie in supine or elevated position for 1.5 hours * Diagnosis of moderate to very severe chronic airflow limitation and compliant to the following criteria: FEV1 \< 70% of reference FEV1 * Clinically stable condition and not suffering from a respiratory tract infection or exacerbation of their disease (defined as a combination of increased cough, sputum purulence, shortness of breath, systemic symptoms such as fever, and a decrease in FEV1 \> 10% compared with values when clinically stable in the preceding year) at least 4 weeks prior to the first test day * Shortness of breath on exertion * Willingness and ability to comply with the protocol Exclusion criteria all subjects: * Any condition that may interfere with the definition 'healthy subject' according to the investigator's judgment (healthy subjects only) * Insulin dependent diabetes mellitus * Established diagnosis of malignancy * History of untreated metabolic diseases including hepatic or renal disorder * Presence of acute illness or metabolically unstable chronic illness * Presence of fever within the last 3 days * Use of short course of oral corticosteroids within 4 weeks preceding study day * Dietary or lifestyle characteristics: * Daily use of fiber supplements 1 week prior to the first test day * Daily use of protein supplements 5 days prior to each test day * Indications related to interaction with study products: * Known allergy to inulin or inulin products * Known hypersensitivity to inulin or maltodextrin or any of its ingredients * Failure to give informed consent or Investigator's uncertainty about the willingness or ability of the subject to comply with the protocol requirements * (Possible) pregnancy * Already enrolled in another clinical trial and that clinical trial interferes with participating in this study * Any other condition according to the PI or nurse that was found during the screening visit, that would interfere with the study or safety of the patient