[The UPLIFT study (Understanding Potential Long-term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium)]

Abstract

The UPLIFT study (Understanding Potential Long-term Impacts on Function with Tiotropium) was a double-blind, randomised, international, multicentric, placebo-controlled clinical trial, investigating with tiotropium (Spiriva) the change in the annual rate of decline in FEV1 in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Secondary end points included COPD exacerbation rate with or without hospitalisation, lung function, quality of life and mortality. 5.993 patients were randomized. In this article, we briefly describe the most important results of the study. While tiotropium did not alter the annual rate of decline in FEV1 (pre and postbronchodilatation), it improved lung function and quality of life, and reduced exacerbations and hospitalisations by comparison with control for up to 4 years. Tiotropium also reduced respiratory and cardiac morbidity.