title: UPLIFT Study: the effects of long-term therapy with inhaled tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Evaluation of: Tashkin DP, Celli B, Senn S et al.: a 4-year trial of tiotropium in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. N Engl J Med (2008) 359(15):1543-1554.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), inhaled tiotropium bromide, a long-acting anticholinergic, has been shown to exert a sustained bronchodilator effect and to be superior to ipratropium bromide, a short-acting formulation of the same pharmacological class.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To discuss the effects of long-term therapy with tiotropium in COPD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of efficacy and safety data on tiotropium from a 4-year randomized placebo controlled study performed in moderate to very severe COPD patients. Tiotropium was found to reduce significantly COPD-related morbidity, to improve health-related quality of life (HRQoL) irrespective of disease severity and to slow significantly lung function decline in patients not using inhaled corticosteroids or other long-acting bronchodilators. The safety profile -- and in particular cardiovascular safety -- of tiotropium was good.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tiotropium bromide, alone or in combination with other inhaled therapies, can maintain an adequate control of COPD on a long-term basis.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Pulmonary Disease, University Hospital, Iasi, Romania. sabina.antonela.antoniu@pneum.umfiasi.ro
authors.forename: Sabina A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Antoniu