ABSTRACT
Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of rhubarb combined with Probiotics for treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) accompanied by acute lung injury (ALI). Methods A prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted. Sixty patients with SAP and ALI were randomly divided into a rhubarb group and a combination of rhubarb and Probiotics group (combined group), 30 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with conventional therapy. On that therapeutic base, the patients in rhubarb group were treated with rhubarb 3 g·kg-1·d-1 (Raw rhubarb in boiling water 200 mL was cooked for 30 minutes, then the decoction was divided into two parts to be infused through nasal jejunal tube, retaining for 1 hour);while in the combined group, beside the above rhubarb therapy, the patients were additionally given Probiotics [Clostridium butyric acid:Chang Lekang capsule, once 1 grain (0.42 g), twice a day] through nasal jejunal tube. The therapeutic course was 14 days in the two groups. The plasma endotoxin levels, oxygenation index, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ(APACHEⅡ) score were observed before and after treatment for 7 days and 14 days, respectively. After treatment for 30 days, the time of intestine functional recovery and mechanical ventilation, number of damaged organs, number of infectious sites, number of pancreatic pseudocysts, length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay and 30-day fatality rate were observed in the two groups. Results With the prolongation of treatment, the plasma level of endotoxin and APACHEⅡscore in the two groups were gradually reduced, and the oxygenation index was gradually increased after treatment for 7 days and 14 days in the two groups compared with those before treatment, and there were statistically significant differences in above indexes on the 14th day after treatment between combined group and rhubarb group [endotoxin (μg/L): 19.16±1.90 vs. 21.20±1.05, oxygenation index (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 369.50±5.45 vs. 341.50±7.36, APACHE Ⅱscore:11.84±0.60 vs. 13.00±0.86, P 0.05). The times of mechanical ventilation (days: 13.40±1.76 vs. 15.60±1.28) and the length of ICU stay (days:16.13±1.25 vs. 17.63±1.30) were significantly shorter in combined group than those in rhubarb group (both P<0.05). Conclusion Rhubarb combined with Probiotics for treatment of patients with SAP and ALI can promote their recovery of lung function and shorten their length of ICU stay.