ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the relationship between the plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL)and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels and cognitive dysfunction in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients.Methods A case-control study was performed,consisting of 128 patients with COPD(68 patients without cognitive dysfunction and 60 patients with cognitive dysfunction) and 70 normal controls.All patients with COPD were diagnosed by pulmonary function tests and plasma levels of NGAL and ET-1 were determined by enzyme immunoassay.The cognitive function was evaluated by the MMSE and MoCA.Results ①Compared with normal control,the levels of plasma NGAL and ET-1 were increased(NGAL:(2.20±0.60) μg/L vs (1.69±0.73) μg/L,P＜0.05;ET-1:(26.19± 10.55)pg/ml vs (13.05±2.37) pg/ml,P＜0.05) in COPD patients without cognitive dysfunction and in COPD patients with cognitive dysfunction(NGAL:(3.80±2.75) μg/L vs (1.69±0.73) μg/L,P＜0.01;ET-1:(37.82±0.29) pg/ml vs (13.05±2.37) pg/ml,P＜0.01).Compared with the COPD patients without cognitive dysfunction,the levels of plasma NGAL and ET-1 were also increased in COPD patients with cognitive dysfunction (all P＜0.05).②The plasma NGAL levels were correlated negatively with MMSE scores(r=-0.524,P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with MoCA scores (r=-0.527,P＜0.05).The plasma ET-1 levels were negatively correlated with MMSE scores(r=-0.549,P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with MoCA scores(r=-0.558,P＜0.05).The levels of NGAL and ET-1 were positively correlated(r=0.564,P＜0.05).Conclusion NGAL and ET-1 may be involved in the pathophysiological process of cognitive dysfunction in patients with COPD,which provides a certain clinical value for the assessment of cognitive dysfunction in patients with COPD.
ABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with standard treatment for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods A total of 60 patients with acute exacerbation of COPD were enrolled and randomly divided into a standard treatment group and a combined treatment group, 30 in each group. The standard treatment group received standard therapy and the combined treatment group receivedXiao Qing Long decoction combined with standard treatment. The forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), FEV1/FVC were detected using a pulmonary function tester. The partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2) were evaluated.Results After the treatment, the FVC (1.94 ± 0.26 Lvs. 1.55 ± 0.33 L;t=-2.201, P<0.05), FEV1 (1.34 ± 0.24 Lvs. 0.99 ± 0.25 L;t=-6.004,P<0.05), and PaO2 (86.12 ± 13.26 mmHgvs. 80.02 ± 12.75 mmHg;t=-14.158,P<0.05) in the combined treatment group were significantly higher than those in the standard treatment group. The total effective rate in the combined treatment group was significantly higher than that in the standard treatment group (86.7%vs.70.0%;χ2=2.095,P=0.036).Conclusions Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with standard treatment can improve symptom, sign, arterial blood gas and the pulmonary function in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD, and its efficiency is superior to standard therapy alone.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the curative effect of modified Yanghe decoction on pulmonary interstitial fibrosis.Methods In this study,62 patients suffering fiom pulmonary interstitial fibrosis were randomly divided into 2 groups with the use of the Random Number Table method.31 cases in the treatment group were treated with modified Yanghe decoction,while 31 cases in the control group were treated with prednisone,40 mg/d (produced by Zhejiang Xianju Pharmaceutical Factory).The dosages of prednisone were gradually reduced a month later.The changes and improvement in symptoms,pulmonary function,chest CT,etc were observed and analyzed after three month.Results The study showed that the total?effective?rates of the treatment group and control group were 83.9％ (26/31) and 58.1％ (18/31) respectively,and the difference had statistical significance (P=0.031,P＜0.05).The integrals of gasping,breathlessness,cough and Velcros Rale of the treatment group before the treatment were (3.1 ± 2.61),(4.1 ± 1.53),(1.38 ± 1.02),(1.56 ±2.34)respectively while those of the control group were (2.83±2.34),(3.90±1.67),(1.28±1.24),(1.61±2.14) respectively.The after-treatment integrals of the treatment group were (1.1 ± 1.06),(1.52± 1.40),(0.36±0.71),(0.65±0.67)respectively while those of the control group were(1.2± 1.33),(2.15±1.31),(0.41±0.70),(0.78 ± 0.30)respectively.Compwered with their symptoms before the treatment,there was obviousimprovement in the symptoms of both groups after the treatment,(P＜0.05),but the difference in these aspects between the two groups had no statistical significance (P＞0.05).Before the treatment,the total lung capacity,vital capacity,diffusion function,arterial oxygen pressure of the treatment group were (69.80±21.7) ％,(73.16±16.38) ％,(51.46± 16.42) ％,(69.70± 10.74) mm Hg (1 mm Hg=0.133 kPa) respectively while those of the control group were(77.52 ± 15.96)％,(74.57 ± 20.73)％,(55.68 ± 17.27)％,(64.86 ± 11.40)mm Hg respectively.After the treatment,the total lung capacity,vital capacity,mass function,arterial oxygen pressure of the treatment group were (82.31±21.65)％,(83.66±17.32)％,(62.34±17.96)％,(83.51±9.37)mm Hg respectively while those of the control group were (85.06± 16.10) ％,(85.72± 20.40) ％,(68.32± 20.16) ％,(79.61 ±9.41)mm Hg respectively.Compwered with their symptoms before the treatment,there was obvious improvement in the symptoms of both groups after the treatment (P＜0.05),but the difference in these aspects between the two groups had no statistical significance (P＞0.05).Conclusion Modified Yanghe decoction can be effectively applied in the prevention and treatment of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis.