ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation therapy on the exercise capacity and dyspnea of persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:One hundred COPD patients were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, each of 50. Both groups were given routine medication, while the observation group was additionally provided with health guidance, oxygen therapy, respiratory physiological therapy and exercise for 3 months. Before and after the intervention, both groups′ forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and the first and second forced expiratory volume as a percentage of FEV (FEV1%) were measured. The subjects′ motor functioning was evaluated using the 6-minute walk test. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and immunoturbidimetry quantified their expression of inflammatory factors. And their ability in the activities of daily living (ADL) was evaluated using the Barthel index. The COPD quality of life questionnaire (CRQ) was also used to assess their life quality.Results:After the intervention, the average clinical efficacy in the observation group was 96%, significantly higher than that of the control group (80%). Moreover, the average FEV1, FEV1%, 6-minute walk test time of the former group were all significantly better than before the intervention and better than the control group′s results after the intervention. Their average CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α levels were all significantly lower as well. After the intervention, the observation group′s average total CRQ score and its average scores on the instrument′s emotion, fatigue, wheezing and disease control components were all better than the control group′s averages. The observation group′s average ADL score was also significantly higher than that of the control group.Conclusions:Supplementing conventional medication with pulmonary rehabilitation therapy can effectively improve the lung function, motor functioning and life quality of COPD patients. It can also lower their level of serum inflammatory factors.
ABSTRACT
Objectives: To detect the correlation between high-sensitivity-CRP, carotid plaque, neurological function and intima-media thickness, and help physicians in the diagnosis of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction
Methods: A total of 96 patients with the first onset of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction were included in the study from July 2013 to May 2015. The test of high-sensitivity-CRP, examination of carotid color ultrasonography and neurological function evaluation were carried out for all the participants
Results: Ninety-six patients were divided into carotid plaque group and non-plaque group according to the existence of a carotid plaque after carotid artery ultrasonography
The carotid plaque group was further subdivided into stable plaque and unstable plaque subgroups according to plaque characteristics. The age in two subgroups was significantly higher than the non-plaque group [p<0.05]. The unstable plaque subgroup presented with the highest values in intima-media thickness and high-sensitivity-CRP level, followed by stable plaque subgroup and non-plaque group [p<0.05]. With the nervous damage scale increase, the level of high-sensitivity-CRP increase significantly [p<0.05]. In addition, there was significant correlation between NIHSS score and high-sensitivity-CRP in patients with atherosclerotic cerebral infarction [p<0.05]
Conclusion: The level of high-sensitivity-CRP and intima-media thickness is closely associated with the development of carotid plaque, and high-sensitivity-CRP can be regarded as a high sensitive index in deciding the risk and prognosis of atherosclerotic cerebral infarction