Relationship between Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide Level and Efficacy of Inhaled Corticosteroid in Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome Patients with Different Disease Severity

This study explored the relationship between the fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) level and the efficacy of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) overlap syndrome (ACOS) patients with different disease severity. A total of 127 ACOS patients with ACOS (case group) and 131 healthy people (control group) were enrolled in this study. Based on the severity of COPD, the ACOS patients were divided into: mild ACOS; moderate ACOS; severe ACOS; and extremely severe ACOS groups. We compared FeNO levels, pulmonary function parameters including percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) to predicted value (FEV1%pred), ratio of FEV1 to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), inspiratory capacity to total lung capacity (IC/TLC) and residual volume to total lung capacity (RV/TLC), arterial blood gas parameters, including PH, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂), total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), induced sputum eosinophil (EOS), plasma surfactant protein A (SP-A), plasma soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE), sputum myeloperoxidase (MPO), sputum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores, and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) scores. Compared with pre-treatment parameters, the FeNO levels, RV/TLC, PaCO₂, total serum IgE, induced sputum EOS, plasma SP-A, sputum MPO, sputum NGAL, and CAT scores were significantly decreased after 6 months of ICS treatment, while FEV1%pred, FEV1/FVC, IC/TLC, PH, PaO₂, plasma sRAGE, and ACT scores were significantly increased in ACOS patients with different disease severity after 6 months of ICS treatment. This finding suggests that the FeNO level may accurately predict the efficacy of ICS in the treatment of ACOS patients.

Risk Factors and Drug Resistance of Nosocomial Pneumonia Caused by Imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii / 中华医院感染学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk factors for nosocomial pneumonia(NP) caused by imipenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(IRAB) and its antimicrobial susceptibility in vitro. METHODS The data of 34 cases of IRAB-NP were analyzed and 68 cases of NP caused by imipenem-susceptible A.baumannii(ISAB) were randomized as control.Antimicrobial susceptibility(MIC) was determined with the method of agar dilution. RESULTS The two independent factors associated with the development of IRAB-NP: previous fluoroquinolone(OR=5.738) and imipenem/meropenem(OR=7.129) use.The drug sensitivity test in vitro showed that these strains were multiresistant to commonly used antibiotics,and only ampicillin/sulbactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam whose resistance rate was less than 30%. CONCLUSIONS Previous imipenem/meropenem and fluoroquinolone use is independent risk factors for IRAB-NP.These strains are high drug resistant.