Efficacy of eucalyptol-limonene-pinene enteric capsule on stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the elderly / 中华老年医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of eucalyptol-limonene-pinene enteric capsule on stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the elderly.Methods A total of 120 patients with stable COPD were randomized into ELP group (n=63) with conventional treatment combined ELP and control group (n=57) with conventional treatment without ELP.Primary outcome was the number of exacerbations per year, and secondly outcomes were lung function parameters and St.George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ).Results After 1 year of treatment, numbers of exacerbations per patient per year were lower in ELP group than in control group (0.70 times/y vs.1.21 times/y, Z=-3.887, P=0.000).The proportion of exacerbation-free patients were 25.4％(16/63) in ELP group and 5.3％ (3/57) in control group (x2 =9.103, P=0.003).The differences in the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and FEV1/ FVC ratio (FEV1％) between 5 different time points measurements were statistically significant in both groups (ELP group F=15.429, 36.389, 33.278, respectively, all P=0.000;control group F=54.238, 94.213 and 83.774, respectively, all P=0.000).Difference in FEV1/FVC ratio between 5 different time point was statistically significant in control group(F=2.766, P=0.043), but not in ELP group(F=0.861, P=0.451).After treatment, SGRQ score was decreased in both group, and difference in symptom score was statistically significant between the two groups (t=2.109, P =0.037).The adverse reactions were found in 3 cases in ELP group, and in 2 cases in control group with no statistically significant difference between the two groups [3 (4.8％) vs.2 (3.5％), x2 =0.013, P=0.732].Conclusions Long-term oral administration of eucalyptol-limonene-pinene enteric capsule can significantly decrease exacerbation frequency, improve quality of life, delay the deterioration in lung function, and have good safety in elderly patients with stable COPD.