ObjectiveTo explore the clinical features of atypical bronchial asthma with chief complaint of palpitations. MethodsTwelve cases with unexplained palpitations diagnosed by asthma were analyzed retrospectively. ResultsThe patients were diagnosed with asthma through bronchodilation test,skin prick tests,fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and diagnostic treatment.The ratio of male to female cases was 1:5. The ventilation lung function of all patients was in normal range. The median time of misdiagnosis was 13.5(3-120) months. 41.6% of cases had dust mite positive skin prick test. The median value of FeNO was 32.75(18-54) ppb. The symptoms of all patients were relieved completely after standard treatment. ConclusionPalpatation may be a specific presentation of asthma characterized with eosinophilic airway inflammation which may be misdiagnosed as other diseases for a long time,especially in elder women. To improve the knowledge of this kind of atypical asthma,detailed medical history, experimental examinations and diagnostic treatment response are important to confirm the diagnosis in time.
ObjectiveTo explore the predictive value of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in the treatment response of adult asthmatic patients. Methods64 adult outpatients with asthma from Peking Union Hospital between March and September 2013 were recruited in the study. All patients completed asthma control test (ACT) together with exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and pulmonary function test. Then the patients were classified into a higher FeNO group (n=33) and a normal FeNO group (n=31) according to FeNO level. All patients accepted regular inhaled ICS/LABA treatment (salmeterol and fluticasone 50/250). Three months later all patients reaccepted ACT,FeNO and pulmonary function test. ResultsThe ACT score increased in all patients,and was significantly higher in the higher FeNO group than that in the normal FeNO group[22.07±5.49 vs. 19.23±5.48,t=2.893,P<0.05]. The complete control rate of the higher FeNO group was higher than that in the normal FeNO group (42.42% vs. 19.35%,χ2=3.960,P<0.05). The FEV1 and FEV1%pred of two groups both increased significantly (P<0.05),but there was no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). Correlation analysis showed that FeNO and the declined rate of FeNO was negatively correlated with the ACT score(r=-0.302,P<0.05;r=0.674,P<0.01) and positively correlated with the improvement of ACT score (r=0.514,P<0.01;r=0.674,P<0.01). No significant correlation was found between FeNO and FEV1 or FEV1%pred. ConclusionThe effect of ICS/LABA therapy is better for asthma patients with higher FeNO. FeNO can be used for predicting the response to ICS/LABA therapy in patients with asthma and guiding the treatment.
Objectives To investigate the pathogenic characteristics and the possible relationship between pathogen and respiratory function in patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD).Methods Sixty-four patients with AECOPD were investigated with lung function test，quantitative and qualitative sputum bacteria culture，drug sensitive test，and Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia pneumoniae specific antibodies test.The patients were divided into three groups according to FEV1%pred，50%≤FEV1lt;80%pred for the Group One，30%pred≤FEV1lt;50%pred for the Group Two，and FEV1lt;30%pred for the Group Three.Meanwhile according to the result of sputum culture，infective bacteria were divided into four kinds： Gram-positive cocci for kind A，Gram-negtive germ except kind C for kind B，Acinetobacter，Enterobacter and Pseudomonas spp for kind C，and negative result for kind D.Results ⑴Of 64 patients who were conducted quantitative sputum culture，germs isolated were mostly Streptococcus pneumoniae，Enterobacter，Moraxella Catarrhalis，and Pseudomonas.Of 38 patients who were conducted qualitative sputum culture，most of them were found mixed infection，and germs isolated were mostly Streptococcus pneumoniae，Staphylococcus epidermidis，Acinetobacter and Enterobacter.⑵Both quantitative and qualitative sputum culture revealed that Most of Group One patients were not infected by bacteria，and the Group Three patients were mainly by resistant kind A and kind C bacteria (Plt;0.01 and 0.05 respectively).⑶The infection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae or Chlamydia pneumoniae was identified in 29.4% of the cases.Conclusions There is a close correlation between the degree of functional damage and the infected bacterial strains for patients with AECOPD，the more chance of bacteria infection such as S pneumoniae，Acinetobacter，Enterobacter and Pseudomonas，the more damage of lung function.
Objective To determine if the therapeutic response to an inhaled corticosteroid is attenuated in individuals with asthma who smoke.Methods 38 outpatients with chronic stable asthma who visited during March 2008 and January 2009 were enrolled in the study. 23 cases were nonsmokers and 15 cases were smokers. All of them were treated by daily inhaled budesonide, and β2 agonist when necessary.They were required to record symptoms and peak expiratory flow every day on an asthmatic diary card. Thepatients were followed 28 days. ACT score, asthma-symptom score, Asthma Control Test ( ACT) score,pulmonary function, and peak expiratory flow were compared between the non-smoking and the smoking asthmatic patients. Results All of the patients had statistically significant increases in ACT score, mean morning and night PEF, mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second, and a significant decrease in asthmasymptom score after budesonide treatment compared with before. There were significantly greater changes inany of these parameters in the non-smokers than in the smokers. Conclusions Active cigarette smoking impairs the efficacy of short term inhaled corticosteroid treatment in asthma. This finding has important implications for the management of patients with asthma who smoke.
【Abstract】 Objective To explore the clinical value of vibration response imaging ( VRI) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD) . Methods 255 COPD patients and 78 healthy volunteers were enrolled and lung function test and VRI examination were performed. The parameters of VRI included dynamic image grades, vibration energy graph grades, vibration value, quantitative lung data ( QLD) of right lung, and crack counts. Results The VRI parameters of the COPD group were as follows, ie.dynamic image grades of 3. 07 ±1. 34, graph grades of 7. 81 ±3. 27, vibration value of 1. 57 ±0. 46, QLD of( 49. 5 ±12. 6) % , crack counts of 5. 27 ±7. 74. The VRI parameters of the control group were as follows, ie.dynamic image grades of 1. 14 ±1. 00, graph grades of 2. 24 ±1. 27, vibration value of 1. 87 ±0. 40, QLD of( 44. 0 ±7. 7) % , crack counts of 0. 21 ±0. 88. There were significant differences in all parameters between the two groups ( all P lt;0. 05) . There was a linear relationship between VRI and FEV1% pred ( r = 0. 548,P lt;0. 01) . The model of the linear regression was Y =80. 833 - 2. 735X1 - 5. 406X2 ( Y: FEV1% pred, X1 :VRI graph grades, X2 : dynamic image grades) . Conclusion VRI is a promising method to diagnose and assess the severity of COPD.
Objective Using nerve growth factor ( NGF) and anti-NGF microspheres injected directly into the asthmatic rat adrenal gland, to explore the possible role of anti-NGF microsphere treatment in asthma.Methods 32 male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal control group, an asthma group, a NGF microspheres group, and an anti-NGF microspheres group. The behavior of rats, lung function testing, light microscopy of lung biopsy, electron microscopy of adrenal medulla cell ultrastructure changes, NGF and phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase ( PNMT) expressions in the adrenal gland were assayed by immunohistochemistry method, and serum NGF, cortisol, corticosterone, epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were detected by ELISA. Results Behavior in the asthma rats showed varying degrees of sneezing, runny nose, wheezing, scratching the head and face, irritability holes, incontinence, increased aggression and other acts, while in the anti-NGF rats showed relatively slighter symptoms. The rats in the asthma, anti-NGF and NGF groups showed significant airway hyperresponsiveness, while RL value reduced and Cdyn value increased in the anti-NGF group compared with the asthma group. HE staining of lung tissue revealed obvious bronchoconstriction, inflammatory cell infiltration around small vessels and alveolar spaces and in interstitum, bronchial epithelial cells desquamation in the asthma group. In anti-NGF group, tracheal epithelium was relatively complete, inflammatory exudation, bronchoconstriction and inflammatory cell infiltration were milder compared to the asthma group. Electron microscopy showed vacuolated changes of adrenal medulla cells, uneven distribution of chromaffin granules in the asthma group and the NGFgroup, and the quantity and concentration of chromaffin granules were significantly lower than normal. There were villous clubbing processes on the adrenal medulla cell membrane in the NGF group. While the anti-NGF group had no significant vacuolar changes in chromaffin granules and the concentration was close to normal. Image analysis showed that mean gray values of PNMT and NGF in the anti-NGF group were significantly different fromthe asthma group. The ELISA results showed that: ( 1) The average concentrations of epinephrine in each group were as follows, ie. the control group gt; anti-NGF group gt; asthma group gt; NGF group. ( 2) The average concentrations of norepinephrine in each group were as follows, ie. the NGF group gt; asthma group gt; anti-NGF group gt; control group. ( 3) There was no significant difference among the groups in the average concentration of cortisol. ( 4) The average concentrations of norepinephrine in each group were as follows, ie. , the control group gt; anti-NGF group gt; asthma group gt; NGF group. Conclusions Local embedding of anti-NGF microspheres can alleviate inflammatory infiltration in lung tissue and improve lung function of rat model with asthma. The mechanismmay be the anti-NGF antagonists the NGF receptor and reverse adrenal medulla cell transdifferentiation process primined by NGF.
Objective To observe the effects of salmeterol / fluticasone combined with tiotropium in the treatment of sever to very sever COPD. Methods Eighty patients with severe to very severe stable COPD were recruited from outpatient of Central Hospital of Cangzhou between May 2008 and October 2009. The subjects were randomly divided into a salmeterol /fluticasone group and a combination group. The salmeterol / fluticasone group received salmeterol / fluticasone propionate, and the combination group received the combination therapy of tiotropium and salmeterol / fluticasone propionate. All patients had received the treatment for 12 months. At baseline and at the end of 1-month, 3-month, 6-month, 12-month, lung function ( FEV1 , IC and FVC) , six-minute walk distance and the St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire ( SGRQ) score were assessed. The number of exacerbations and the time to the first exacerbation were also recorded. Results At every visit, lung function ( FEV1 , IC and FVC) , six-minute walk distance and the SGRQ score were improved in both groups compared with baseline ( Plt;0. 05) , especially in the combination group ( Plt;0.05) . Compared with the salmeterol /fluticason, the combination therapy with tiotropium significantly decreased the incidence of exacerbations and prolonged the time to the first exacerbation ( Plt;0.05) . And there was no significant difference between two groups in adverse effects ( Pgt;0.05) . Conclusions The combination therapy with salmeterol / fluticasone propionate and tiotropium was superior to salmeterol / fluticasone propionate in treatment of sever to very severe stable COPD patients in improving lung function, exercise tolerance, and quality of life, without additional adverse effects.
Objective To estimate the degree of the angle between left principal bronchus and trachea, and it is correlative with the pulmonary function in the patients with rheumatic mitral valve disease. Methods According to various degree of angles between left principal bronchus and trachea,53 patients were divided into three groups, group 1: angle between left principal bronchus and trachea less than 50 degree, group 2: between 50 and 64 degree, group 3: between 65 and 79 degree. The pulmonary function tests,ultrasonic cardiography and left principal bronchus X-ray tomographic film were carried out in three groups before operation. Compare pulmonary function data with different angle between left principal bronchus and trachea in three groups. Results Exception of vital capacity ,residual volume and total lung capacity,the rest markers of lung function showed significant differences (Plt;0.05) in three groups. The correlation of the angle between left principal bronchus and trachea and the ratio of residual volume and total lung capacity among three groups were positively correlative, and the other parameters of lung function were negatively correlative (Plt;0.01). Conclusion The degree of the angle between left principal bronchus and trachea is positively correlative with the extent of pulmonary function impairing.
0bjective To investigate the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux(GER)in acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)and to explore the influence of GER on the acidity of airway and pulmonary ventilation function in AECOPD patients．Methods Sixty-five hospitalized AECOPD patients and 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study．According to “GER survey”questionnaire，AECOPD patients were allocated into GER group and non-GER group and expired breath condensate(EBC)pH and pulmonary ventilation function were detected．Breath condensate samples were collected using a specially designed condensing chamber(EcoScreen，Germany)．Results About 30.8％ (20／65)AECOPD patients were complicated with GER．EBC pH was lowest in GER group，middle in non-GER group and highest in the control group[6.oo±0.75 VS 6.76±0.77 and 7.97±0.12，both Plt;0.05)．The pulmonary ventilation function(FEV1、FEV1％pred)in AECOPD patients with GER were lower than those without GER(both Plt;0.05)．Conclusions There iS a high prevalence of GER in AECOPD patients．And the airway pH is reduced in AECOPD patients，especially when complicated with GER，which may play an important role in the development of COPD．
ObjectiveTo explore the influence of respiratory function training on pulmonary function of patients with pneumoconiosis. MethodsOne hundred patients with pneumoconiosis hospitalized in our department between June 2011 and September 2012 were chosen as the research subjects. According to the method of random digits table, they were equally and randomly divided into contrast group and observation group. Patients in both the two groups were given routine treatment and nursing and health education, while patients in the observation group adopted respiratory training with lung functional exerciser in addition. Then we observed the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), vital capacity, maximal voluntary ventilation, forced vital capacity, classification of conscious shortness of breath and shortness of breath as well as classification of activities of daily living in the patients before and after training in both the two groups. ResultsAfter 6 months, lung function index, classification of conscious shortness of breath and shortness of breath as well as classification of activities of daily living of patients in the observation group improved a lot, which was significantly better than that in the contrast group (P<0.05). Compared with the contrast group, the FEV1 [(2.75±0.43) L], vital capacity [(3.29± 0.45)L] of patients in the observation group were significantly higher (P<0.05). Compared with the contrast group, classification of conscious shortness of breath and shortness of breath (2.10±0.67), classification of activities of daily living (2.19±0.66) were also significantly different (P<0.05). ConclusionRespiratory function training with lung functional exerciser can improve lung function of patients with pneumoconiosis, alleviate the degree of dyspnea, and enhance the quality of life.