Prevention of bronchopulmonary complications by ambroxol after thoracotomy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

VernacularTitle:氨溴索对老年慢性阻塞性肺疾病患者开胸术后肺部并发症的预防作用
Author: Xingfeng ZHU ; Mingfeng ZHENG ; Jingyu CHEN ; Yijun HE ; Ruo CHEN ; Qiankun ZHU ; Shugao YE ; Feng LIU ; Rongguo LU
Publication Type:Journal Article
Keywords: Ambroxol; Pulmonary disease,chronic obstructive; Postoperative complications; Atelectasis
From: Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2011;30(12):1000-1002
CountryChina
Language:Chinese
Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effects of ambroxol on prevention of bronchopulmonary complications after thoracotomy in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).MethodsTotal 161 elderly patients aged ≥70 years with COPD undergoing thoracotomy were randomly allocated to two groups:ambroxol group (300 mg/d,6 d) and placebo group as control.Pulmonary complications were evaluated by clinical symptoms,radiographic changes,and blood gas analysis. Results The incidence rates of atelectasis were 8.6％ in ambroxol group and 28.8％ in placebo group,respectively.The PaO2 values after surgery in ambroxol group decreased more than in placebo group (P＜0.05) compared with the preoperative values.Side effects were not found in all patients.Conclusions Ambroxol should be considered as an alternative pharmacologic approach for the prevention of post-thoracotomy pulmonary complications in the elderly patients with COPD.