Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect of ambroxol hydrochloride combined with Xuebijing injection for treatment of elderly patients with severe pneumonia. Methods A total of 60 patients with severe pneumonia admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2015 to December 2016 were enrolled, and they were divided into an observation group and a control group by random number table method, 30 cases in each group. Both groups were given routine treatment of antibiotics, nutritional support, oxygen aspiration, spasmolysis and phlegm reduction therapies. etc. On the basic conventional treatment, the patients of the control group were treated with 300 mg ambroxol hydrochloride added into 100 mL normal saline for intravenous (IV) drip, twice a day; on the basis of treatment of control group, the patients in the observation group additionally were treated with 50 mL Xuebijing injection added into 100 mL normal saline for IV drip, twice a day. After treatment for 14 days, the curative effect was observed. Before and after treatment, the changes of immune function, inflammatory factors, respiratory mechanics, blood gas indexes and clinical efficacy were observed in the two groups. Results Compared with those before treatment, levels of the CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+, arterial oxygen satuation (SaO2), arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2) in the two groups after treatment were significantly increased, while CD8+, interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), airway platform pressure (Pplat), peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), mean airway pressure (mPaw) and airway resistance (Raw) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) were decreased significantly after treatment in the two groups (all P < 0.05), the levels of immune indexes CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, SaO2, PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 after treatment in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group [CD3+: 0.69±0.05 vs. 0.60±0.04, CD4+: 0.40±0.04 vs. 0.35±0.03, CD4+/CD8+: 1.84±1.10 vs. 1.41±0.79, SaO2: 0.96±0.04 vs. 0.91±0.05, PaO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg =0.133 kPa): 97.71±10.03 vs. 74.68±8.14, PaO2/FiO2 (mmHg): 361.87±20.01 vs. 258.95±17.54, all P < 0.05], meanwhile the CD8+, IL-6, CRP, TNF-α, Pplat, PIP, mPaw, Raw and PaCO2 were significantly lower than those of the control group [CD8+: 0.23±0.03 vs. 0.30±0.05, IL-6 (pg/L): 97.48±8.14 vs. 144.51±12.67, CRP (mg/L): 31.26±4.85 vs. 68.97±7.02, TNF-α (mg/L): 16.07±1.80 vs. 21.85±2.64, Pplat (cmH2O, 1 cmH2O = 0.098 kPa): 12.23±1.57 vs. 15.97±1.91, PIP (cmH2O): 23.26±3.07 vs. 28.09±3.10, mPaw (cmH2O): 8.54±0.54 vs. 9.39±1.30, Raw (cmH2O·L-1·s-1): 6.74±1.12 vs. 9.29±1.55, PaCO2 (mmHg): 36.44±4.13 vs. 47.07±5.35, all P < 0.05]. After treatment, the effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group [90.00% (27/30) vs. 63.33% (19/30), P < 0.05]. Conclusions Using ambroxol hydrochloride combined with Xuebijing injection for treatment of elderly patients with severe pneumonia can promote their immune function, reduce the inflammatory factors, improve respiratory mechanics and blood gas index levels, thus the combined therapy can elevate the clinical therapeutic effect for treatment of senile severe pneumonia.

OBJECTIVETo explore the relation between genetic polymorphisms of NQO1, GSTT1 and risks of chronic benzene poisoning (BP).

METHODSA case-control study was conducted. 152 BP patients and 152 workers occupationally exposed to benzene without poisoning manifestations were investigated. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) and sequencing were used to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) of the promoter and complete coding-region of NQO1 gene. Multiple PCR was used to detect GSTT1 genotype.

RESULTSIn smoking population, there was 7.73-fold (95% CI: 1.71-34.97, P = 0.010) of risk in BP subjects carrying NQO1c. 609 T/T genotype, compared with those carrying C/C and C/T. genotype. In drinking population, the individuals carrying the 6th extron of NQO1c. 609 T/T homozygote genotype had a 11.00-fold(95% CI: 1.89-63.83, P = 0.005) risk of BP compared to those with NQO1c. 609 C/T and C/C genotypes.

CONCLUSIONThe subjects carrying NQO1c. 609 T/T genotype and together with the habit of smoking or drinking may be more susceptible to BP.

Benzene ; poisoning ; Case-Control Studies ; Ethanol ; adverse effects ; Genotype ; Glutathione Transferase ; genetics ; Humans ; NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) ; genetics ; Occupational Diseases ; genetics ; Occupational Exposure ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Smoking ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors of delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and to investigate the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), lactic acid (Lac) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the diagnosis of ICU delirium. METHODS: The patients admitted to central ICU and respiratory medicine ICU of Changzhou First People's Hospital from August 2016 to November 2017 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether delirium occurred within 7 days or not, which was evaluated by using the confusion assessment method for ICU (CAM-ICU). The gender, age and blood CRP, PCT, Lac, NSE levels were compared between the two groups. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of ICU delirium. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to assess the predictive value of CRP, PCT, Lac and NSE in the occurrence of ICU delirium. RESULTS: 133 patients were enrolled. Delirium occurred in 67 patients, and did not occurred in 66 patients, with a prevalence rate of 50.4%. (1) There was no significant difference in gender or age between the two groups. Compared with non-delirium group, blood CRP, PCT and Lac levels in delirium group were significantly increased [CRP (mg/L): 110.75±77.31 vs. 51.32±36.51, PCT (μg/L): 3.95 (1.01, 23.90) vs. 0.09 (0.06, 0.36), Lac (mmol/L): 2.40 (1.70, 4.30) vs. 1.20 (0.90, 2.00), all P < 0.01], but no significant difference was found in NSE [μg/L: 12.59 (9.61, 17.69) vs. 13.39 (10.14, 19.05), P > 0.05]. (2) It was shown by multivariate Logistic regression analysis that blood PCT and Lac were risk factors of ICU delirium [PCT: odds ratio (OR) = 1.185, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.006-1.396, P = 0.042; Lac: OR = 1.398, 95%CI = 1.011-1.934, P = 0.043]. (3) ROC curve analysis showed that blood CRP, PCT and Lac had certain predictive value for ICU delirium, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PCT was the highest (0.840 vs. 0.694 and 0.751). When the cut-off value of PCT ≥ 0.55 μg/L, the sensitivity was 72.7%, the specificity was 86.2%, positive predictive value was 84.48%, and negative predictive value was 75.68%. Blood NSE had no predictive value for ICU delirium (AUC = 0.446, P = 0.290). CONCLUSIONS Blood PCT and Lac are the risk factors of ICU delirium. PCT has predictive value for ICU delirium.
C-Reactive Protein ; Calcitonin ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Delirium ; Humans ; Intensive Care Units ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Sepsis

Objective: To analyze the risk factors of delirium in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, and to investigate the predictive value of C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), lactic acid (Lac) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) in the diagnosis of ICU delirium. Methods: The patients admitted to central ICU and respiratory medicine ICU of Changzhou First People's Hospital from August 2016 to November 2017 were enrolled. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether delirium occurred within 7 days or not, which was evaluated by using the confusion assessment method for ICU (CAM-ICU). The gender, age and blood CRP, PCT, Lac, NSE levels were compared between the two groups. Multivariate Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of ICU delirium. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to assess the predictive value of CRP, PCT, Lac and NSE in the occurrence of ICU delirium. Results: 133 patients were enrolled. Delirium occurred in 67 patients, and did not occurred in 66 patients, with a prevalence rate of 50.4%. There was no significant difference in gender or age between the two groups. Compared with non-delirium group, blood CRP, PCT and Lac levels in delirium group were significantly increased [CRP (mg/L): 110.75±77.31 vs. 51.32±36.51, PCT (μg/L): 3.95 (1.01, 23.90) vs. 0.09 (0.06, 0.36), Lac (mmol/L): 2.40 (1.70, 4.30) vs. 1.20 (0.90, 2.00), all P < 0.01], but no significant difference was found in NSE [μg/L: 12.59 (9.61, 17.69) vs. 13.39 (10.14, 19.05), P > 0.05].② It was shown by multivariate Logistic regression analysis that blood PCT and Lac were risk factors of ICU delirium [PCT: odds ratio (OR) = 1.185, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.006-1.396, P = 0.042; Lac: OR = 1.398, 95%CI = 1.011-1.934, P = 0.043].③ROC curve analysis showed that blood CRP, PCT and Lac had certain predictive value for ICU delirium, and the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of PCT was the highest (0.840 vs. 0.694 and 0.751). When the cut-off value of PCT ≥ 0.55 μg/L, the sensitivity was 72.7%, the specificity was 86.2%, positive predictive value was 84.48%, and negative predictive value was 75.68%. Blood NSE had no predictive value for ICU delirium (AUC = 0.446, P = 0.290). Conclusions Blood PCT and Lac are the risk factors of ICU delirium. PCT has predictive value for ICU delirium.