Objective To explore the effect and its clinical significance of different dose of glucocorticoids on inflammation mediators in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.Methods 45 patients admitted to our hospitals from March 2007 to March 2011 were randomly divided into 3 groups:methylprednisolone 40 mg group (methylprednisolone 40mg,iv,qd),methylprednisolone 80 mg group (methylprednisolone 80mg,iv,bid),and control group (without any glucocorticoids).The changes of dyspnea scores,arterial blood gas analysis,clinical symptom scores and serum IL-6,IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) levels were detected in patients of each group before and at the 7th day after treatment.The related adverse drug reactions were recorded.Results The improvements in clinical symptom scores,Borg scores,PaCO2,PaO2 after treatment were higher in methylprednisolone 40 mg group and methylprednisolone 80 mg group than in control group (F=3.6747.162 and 42.88,respectively,P＜0.01 or 0.001),and the above improvements was better in methylprednisolone 80 mg group than in methylprednisolone 40 mg group (all P＜0.05).The decreases in levels of serum IL-8,TNF-α,IL-6,C-RP after the treatment were more significant in methylprednisolone 40 mg group and methylprednisolone 80 mg group than in control group (F=12.65,16.17,30.99,respectively,all P＜0.001),and the decrements were more significant in methylprednisolone 80 mg group than in methylprednisolone 40 mg group(all P＜0.05).NO serious adverse drug reactions happened during the course of treatment in the three groups.Conelusions Short-term and moderate dose of glucocorticoid treatment is effective and safe in treating the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.Methylprednisolone 80 mg injection daily can more obviously improve AECOPD symptoms,and reduce the levels of inflammatory factors better.

AIM: To explore the pathological features of airway inflammation in patients with eosinophilic bronchitis(EB) and compared to those with cough variant asthma(CVA).METHODS: Flexible fibre optic bronchoscopy was performed in 11 patients with EB,10 with CVA,14 with bronchial asthma and 10 normal controls.The mean thickness of the basement membrane was measured by light microscopy.Using immunohistochemical and special staining,the localization and density of inflammatory cells(eosinophils,mast cells,T lymphocytes) were detected in bronchial submucosa in EB and CVA patients.RESULTS: The mean thickness of the basement membrane was significantly increased in the subjects with EB [2.92 ?m(2.10-6.50 ?m)],CVA [5.64 ?m(3.23-8.48 ?m)] and bronchial asthma [9.08 ?m(6.61-11.99 ?m)] rather than that in the normal controls [2.08 ?m(1.62-3.40 ?m)].There were also significant differences among the three groups.The number of mast cells and eosinophils in the bronchial submucosal from subjects with EB [75 cells/mm~2(35-112 cells/mm~2),7 cells/mm~2(0-31(cells/mm~2))] was substantially decreased than those in subjects with CVA [148 cells/mm~2(34-200 cells/mm~2),114 cells/mm~2((1-768 cells/mm~2));P

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical features of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and to discuss diagnosis and management of the disease.

METHODSA retrospective study was conducted on 78 cases of SARS referred to the Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Diseases(GIRD) between December 22, 2002 and near the end of March 2003. Items reviewed cover all data concerning clinical manifestations, laboratory investigation and radiology.

RESULTSThe patients on the study consisted of 42 males and 36 females, aged 20-75 yrs (mean age 37.5 +/- 11.6 yrs), including 44 affected health-care professionals. Clinical symptoms seen in the group were fever (100.0%), cough (88.5%), and dyspnea (79.5%). There were 12 cases (15.3%) with WBCs < 4.0 x 10(9) /L, 49 cases (62.8%) ranging between (4.0 -10.0) x 10(9) /L and 17 cases (21.8%) over 10.0 x 10(9) /L. The average was (7.58 +/- 4.96) x 10(9) /L, with 0.75 +/- 0.14 (neutrophil) and 0.18 +/- 0.11 (lymphocyte). Chest films and CT scanning revealed changes related to pneumonia. The transmission of the disease was likely via close contact with contagious droplets. The prevalences of acute lung injury (ALI, in 37 cases) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS, 21 out of 37 cases) were considerably high among the patients. Seven patients who developed ARDS complicated with multiple organs dysfunction syndrome (MODS) died.

CONCLUSIONSA history of close contact, fever, sign of pneumonia by X-ray and normal-to-lowered WBC counts are favorable for the diagnosis of SARS. Recognition of ALI as the important index for critical SARS and comprehensive supportive management are of paramount in decreasing the mortality of the disease.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; therapy