Objective To investigate the effect of Simo decoction oral liquid on inflammatory in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) mouse serum and the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and to explore the mechanism.Methods Fifty BALB/c mice were divided into normal control group, ARDS model group, small, moderate and large dose Simo decoction oral liquid-treated groups (simplified as Simo groups) according to random number table method (n=10, in each group). The ARDS model mice were replicated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) tracheal instillation, and the mice in normal control group were given the same amount of normal saline. Immediately after the success of modeling, the mice were gavaged with 1, 2, 4 times the equivalent dose Simo decoction oral liquid of 7.56 mL·kg-1·d-1 in small, moderate or large dose Simo groups respectively, and there was no intervention in the normal control group or ARDS model group. All the mice were sacrificed at 24 hours after the respective drug amount or normal saline was given in various groups. The lung samples were taken for histologic evaluation, and BALF and serum samples were analyzed for the tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin (IL-1β, IL-6), and in the mean time the level of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) was detected.Results The pathological observation of lung tissue showed: there was no obvious inflammatory exudation in lung tissue of mice in normal control group; the inflammatory exudation in lung tissue of mice was increased significantly, the level of TNF-α (ng/L: 1759±303 vs. 104±27, 2506±674 vs. 507±46), IL-1β(ng/L: 209±16 vs. 114±11, 7325±826 vs. 3513±498) and IL-6 (ng/L: 144±38 vs. 47±7, 126±38 vs. 15±7) in serum and BALF were significantly increased, and the content of SOD (kU/L: 40.26±2.54 vs. 50.68±3.75) in serum was significantly decreased in ARDS model group (allP < 0.05), indicating that animal model of ARDS was set up successfully. Compared with ARDS model group, in small, moderate and large dose Simo groups, the inflammation exudation in lung tissue of mouse was reduced, the levels of TNF-α, IL-1βand IL-6 in serum and BALF were reduced, and the content of SOD in serum was increased [serum: TNF-α(ng/L) was 1642±276, 1126±154, 817±102 vs. 1759±303, IL-1β(ng/L)was 198±12, 170±11, 141±13 vs. 209±16, IL-6 (ng/L) was 127±22, 82±16, 41±15 vs. 144±38, SOD (kU/L) was 42.11±1.64, 48.09±1.23 vs. 40.26±2.54; BALF: TNF-α(ng/L) was 2479±446, 1632±330, 1067±223 vs. 2506±674, IL-1β(ng/L): 6939±725, 5398±625, 4401±210 vs. 7325±826, IL-6 (ng/L): 106±30, 68±13, 34±10 vs. 126±38, allP < 0.05], showing the Simo decoction inhibiting the lung inflammation and the above levels of indexes inserum and BALF was in a dose-dependent manner, and the changes in large dose Simo group was the most significant 45.18±1.15, .Conclusions Simo decoction oral liquid can inhibit the inflammatory response of ARDS, reduce the oxidative stress and decrease the lung injury of mice with ARDS.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of central venous-to-arterial carbon dioxide difference (Pcv-aCO2) on the prognosis of elderly patients with sepsis.Methods 208 elderly patients who met the diagnostic criteria of the Sepsis-3 and with the age of more than 60 years old, and admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Guangdong General Hospital from January to December in 2017 were enrolled. According to the prognosis, the patients were divided into death group (n = 46) and survival group (n = 162). The Pcv-aCO2, central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2), serum procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) and acute physiology and chronic health evaluationⅡ (APACHEⅡ) were collected for all patients. The differences of each index between the two groups were compared. The correlations between Pcv-aCO2 and ScvO2, PCT, CRP, SOFA, APACHEⅡscores were analyzed respectively with Pearson correlation. The prognostic value of Pcv-aCO2 in elderly patients with sepsis was assessed by receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC).Results Compared with survival group, the Pcv-aCO2, PCT, CRP, SOFA and APACHEⅡscores in death group were significantly increased [Pcv-aCO2 (mmHg, 1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa): 6.13±3.33 vs. 4.40±2.65, PCT (μg/L): 31.41±12.83 vs. 3.01±2.69, CRP (mg/L): 130.51± 42.23 vs. 104.46±50.12, SOFA: 12.01±2.25 vs. 9.05±2.06, APACHEⅡ: 29.52±5.03 vs. 20.01±3.21, allP < 0.05], and ScvO2 in death group was significantly decreased (0.571±0.136 vs. 0.685±0.106,P < 0.01). Correlation analysis showed that the Pcv-aCO2 was negatively correlated with ScvO2 (r = -0.762,P = 0.001) and was positively correlated with PCT, CRP, SOFA and APACHEⅡscores (r value was 0.737, 0.625, 0.738, 0.713, respectively, allP < 0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of Pcv-aCO2 prediction of death in patients with sepsis was 0.826, the cut-off was 6.62 mmHg, the sensitivity was 84.7％, the specificity was 77.5％, the positive likelihood ratio was 3.76, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.19.Conclusion Pcv-aCO2 has a great value in evaluating the prognosis of elderly patients with sepsis and can accurately determine the prognosis of sepsis.