Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of salbutamol combined with budesonide suspension nebulization in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) and respiratory failure, as well as its impact on inflammation related factors, complement 3a (C3a), C3a receptor (C3aR) levels, and helper T cell 17 (Th17), Th17/regulatory T cell (Treg) levels.Methods:A total of 120 AECOPD patients with respiratory failure admitted to the Jincheng People′s Hospital from March 2017 to March 2022 were selected as the study subjects. They were randomly divided into a control group of 60 cases and an observation group of 60 cases using a simple randomization method. The control group was treated with non-invasive positive pressure ventilation, while the observation group was treated with salbutamol combined with budesonide suspension nebulization on the basis of positive pressure ventilation. Two groups were compared in terms of efficacy, incidence of complications, length of hospital stay, COPD assessment test (CAT) scores, and inflammation related factors [white blood cell count (WBC), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-23 (IL-23) ], differences in complement (C3a, C3aR), peripheral blood Th17/Treg balance factors, vital signs, and blood gas indicators.Resultsl:The total effective rate of the observation group was 93.33%(56/60), significantly higher than the 80.00%(48/60) of the control group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of inflammation related factors, complement and Th17, Th17/Treg ratio in both groups were significantly lower than before treatment (all P<0.05), and Treg levels were significantly higher than before treatment (all P<0.05). In addition, the levels of inflammation related factors, complement and Th17, Th17/Treg ratio in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (all P<0.05), and Treg levels were higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). After treatment, the heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2) levels in both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P<0.05), while blood oxygen saturation (SaO 2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2), and pH levels were significantly higher than those before treatment (all P<0.05). The observation group had better lung function, vital signs, and blood gas indicators than the control group (all P<0.05). The hospitalization time in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group ( P<0.05). After treatment, the CAT scores of both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment (all P<0.05), and the CAT scores of the observation group were lower than those of the control group ( P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence of adverse reactions between the observation group [1.67%(1/60)] and the control group [5.00%(3/60)] ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The combination of salbutamol and budesonide suspension nebulization in the treatment of AECOPD with respiratory failure can correct the Th17/Treg imbalance, alleviate inflammatory reactions, improve blood gas indicators, and promote rehabilitation.