Humans ; Aged ; Lung Diseases ; Pneumonia/drug therapy* ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Administration, Inhalation ; Community-Acquired Infections/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the early risk factors for death in neonates with persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) treated with inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 105 infants with PPHN (gestational age ≥34 weeks and age <7 days on admission) who received iNO treatment in the Department of Neonatology, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, from July 2017 to March 2021. Related general information and clinical data were collected. According to the clinical outcome at discharge, the infants were divided into a survival group with 79 infants and a death group with 26 infants. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to evaluate the risk factors for death in infants with PPHN treated with iNO. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the cut-off values of the factors in predicting the death risk. RESULTS: A total of 105 infants with PPHN treated with iNO were included, among whom 26 died (26/105, 24.8%). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that no early response to iNO (HR=8.500, 95%CI: 3.024-23.887, P<0.001), 1-minute Apgar score ≤3 points (HR=10.094, 95%CI: 2.577-39.534, P=0.001), a low value of minimum PaO₂/FiO₂ within 12 hours after admission (HR=0.067, 95%CI: 0.009-0.481, P=0.007), and a low value of minimum pH within 12 hours after admission (HR=0.049, 95%CI: 0.004-0.545, P=0.014) were independent risk factors for death. The ROC curve analysis showed that the lowest PaO₂/FiO₂ value within 12 hours after admission had an area under the ROC curve of 0.783 in predicting death risk, with a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 73.4% at the cut-off value of 50, and the lowest pH value within 12 hours after admission had an area under the ROC curve of 0.746, with a sensitivity of 76.9% and a specificity of 65.8% at the cut-off value of 7.2. CONCLUSIONS Infants with PPHN requiring iNO treatment tend to have a high mortality rate. No early response to iNO, 1-minute Apgar score ≤3 points, the lowest PaO₂/FiO₂ value <50 within 12 hours after admission, and the lowest pH value <7.2 within 12 hours after admission are the early risk factors for death in such infants. Monitoring and evaluation of the above indicators will help to identify high-risk infants in the early stage.
Administration, Inhalation ; Child ; Humans ; Hypertension, Pulmonary/drug therapy* ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Nitric Oxide ; Persistent Fetal Circulation Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Glutaraldehyde is a kind of volatile and irritating aldehyde organic compound, which belongs to high-efficiency disinfectant. It has a strong stimulating effect on the mucous membranes of the eyes, respiratory tract and digestive tract, and skin causing denaturation, liquefaction and necrosis of mucous membrane proteins. This article analyzes the treatment process of a patient with high-concentration glutaraldehyde poisoning by oral and inhalation, and discusses the clinical manifestations and prognosis of high-concentration glutaraldehyde poisoning, so as to provide a basis for clinical treatment.
Administration, Inhalation ; Aldehydes ; Glutaral ; Humans ; Respiratory System

BACKGROUND: Despite the recommendation of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) plus long-acting beta 2-agonist (LABA) and leukotriene receptor antagonist (LTRA) or ICS/LTRA as stepwise approaches in asthmatic children, there is a lack of published systematic review comparing the efficacy and safety of the two therapies in children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years. This study aimed to compare the safety and efficacy of salmeterol/fluticasone (SFC) vs. montelukast (MON), or combination of montelukast and fluticasone (MFC) in children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years with bronchial asthma. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China BioMedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodical, and Wanfang for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published from inception to May 24, 2021. Interventions are as follows: SFC vs. MON, or combination of MFC, with no limitation of dosage or duration. Primary and secondary outcome measures were as follows: the primary outcome of interest was the risk of asthma exacerbation. Secondary outcomes included risk of hospitalization, pulmonary function, asthma control level, quality of life, and adverse events (AEs). A random-effects (I2 ≥ 50%) or fixed-effects model (I2 < 50%) was used to calculate pooled effect estimates, comparing the outcomes between the intervention and control groups where feasible. RESULTS: Of the 1006 articles identified, 21 studies met the inclusion criteria with 2643 individuals; two were at low risk of bias. As no primary outcomes were similar after an identical treatment duration in the included studies, meta-analysis could not be performed. However, more studies favored SFC, instead of MON, owing to a lower risk of asthma exacerbation in the SFC group. As for secondary outcome, SFC showed a significant improvement of peak expiratory flow (PEF)%pred after 4 weeks compared with MFC (mean difference [MD]: 5.45; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.57-9.34; I2 = 95%; P = 0.006). As for asthma control level, SFC also showed a higher full-controlled level (risk ratio [RR]: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.24-1.85; I2 = 0; P < 0.001) and higher childhood asthma control test score after 4 weeks of treatment (MD: 2.30; 95% CI: 1.39-3.21; I2 = 72%; P < 0.001) compared with MFC. CONCLUSIONS: SFC may be more effective than MFC for the treatment of asthma in children and adolescents, especially in improving asthma control level. However, there is insufficient evidence to make firm conclusive statements on the use of SFC or MON in children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years with asthma. Further research is needed, particularly a combination of good-quality long-term prospective studies and well-designed RCTs. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42019133156.
Acetates ; Administration, Inhalation ; Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use* ; Albuterol/therapeutic use* ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Child ; Cyclopropanes ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Fluticasone/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Quinolines ; Salmeterol Xinafoate/therapeutic use* ; Sulfides

OBJECTIVES: To develop a new Chinese medicine (CM)-based drug and to evaluate its safety and effect for suppressing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: A putative ARDS-suppressing drug Keguan-1 was first developed and then evaluated by a randomized, controlled two-arm trial. The two arms of the trial consist of a control therapy (alpha interferon inhalation, 50 µg twice daily; and lopinavir/ritonavir, 400 and 100 mg twice daily, respectively) and a testing therapy (control therapy plus Keguan-1 19.4 g twice daily) by random number table at 1:1 ratio with 24 cases each group. After 2-week treatment, adverse events, time to fever resolution, ARDS development, and lung injury on newly diagnosed COVID-19 patients were assessed. RESULTS: An analysis of the data from the first 30 participants showed that the control arm and the testing arm did not exhibit any significant differences in terms of adverse events. Based on this result, the study was expanded to include a total of 48 participants (24 cases each arm). The results show that compared with the control arm, the testing arm exhibited a significant improvement in time to fever resolution (P=0.035), and a significant reduction in the development of ARDS (P=0.048). CONCLUSIONS Keguan-1-based integrative therapy was safe and superior to the standard therapy in suppressing the development of ARDS in COVID-19 patients. (Trial registration No. NCT04251871 at www.clinicaltrials.gov ).
Administration, Inhalation ; Adult ; China ; Coronavirus Infections ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Drug Administration Schedule ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Integrative Medicine ; Interferon-alpha ; administration & dosage ; Lopinavir ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Risk Assessment ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; mortality ; Severity of Illness Index ; Survival Rate

Acute respiratory failure due to acute hypoxemia is the major manifestation in severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection. Rational and effective respiratory support is crucial in the management of COVID-19 patients. High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has been utilized widely due to its superiority over other non-invasive respiratory support techniques. To avoid HFNC failure and intubation delay, the key issues are proper patients, timely application and improving compliance. It should be noted that elder patients are vulnerable for failed HFNC. We applied HFNC for oxygen therapy in severe and critical COVID-19 patients and summarized the following experiences. Firstly, to select the proper size of nasal catheter, to locate it at suitable place, and to confirm the nose and the upper respiratory airway unobstructed. Secondly, an initial flow of 60 L/min and 37℃ should be given immediately for patients with obvious respiratory distress or weak cough ability; otherwise, low-level support should be given first and the level gradually increased. Thirdly, to avoid hypoxia or hypoxemia, the treatment goal of HFNC should be maintained the oxygen saturation (SpO) above 95% for patients without chronic pulmonary disease. Finally, patients should wear a surgical mask during HFNC treatment to reduce the risk of virus transmission through droplets or aerosols.
Aged ; Betacoronavirus ; Cannula ; Coronavirus Infections ; complications ; therapy ; Humans ; Hypoxia ; etiology ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Masks ; Oxygen ; administration & dosage ; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy ; instrumentation ; standards ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral ; complications ; therapy

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of intermittent versus daily inhalation of budesonide on pulmonary function and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in children with mild persistent asthma. METHODS: A total of 120 children, aged 6-14 years, with mild persistent asthma who attended the hospital from January 2016 to January 2018 were enrolled. The children were divided into an intermittent inhalation group with 60 children (inhalation of budesonide 200 μg/day for 6 weeks when symptoms of asthma appeared) and a daily inhalation group with 60 children (continuous inhalation of budesonide 200 μg/day) by stratified randomization. The children were followed up at months 3, 6, 9, and 12 of treatment. The two groups were compared in terms of baseline data, changes in FeNO and pulmonary function parameters, amount of glucocorticoid used, number of asthma attacks, and asthma control. RESULTS: At the start of treatment, there were no significant differences in baseline data, FeNO, and pulmonary function between the two groups (P>0.05). Over the time of treatment, FeNO gradually decreased and pulmonary function parameters were gradually improved in both groups (P<0.001). Compared with the intermittent inhalation group, the daily inhalation group had a better effect in reducing FeNO and increasing the predicted percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1%pred) (P<0.001). The inhalation method and treatment time had an interaction effect on FeNO and pulmonary function parameters (P<0.001). In the daily inhalation group, FeNO and lung function parameters were improved rapidly and stabilized after 3 months of treatment, while those in the intermittent inhalation group stabilized after 6 months. After 12 months of treatment, there were no significant differences in the increases in body height and body weight and the degree of disease control between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the daily inhalation group, the intermittent inhalation group had a significantly lower amount of budesonide inhaled (P<0.05) and a significantly higher number of asthma attacks (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Intermittent inhalation and daily inhalation of budesonide can achieve the same level of asthma control in children with mild persistent asthma and both have no influence on the increases in body height and body weight. Daily inhalation of budesonide can produce a better efficiency in reduing FeNO and increasing FEV1%pred. Although intermittent inhalation can reduce the amount of glucocorticoid used, it may lead to a higher risk of asthma attacks.
Administration, Inhalation ; Adolescent ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; Budesonide ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Forced Expiratory Volume ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide

To systematically review the efficacy and safety of Liujunzi Decoction combined with Western medicine in the treatment of stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD). Three English databases and four Chinese databases were systematically searched from the database establishment to April 1, 2020. We screened randomized controlled trial(RCT) according to the pre-determined inclusion and exclusion criteria, then extracted data. Methodological quality of included studies was assessed with Cochrane bias risk evaluation tool. Data were analyzed by using RevMan 5.3. A total of 401 articles were retrieved and finally 17 RCTs were included in this study, involving 1 447 patients, and the overall quality of the included studies was not high. Meta-analysis showed that, in reducing traditional Chinese medicine symptom score, Liujunzi Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine or Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation was superior to conventional Western medicine or Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation alone. In reducing the grade of modified medical research council(mMRC), Liujunzi Decoction combined with Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation was superior to Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation alone. In reducing COPD assessment test(CAT) score, Liujunzi Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine was superior to conventional Western medicine alone. In delaying the decline of forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV_1) or % in the expected value, Liujunzi Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine or Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation was superior to conventional Western medicine or Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation alone. In delaying the decline of ratio of FEV_1 to forced vital capacity(FEV_1/FVC), Liujunzi Decoction combined with conventional Western medicine was superior to conventional Western medicine alone, but there was no statistical difference between Liujunzi Decoction combined with Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation and Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation alone. In reducing acute exacerbation rate, there was no statistical difference between Liujunzi Decoction combined with Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation and Salmeterol Xinafoate and Fluticasone Propionate Powder for Inhalation alone. On the other outcome measures of Liujunzi Decoction combined with other Western medicine, Meta-analysis could not be conducted and conclusions due to the inclusion of only one study. In terms of the occurrence of adverse reactions, some studies did not mention, so the safety of Liujunzi Decoction combined with Wes-tern medicine could not be determined in this paper. Due to the limitations of the quality and quantity of inclu-ded studies, the efficacy of Liujunzi Decoction combined with Western medicine for COPD still needs more high-quality studies for confirmation, and its safety needs to be further verified.
Administration, Inhalation ; Bronchodilator Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Medicine ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/drug therapy* ; Salmeterol Xinafoate/therapeutic use*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical symptoms, lung function and airway inflammation phenotype characteristics of asthmatic patients who are sensitive to cold stimulation. METHODS: Eighty patients with newly diagnosed bronchial asthma or with mild to moderate acute exacerbation of previously diagnosed bronchial asthma but without regular treatment were selected. According to whether cold air stimulation could induce respiratory symptoms such as cough and wheeze, the patients were divided into cold-insensitive group (45 cases) and cold-sensitive group (35 cases). All the patients were treated with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS), long-acting β2 receptor agonist (LABA; salmeterol xinafoate and fluticasone propionate powder for inhalation, 50 μg/250 μg, twice daily) and montelukast sodium tablets (10 mg, once daily); short-acting β2 receptor agonist (SABA) and/or systemic glucocorticoid (prednisone acetate tablets, 10 mg, once daily; or injection of methylprednisolone sodium succinate, 40 mg) were given if necessary. Asthma Control Test (ACT) score before treatment and at 3 months of treatment was used to assess the clinical symptoms such as cough and wheeze; spirometry was performed to determine lung function impairment and recovery. Blood and induced sputum cell counts were examined to determine the characteristics of airway inflammation. RESULTS: The two groups were comparable for age, gender, BMI, proportion of smokers and allergic rhinitis before treatment. The cold-sensitive patients experienced significantly more frequent acute exacerbations than the cold-insensitive patient within 1 year before the visit ( < 0.05), but the use of SABA and glucocorticoid for symptom control during the treatment did not differ significantly between the two groups ( > 0.05). The ACT scores of the cold-sensitive group were significantly lower than those of the cold-insensitive group both before and after the treatment ( < 0.01). Compared with the cold-insensitive patients, the cold-sensitive patients had more obvious impairment of FEV1/FVC% and FEV1%pred before treatment ( < 0.01), and also showed poorer recovery after treatment ( < 0.05). The percentages of eosinophils in blood and induced sputum samples did not differ significantly between the two groups either before and after the treatment, but the percentage of neutrophils was significantly higher in the cold-sensitive group ( < 0.01). In the induced sputum samples collected before treatment, the cell populations consisted mainly of eosinophilic subtype (60%) and neutrophilic subtype (20%) in the cold-insensitive group; in the cold-sensitive patients, the sputum neutrophilic subtype cells increased significantly to 42.86% (=0.03) and the eosinophilic subtype cells were lowered to 31.43% (=0.01). CONCLUSIONS The cold-sensitive asthmatic patients experience frequent recurrent and/or aggravated symptoms and have obvious lung function impairment. Different from that in patients with classic asthma, the airway inflammatory phenotype in these patients is characterized by the domination by neutrophilic subtype.
Administration, Inhalation ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; therapeutic use ; Asthma ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Cold Temperature ; adverse effects ; Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes ; physiopathology ; Disease Progression ; Eosinophils ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Recurrence ; Sputum ; cytology

OBJECTIVE: To explore the intervention measures to maintain clinical control in children with asthma in the remission stage when concomitant with acute upper respiratory infection (AURI). METHODS: A total of 100 asthmatic children who had achieved clinical control were randomly divided into observation group and control group. The two groups were both treated with a combination of inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β2 receptor agonist (ICS/LABA) at the lowest dose every night. Conventional therapies were used for the two groups when suffering from AURI. In addition to conventional therapies, the observation group was given early short-term upgrade therapy, i.e., on the basis of maintenance therapy, the same amount of ICS/LABA complex preparation was inhaled every morning, which lasted for 7-10 days. Both groups were treated following asthma guidelines according to the severity of the disease at the time of acute attacks. The control rate of asthma, severity of acute attacks, changes in pulmonary function indices, and occurrence of adverse events were evaluated after 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of treatment. RESULTS: At each time point of follow-up, the rate of asthma control in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (90% vs 80%; P<0.05). The severity of acute attacks in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group at all follow-up time points (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly improved pulmonary function indices of large and small airways (P<0.05) and significantly reduced mean amount of inhaled glucocorticoids and impact on family life (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Early short-term upgrade therapy for children with asthma in the remission stage when concomitant with AURI can prevent acute attacks of asthma, raise the rate of asthma control and improve pulmonary function.
Administration, Inhalation ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones ; Adrenergic beta-Agonists ; Anti-Asthmatic Agents ; Asthma ; Child ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Humans