Clinical effect and mechanism of ulinastatin for AECOPD

Objective To study the clinical effect and mechanism of ulinastatin for patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Methods 140 AECOPD patients treated in our hospital from June to December, 2015 were randomly divided into an ulinastatin group and a control group, with 70 cases in each group. There were 44 male and 26 female in the ulinastatin group; they were (66.3±9.7) years old. There were 41 male and 29 female in the control group; they were (65.0±10.8) years old. Both groups were given oxygen, anti-inflammatory, and antitussive and antiasthmatic therapy; in addition, the ulinastatin group was treated with ulinastatin. Both groups were treated for 14 days. The clinical effects were compared between these two groups. Results Before the treatment, there were no statistical differences in PaO2, PaCO2, FEV1%, TNF-α, IL-6, HMGB1, TLR4, and SOD between these two groups (all P>0.05). After the treatment, the levels of PaO2, FEV1% and SOD were higher and the levels of PaCO2, TNF-α, IL-6, HMGB1, and TLR4 were lower in the ulinastatin group than in the control group (all P<0.05). After 14 days’ treatment, the total effective rate was higher in the ulinastatin group than in the control group [95.71% (67/70) vs. 84.29% (59/70)], with a statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusion Ulinastatin in the treatment of AECOPD can improve the effect, because it reduces the patients’ inflammatory reaction and oxidative stress, and improve their blood gas and lung function. Key words: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Ulinastatin; Mechanism