ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate clinical efficacy of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the adjuvant treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of asthma-chronic obstructive pulmonary disease overlap (ACO). Methods One hundred and forty-six patients with acute exacerbation of ACO admitted to department of respiratory and critical care medicine of Henan provincial people′s hospital from March 2016 to August 2018 were divided into control group and observation group according to random number table, with 73 patients in each group. The control group was given clinical treatment such as bronchodilator, inhaled glucocorticoid and low- flow oxygen inhalation during hospitalization, and inhalation of budesonide/formoterol fumarate powder combined with tiotropium was continued after discharge. The treatment lasted for 4 weeks. The observation group was added with NAC 600 mg, twice daily, totally for 4 weeks on the basis of the control group. Baseline data and duration of hospital stay were collected. Before and after treatment, blood routine, c-reactive protein (CRP), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1% pred were recorded. Clinical efficacy and adverse drug reaction were compared between the two groups. Results The white blood cell count, eosinophil count, neutrophil count, CRP, FEV1/FVC and FEV1% pred of two groups were significantly ameliorative after treatment compared with those before treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The white blood cell count, eosinophil count, neutrophil count and CRP after treatment in observation group were significantly lower than those in control group: (7.40 ± 1.12)×109/L vs. (8.34 ± 1.56) ×109/L, (0.30 ± 0.15) ×109/L vs. (0.42 ± 0.18) ×109/L, (3.76 ± 1.49) ×109/L vs. (4.58 ± 1.72) × 109/L, (5.33 ± 1.65) mg/L vs. (5.95 ± 1.74) mg/L, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). There were no statistical differences in FEV1/FVC and FEV1%pred after treatment between observation group and control group (P > 0.05). The total effective rate after treatment in observation group was significantly higher than that in control group: 94.52% (69/73) vs. 82.19% (60/73), and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). During the treatment, duration of hospital stay in observation group was shorter than that in control group: (5.82 ± 2.29) d vs. (7.25 ± 3.05) d, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in observation group was compared with control group: 10.96% (8/73) vs.5.48% (4/73), and the difference was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusions NAC has a significant effect in adjuvant treatment of acute exacerbation of ACO, which can significantly inhibit the level of inflammation and shorten the length of hospital stay.
ABSTRACT
ATP (Adenosine triphosphate) is an important endogenous damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP). P2X7R is an ATP-gated cation channel. ATP-P2X7R plays a vital role in the pathophysiology of many diseases because P2X7R is distributed on various immune cells. ATP-P2X7R signal transduction pathway has been implicated to participate in the body's im-mune defense against pathogens. This paper reviews the recent progress regarding ATP-P2X7R and its effects on parasitic diseas-es.
ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of CD4+CD25+Tregs(Tregs)on the protective efficacy of glutha?tione?S?transferase(GST)against Schistosoma japonicum in mice. Methods Female BALB/c mice were divided randomly into five groups:a normal control group,an infected control group,an anti?CD25mAb group,a GST immunization group and a com?bination group with GST immunization and anti?CD25 mAb. The GST group and combination group were injected percutaneously with GST 50μg each mouse,the other two groups were injected with equal volume PBS. The immunization was performed for 3 times for two?week interval,and 2 weeks after the last immunization,each mouse was challenged with 40 S. japonicum cercaria. Two weeks post?infection,the combination group and anti?CD25 mAb group were injected intraperitoneally with 300μg anti?CD25 mAb each mouse. The mice were succumbed 2 weeks,3 weeks,4 weeks and 5 weeks post?infection respectively. The per?centages of CD4+CD25+Tregs in splenocytes of mice were measured with flow cytometer. The levels of IFN?γ,IL?2,IL?4,IL?5 and TGF?βin cell cultural supernatants were determined by sandwich?ELISA after stimulation with Con A. The liver sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Results The worm burden in the combination group(15.80 ± 2.74)was significantly lower than those of the infected control group(27.78 ± 3.15),anti?CD25 mAb group(21.50 ± 4.21),and GST group(20.84 ± 6.46). Compared to those of the infected control group,the percentages of CD4+CD25+Tregs were significantly higher in the GST group,while the percentages of CD4+CD25+Tregs were significantly lower post?anti?CD25 mAb?administration. Regardless of GST administration,the levels of IFN?γ,IL?2,IL?4 and IL?5 after anti?CD25 mAb were significantly higher than those of the in?fected control groups. There were no significant differences of egg granuloma and the level of TGF?βbetween each group. Con?clusion CD4+CD25+Tregs could be partially blocked by anti?CD25 mAb while Th1 and Th2 type immunization response could be enhanced,which plays a role in improving the protective efficacy of GST against of S. japonicum.