ObjectiveTo observe the effects of acetylcysteine adjuvant therapy on pulmonary artery pressure(PASP), right ventricular ejection fractions(RVEF) and serum levels of C-reactive protein(CRP) and superoxide dismutase(SOD) in elderly patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) at stable stage, and investigate its clinical application value.

MethodsSixty-six elderly patients with stable COPD were divided randomly into the control group and observation group(33 cases in each group).The control group was treated with conventional therapy, and observation group was treated with conventional therapy combined with oral acetylcysteine for 2 months.The levels of PASP and RVEF were detected using echocardiography, and the serum levels of CRP and SOD were measured in two groups before and after 1 and 2 months of treatment.

ResultsAfetr treatment, the levels of PASP and CRP in two groups decreased compared with before treatment, and the differences of the decreasing degree of levels of PASP and CRP between two groups after 2 months of treatment were statistically significant(P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).Afetr treatment, the levels of SOD in two groups increased compared with before treatment, and the difference of the increasing degree of level of SOD between two groups was statistically significant(P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).The differences of the increasing degree of RVEF between and within two groups were not statistically significant(P>0.05).

ConclusionsThe combined use of acetylcysteine in the treatment of elderly patients with COPD at stable stage is beneficial to the control of pulmonary artery pressure by inhibiting inflammatory response and improving antioxidant capacity, which has clinical application value.