Clinical Efficacy Observation of Acetylcysteine Combined with Tiotropium Bromide Inhalation for Acute Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common inflammatory airway disease. When acute exacerbations occur in patients, their pulmonary function (PF) and quality of life (QOL) will be adversely affected, with patient mortality closely related to the frequency and severity of the episodes. This study mainly focuses on the clinical efficacy of acetylcysteine (AC) combined with tiotropium bromide (TB) inhalation for acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). First, 110 patients with AECOPD admitted between February 2019 and February 2021 were selected, of whom 51 cases treated with TB inhalation alone were set as the control group (the Con), and the other 59 cases using the combination therapy (AC+TB inhalation) were set as the observation group (the Obs). Subsequently, inter-group comparisons were performed in terms of clinical efficacy, symptom scores (e.g., cough, expectoration, and dyspnea), PF (e.g., total lung volume [TLC], forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1], and peak expiratory flow [PEF]), inflammatory factors (IFs; e.g., high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP], interleukin-18 [IL-18], matrix metalloproteinase-2 [MMP-2]), and QOL (St. George’s Respiratory Questionnaire [SGRQ]). The Obs had higher overall treatment efficacy and lower symptom (e.g., cough, expectoration, and dyspnea) scores than the Con. Furthermore, the Obs exhibited statistically lower hs-CRP, IL-18, and MMP-2 levels and SGRQ scores and higher TLC, FEV1, and PEF than the Con after treatment. AC+TB inhalation is superior to TB inhalation alone in treating patients with AECOPD, thereby improving patients’ clinical symptoms, PF, and QOL, while inhibiting IFs, including hs-CRP, IL-18, and MMP-2.