Plasma endothelin-1 and nitric oxide correlate with ligustrazine alleviation of pulmonary artery hypertension in patients of chronic cor pulmonale from high altitude plateau during acute exacerbation.

Objective: To explore the mechanisms involved in the ligustrazine alleviation of the pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) in patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) associated with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP) during exacerbation.

Methods: Seventy patients of COPD and CCP with acute exacerbation were randomly and equally divided into control group and treatment group. The control group received standard treatment with antibiotics, antiasthmatic and expectorant medications, and oxygenation; and the ligustrazine treatment group received ligustrazine treatment (80 mg/d; i.

[Relationship of high altitude de-adaptation with acute high altitude response and cardiac function].

Objective: To assess the relationship of high altitude de-adaptation response (HADAR) with acute high altitude response (AHAR) and cardiac function.

Methods: Ninety-six military personnel of rapid entering into high altitude (3 700 to 4 800 m) with strong physical work were analyzed, all subjects were male, aged 18 - 35 years. According to the symptomatic scores of AHAR were divided into 3 groups: sever AHAR (group A, 24), mild to moderate AHAR (group B, 47) and non-AHAR (group C, 25) at high altitude.

Expression levels of induced sputum IL-8 and IL-10 and drug intervention effects in patients with acute exacerbated COPD complicated with chronic cor pulmonale at high altitude.

The aim of this study was to assess the expression levels of induced sputum interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-10 levels in patients with acute exacerbated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) complicated with chronic cor pulmonale (CCP) at high altitude, and to evaluate the intervention effects of an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) and a β-adrenoceptor agonist in this disease. A total of 186 patients with AECOPD complicated with CCP were randomly divided into three groups, with 62 cases in each. With regard to the two treatment groups, group A was treated with salmeterol/fluticasone (50 μg/250 μg, respectively) by airway inhalation twice daily, while group B received budesonide (1 mg) as a spray inhalation, twice daily.

A randomly-controlled study on the cardiac function at the early stage of return to the plains after short-term exposure to high altitude.

High altitude acclimatization and adaptation mechanisms have been well clarified, however, high altitude de-adaptation mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we conducted a controlled study on cardiac functions in 96 healthy young male who rapidly entered the high altitude (3700 m) and returned to the plains (1500 m) after 50 days. Ninety eight healthy male who remained at low altitude were recruited as control group.

[Effect of oxidative stress in development of acute high altitude response during the process of strong physical work at high altitude].

Objective: To assess the effect of oxidative stress in development of acute high altitude response (AHAR) during the process of strong physical work at high altitude and its change after return to lower altitude.

Methods: Ninety-six officers and soldiers of rapid entering into high altitude (3 700 m) with strong physical work were analyzed, all subjects were male, aged 18-35 years. According to the symptomatic scores of AHAR were divided into 3 groups: severe AHAR (group A, n = 24), mild AHAR (group B, n = 47) and without AHAR (group C, n = 25).

[The role of hypoxia inducible factor-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor in hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in patients with acute high altitude reaction of rescue workers in Yushu earthquake].

Objective: To assess the effects of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on hypoxic pulmonary hypertension(HPH) in patients with acute high altitude reaction(AHAR) and its change after return to lower altitude.

Methods: Ninety-six officers and soldier participating in rescue of Yushu megaseism on April 14th in 2010, leaving low altitude area (1 500 m) rapidly to high altitude area(3 700 m) to undertake strenuous physical work were enrolled for study. All of them were male, aged 18-35 years, and they were divided into three groups according to the symptomatic scores of AHAR: without AHAR(group B, n=25), mild to moderate AHAR (group C, n=47 ) and severe AHAR (group D, n=24).

[Analysis of prognostic risk factors in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome in high altitude area].

Objective: To assess the prognostic risk factors in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale (AEHACCP) and obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) in high altitude area.

Methods: The relations between neck circumference (Nc), body mass index (BMI), arterial blood gases, polysomnography (PSG) parameters and prognosis from 66 patients with AEHACCP and OSAHS (31 survivors, 35 non-survivors) were studied by one variable analysis and multivariable Logistic regression analysis.

Results: The results of one variable analysis showed that in patients with AEHACCP and OSAHS, Nc> or =45 cm, BMI > or =28 kg/m(2) , arterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO(2))< or =40 mm Hg (1 mm Hg= 0.

[Change in serum basic fibroblast growth factor level and its relationship to pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic cor pulmonale on plateau].

Objective: To assess the role of serum basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in the development of hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in the patients with chronic cor pulmonale on highland (HACCP).

Methods: The levels of bFGF in serum of 38 patients with HACCP in the acute exacerbation stage, 30 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the remission stage and 30 normal control subjects were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay (ELISA). The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) was measured by echocardiography.

[Study on the clinical significance of plasma adrenomedullin and brain natriuretic polypeptide in the patients with chronic cor pulmonale on highland].

Objective: To study the clinical significance of plasma adrenomedullin (ADM) and brain natriuretic polypeptide (BNP) in the patients with chronic cor pulmonale on highland (HACCP).

Methods: The levels of ADM and BNP in plasma of 44 patients with HACCP in the acute and in the remission stages were determined with radioimmunoassay. Their correlations with partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO(2)), endothelin-1 (ET-1), and the ratio of right ventricular pre-ejection time to the pulmonary flow acceleration time (RVPEP/AT), which reflected the degree of pulmonary hypertension, were investigated.