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Objective To investigate the effect of bronchodilators on the hospitalization time and inflammatory factors in children patients with pneumonia. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted on 204 children patients under 5 years old with pneumonia treated in the hospital from May 2017 to May 2018 by adopting the continuous sampling method. According to the treatment methods, the patients were divided into the control group (n =42, adopting the routine treatment only), treatment group A (n=62, inhalation treatment of 0.9% NaCl solution),treatment group B [n=48, inhalation treatment of bronchodilator (beta-receptor agonist———formoterol) + 0.9% NaCl solution],and treatment group C (n=52, inhalation treatment of bronchodilator (beta-receptor agonist———formoterol) combined with anticholinergic + 0.9% NaCl solution). Meanwhile,the grouping was conducted according to the treatment time: the long term treatment group(n=112, treatment time >5 d) and the short term treatment group(n=92, treatment time ≤ 5 d). Then the levels of blood related inflammatory factors including interleukin-6(IL- 6),IL-8,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), hypersensitive c-reactive protein(hs-CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) were monitored in each group, and the changes in tidal volume(V-T) were also monitored. Results Compared with the control group, each treatment group had shorter hospitalization stay, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.01).In addition, compared with the control group and treatment group A, the levels of related inflammatory cytokines (IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α levels,hs-CRP and PCT) after treatment in the long term treatment children patients of the treatment group B and C had higher decrease degree,moreover compared with the treatment group B, the decrease degree of related inflammatory cytokines levels in the long term treatment children patients of the group C was higher, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Meanwhile, V-T after treatment in the long term treatment children patients of the group B and C was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P <0.05). Conclusion Adopting the bronchodilator(β-receptor agonist———formoterol) can significantly shorten the length of hospitalization stay, reduce the level of blood inflammatory cytokines,and increase the V-T level in children patients with pneumonia. Moreover the bronchodilators combined with anticholinergic agents has better effect for reducing the inflammatory factors in children patients than using bronchodilators alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinical characteristics and the therapeutic responses in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subgroups, classified by diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (D(L)CO) and inspiratary capacity (IC)., Methods: A total of 105 mild-severe patients (70 males, 35 females, 44 to 85 years of age), with stable COPD were recruited in Cangzhou Central Hospital from June 2012 to June 2014. According to baseline D(L)CO and IC, the patients were divided into normal D(L)CO/IC group (group A, n=10), low D(L)CO/normal IC group (group B, n=18), normal D(L)CO/low IC group (group C, n=22) and low D(L)CO/IC group (group D, n=55). We compared the clinical characteristics, induced sputum cells and the therapeutic responses to 3-month treatment of budesonide/formoterol(320 µg/9 µg, inhale, bid)among the 4 groups., Results: Group D showed the highest CAT scores(27.6 ± 6.4). Group C showed a higher prevalence of patients with wheezing(81.8)% and the highest percentage of sputum eosinophils (7.6 ± 3.2)%. Group C showed the greatest FEV(1) increase(0.214 ± 0.053)L. Group D showed a greater FEV(1) increase than Group B [(0.137 ± 0.063) vs (0.092 ± 0.048)L]. Group C showed a greater FVC[(0.342 ± 0.073), (0.190 ± 0.081), (0.223 ± 0.094)L] increase and CAT[(4.4 ± 2.0), (2.3 ± 1.3), (3.9 ± 1.9)] decrease than Group B and Group D(P<0.05)., Conclusion: These findings suggest that COPD subgroups classified by D(L)CO and IC show several clinical characteristics and may be helpful to predict responses to treatment.

Objective: To explore the therapeutic efficacies of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) plus low-dose theophylline for moderate bronchial asthma., Methods: A total of 280 patients with moderate bronchial asthma at People's Hospital of Zhengzhou University between January 2011 and December 2011 were recruited and randomized into 2 groups: observation group with inhaled budesonide 400 µg/d plus aminophylline tablet (0.1 g, 3 times/day, oral administration and control group with inhaled budesonide 320 µg/day plus formoterol 9 µg/day. The course of treatment was around 6 months. The forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted (FEV1% predicted), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IgE of peripheral blood were compared before and after treatment., Results: Before and 6 months after treatment, the values of FEV1 % predicted, IL-4, IL-5 and IgE for the observed group were 68% ± 6% and 76% ± 6%, (14.5 ± 4.4) and (7.2 ± 2.6) ng/L, (27.4 ± 6.2) and (24.2 ± 5.9) ng/L, (771 ± 130) × 10(3) and(592 ± 104) × 10(3) U/L, respectively, while those for the control group were 66% ± 8% and 77% ± 6%, (13.7 ± 4.3) and (7.7 ± 4.0) ng/L, (26.9 ± 5.8) and (24.6 ± 4.8) ng/L, (752 ± 154) and (604 ± 122) × 10(3) U/L, respectively. There were significant improvements in both groups (all P < 0.05). No differences existed between two groups (all P > 0.05)., Conclusion: Compared with ICS plus inhaled long-acting β2-agonists (LABA), ICS plus low-dose theophylline shows similar efficacies in the improvement of lung function and the control of airway inflammation for asthmatics.

Aim: To investigate the mechanism of myocardial injury induced by Formoterol (FORM) in vitro and the protective effect of Budesonide (BUD) against such cardiac damage in rats., Methods: FORM was added in the media of isolated rat myocardial tissues in a concentration gradients of 0 μmol/L, 0.01 μmol/L, 0.05 μmol/L, 0.1 μmol/L, 0.5 μmol/L, 1 μmol/L, 5 μmol/L, respectively, or combined with BUD in a concentration of 10 μmol/L, for 72 hours in vitro. The cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) in supernatant were detected with ELISA method. The mRNA level of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) was detected with RT-PCR. Sarco(endo) plasmic reticulum Ca(2+);-ATPase (SERCA2) and GSK-3β protein expression were detected with Western blot., Results: (1) The values of cTnI and H-FABP were significantly higher in FORM groups, compared with the control group(P<0.05), and there was a difference between different FORM concentration gradients (P<0.05) except 1 μmol/L and 5 μmol/L groups. In FORM and BUD combined groups, the values of cTnI and H-FABP were significantly lower than FORM groups(P<0.05). (2) With the increase of FORM concentration, there were lower expression of SERCA2 (P<0.05) and higher expression of GSK-3β protein (P<0.05). But there was no significant statistic difference of GSK-3β mRNA between FORM treated groups (P>0.05)., Conclusion: (1) FORM can induce injury in rat's isolated myocardial tissues and the injury is concentration depended. BUD shows protective effect against FORM induced myocardial injury. (2) The mechanism of FORM induced myocardial injury may be associated with the lower expression of SERCA2, which is mediated by GSK-3β.

Objective: To compare the bronchodilating effect of RR-formoterol (RR-FMT) with that of racemic formoterol (rac-FMT) on human bronchus., Methods: Human bronchial spiral strips (2 - 4 mm internal diameter,15 mm length) were suspended in tissue baths under resting tension of 1.0 g. The changes of tension induced by RR-FMT and rac-FMT(10 pmol x L(-1) - 3.2 micromol x L(-1)) in a cumulative concentration manner were studied under resting tension conditions or precontraction with carbamylcholine (10 micromol x L(-1)) or histamine(100 micromol x L(-1)) in human bronchus., Result: The bronchodilating effect of RR-FMT was more potent than that of rac-FMT under resting condition(P<0.05). RR-FMT and rac-FMT reversed histamine or carbamylcholine-induced contraction, and the bronchodilating effect of RR-FMT was more potent than that of rac-FMT (P<0.05)., Conclusion: The bronchodilating effect of RR-FMT is more potent than that of rac-FMT in both the resting condition and carbamylcholine or histamine-induced contraction in human bronchus in vitro.

Aim and Methods: To investigate the mechanism of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induced permeability injury of rat pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (RPMVEC) monolayer, the effect of TNF on permeability of RPMVEC monolayer was examined with microfilter and the effect of TNF on RPMVEC F-actin was observed with immunocytochemistry. The interfering action of formoterol, anisodamine and cholera toxin on permeability and F-actin changes induced by TNF was also observed., Results: (1) TNF induced significant increase in permeability of RPMVEC monolayer 30, 60 and 90 minutes after treatment with TNF. (2) F-actin in RPMVEC depolymerized 90 minutes after treatment with TNF. Permeability and F-actin did not change significantly when formoterol, anisodamine or cholera toxin was added separately., Conclusion: TNF can induce permeability injury of RPMVEC monolayer, which is correlated with depolymerization of F-actin. Formoterol, anisodamine and cholera toxin can inhibit the permeability change induced by TNF which may due to their inhibition to the distribution change of F-actin.

Objective: To compare the intrinsic activity and the affinity of long-(formoterol and salmeterol) and short-acting (fenoterol and salbutamol) bronchodilators with isoproterenol in membranes of calf tracheal smooth muscle., Methods: Membranes were prepared after isolation of intact cells using a mixture of collagenase and pronase. Affinities were measured with radioligand binding. Intrinsic activities (IA) of agonists and effective concentrations of agonists used for half maximum stimulation of adenylate cyclase (AC) (EC50) were determined as stimulants of beta 2-adrenoceptor coupled AC activity using alpha-22P-ATP as substrate., Results: The results showed that IA estimated as fraction of the maximum effect by isoproterenol (1.00) were 1.00, 0.76, 0.81 and 0.83 for formoterol, salmeterol, fenoterol and salbutamol respectively. Affinities measured as dissociation constants (pKD) exhibited higher affinities for long-acting (formoterol: 8.02, salmeterol: 8.43) than for short-acting agonists (fenoterol: 5.84, salbutamol: 5.84). Relative effects of agonists (pEC50) were much higher for formoterol (9.10) and salmeterol (8.70) than for fenoterol (6.69) and salbutamol (6.78)., Conclusions: The results indicated that formoterol was characterized as a full agonist with a 20-fold higher affinity than isoproterenol whereas the other agonists acted as partial agonists. Significant amplifications of receptor signalling quantified as difference of values between pEC50 and pKD was found for the agonists in the tested receptor membranes. It is suggested that high IA, affinity and the signal amplification of formoterol might play a role in its long-acting effect.