ObjectiveTo investigate the fatigue of asthma patients, and to analyze its influencing factors, and provide a reference for clinical intervention.MethodsThe convenience sampling method was adopted to select asthma patients who were in clinic of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from November 2018 to March 2019. The patients’ lung function were measured. And questionnaires were conducted, including general data questionnaire, Chinese version of Checklist Individual Strength-Fatigue, Asthma Control Test, Chinese version of Self-rating Depression Scale. Relevant data were collected for multiple stepwise linear regression analysis.ResultsFinally, 120 patients were enrolled. The results of multiple stepwise linear regression analysis showed that age, education level, place of residence, time period of frequent asthma symptoms, degree of small airway obstruction, Asthma Control Test score and degree of depression were the influencing factors of fatigue in asthma patients (P≤0.05). Multivariate linear stepwise regression analysis showed that degree of small airway obstruction, degree of depression and time period of frequent asthma symptoms were the main influencing factors of fatigue in asthma patients, which could explain 51.8% of the variance of fatigue (ΔR2=0.518).ConclusionsThe incidence of fatigue in asthma patients is at a relatively high level. Medical staff should pay attention to the symptoms of fatigue in asthma patients. For asthma patients, it is recommended to strengthen standardized diagnosis and treatment, reduce the onset of symptoms at night and eliminate small airway obstruction. Psychological intervention methods are needed to improve patients’ depression, reduce fatigue symptoms, and improve quality of life.
ObjectiveTo explore the mediating effect of depression between fatigue and quality of life in patients with bronchial asthma, and to provide a clinical basis for alleviating fatigue and improving the quality of life in asthma patients.MethodsBronchial asthma patiens were recruited with convenience sampling method to conducta questionnaire survey in outpatients department of respiratory of a tertiary hospital in Guangxi from November 2018 to March 2019. The general data questionnaire, the Chinese version of Checklist Individual Strength-Fatigue, the Self-rating Depression Scale, the Questionnaire for Asthma Quality of Life in Adult, and the Asthma Control Test were used. We collected data to analyze the mediating effects of depression between fatigue and quality of life in patients with bronchial asthma.ResultsFinally, 120 patients were included. There were statistically significant differences in quality of life among patients with different ages, education levels, residences, time of high incidence of symptoms, degrees of lung function impairment, asthma control conditions, and degrees of depression, and between patients with fatigue and the ones without fatigue (P<0.05). The quality of life score was negatively correlated with depression score and fatigue score (r=?0.749, ?0.770; P<0.001). The depression score was positively correlated with fatigue score (r=0.769, P<0.001). The fatigue score had a negative predictive effect on quality of life score [standardized partial regression coefficient (β’)=?0.587, P<0.001], and a positive predictive effect on depression scores (β’=0.657, P<0.001). After adding depression score, the effect of fatigue score on quality of life score decreased and the β’ changed from ?0.587 to ?0.319, suggesting that depression played a partial mediating role in the relationship between fatigue and quality of life. Mediation tests showed significant mediation effects.ConclusionsRelieving or eliminating fatigue can improve the quality of life in asthma patients directly. At the same time, it can indirectly improve the quality of life in asthma patients through relieving depression.
Objective To investigate the changes of small airway function and diffusing capacity in patients with mild asthma before and after bronchial provocation test (BPT).Methods BPT was performed in suspected asthma patients with chief complaints of paroxysmal wheeze,chest tightness and cough,but with normal chest X-ray and baseline pulmonary function.BPT positive group was regarded as asthma group,while BPT negative group as control group.Lung volume,ventilatory function and diffusing capacity were measured before and after BPT and compared between the asthma and control groups.Results (A)No statistical differences were found in FEV1%,FEV1/FVC,FVC%,VC%,TLC%,FRC%,RV%,RV/TLC between the asthma and control groups before BPT.FEV1/FVC and FVC% were significantly decreased (all Plt;0.01),while FRC% (Plt;0.05),RV% (Plt;0.01) and RV/TLC (Plt;0.01) increased significantly in the asthma group after BPT compared with the control group.The decline rate of FEV1/FVC and FVC% and the increase rate of TLC%,RV%,RV/TLC were significantly higher in the asthma group than those in the control group (all Plt;0.01).(B)Compared with the control group,FEF25%-75% (Plt;0.05),Vmax75% (Plt;0.01) and Vmax50% (Plt;0.05) were significantly lowered before BPT,while the above parameters and Vmax25% were significantly decreased after BPT in the asthma group (all Plt;0.01).The decline rate of FEF25%-75%,Vmax75%,Vmax50% and Vmax25% was significantly higher in the asthma group than those in the control group (all Plt;0.01).(C)There was no statistical difference in DLCO in both groups before and after BPT.Conclusions Patients with mild asthma had small airways impairment before BCT which further declined after BPT.However,no impairment of diffusion capacity was found before or after BPT.
ObjectiveTo analyze misdiagnosis of other lung diseases as asthma to avoid medical error. MethodsSixty-nine cases who were misdiagnosed as asthma between February 2012 and February 2014 were recruited. Clinical data was collected and analyzed including characteristics of symptoms, induced sputum, pulmonary function and blood tests. ResultsThere were 13 diseases misdiagnosed as asthma, and eosinophilic bronchitis(21.74%), upper airway cough syndrome(20.29%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(13.04%), allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis(7.25%) and hyperventilation syndrome (7.25%) were the top five diseases in these cases. Some rare diseases were also found such as idiopathic hypereosinophilic syndrome and vocal cord dysfunction. ConclusionsA variety of diseases have the similar clinical symptoms with asthma. The key to avoid and reduce misdiagnosis is to strengthen the understanding of asthma and similar diseases.
Objection To investigate the changes of insulin and insulin receptor in asthma patients.Methods Forty asthma patients were allocated into two groups:20 newly diagnosed treatment–naiuml;ve mild-moderate asthma patients,20 mild-moderate persistent asthma patients treated with inhaled corticosteroid. 20 healthy volunteers were enrolled as normal control.Blood samples were obtained from 40 asthma patients and 20 healthy volunteers.Total and differential leukocyte counts,blood glucose concentration and serum insulin concentration were measured.The level of lymphocyte insulin receptor in peripheral blood were assayed by flow cytomertry.Pulmonary function were performed at the same time.Results The numbers of eosinophil in the two asthma groups were significantly higher than those in the normal control group [(4.04±2.57)% and (4.24±2.34)% vs (0.90±1.38)%,Plt;0.05),the levels of insulin and insulin receptor in the treatment-naiuml;ve group were significantly higher than those in the control group [insulin:(13.00±5.20)mIU/L vs (10.08±3.79)mIU/L,Plt;0.05;insulin receptor:(2.59±3.11)% vs (0.99±0.62)%,Plt;0.05).Conclusion Insulin secretion and insulin receptor expression in asthma patients are increased in the presence of inflammation.
Objective To investigate the association between polymorphism of S2 locus allele in ADAM33 gene and bronchial asthma in Xinjiang Uygur population.Methods PCR-RFLP was used to determine polymorphismof S2 locus allele in ADAM33 gene in 131 Uygur patients with bronchial asthma ( asthma group) and 90 Uygur healthy individuals ( control group) .Results The comparison of three genotypes and allele frequency of the S2 in the ADAM33 gene had statistical significance in the asthma group and the control group ( X2 =6. 065, P lt;0. 05;X2=5. 255, P lt;0. 025) . The G allele of S2 site increased the risk of asthma( OR =1. 616, P lt;0. 05) . The CG genotype also increased the risk of asthma ( OR= 1. 351,P lt;0. 05) . The FEV1% pred and FVC% pred had significant difference between three genotypes of the S2 site in the ADAM33 gene in the asthma group ( F = 6. 248, P lt; 0. 01; F = 7. 067, P lt; 0. 01) .Conclusion The polymorphism of the S2 site in the ADAM33 gene has significant correlation with asthma in Xinjiang Uygur population, and can increase risk of asthma in the Uygur population.
Objective To explore the clinical features and diagnostic procedure of atypical asthma characteristic of chest pain.Methods The patients with unexplained chest pain were screened by lung function test and bronchial provocation test.The diagnosis of asthma was established by therapeutic test and exclusive procedure.The clinical manifestations were analyzed.Results In 56 cases of unexplained chest pain 20 cases were diagnosed as asthma.While all patients referred to clinic with chest pain as chief complaint,a majority of patients (11 cases,85%) showed obscure chest tightness,breath shortness and cough..Some cases reported the same trigger factors as asthma.Chest pain was relieved in all cases after regular antiasthma treatments.Conclusions Chest pain could be a specific presentation of asthma which may be misdiagnosed as other diseases.Bronchial provocation tests and antiasthma therapy should be considered to screen and diagnose this atypical asthma.
Objective To investigate the effects of a mixed bacterial lysate (OM-85 BV) on lung function and serum IgE in asthmatic mice under acute attack, and to explore the therapeutic effect of OM-85 BV on acute attack and the application value of OM-85 BV in non-acute attack. Methods A total of 30 SPF Kunming mice aged 4 to 6 weeks were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely a blank control group (Group A), an asthma model group (Group B), and an OM-85 BV intervention group (Group C). The mice in groups B and C were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin on day 1, 8 and 15, respectively. From day 22, the asthma model was stimulated by inhalation of 5% ovalbumin every day for 30 min for 5 consecutive days. The mice in group C were treated with OM-85 BV dissolved in normal saline from day 1, and each mouse was gavaged continuously for 10 days. The intraperitoneal injection, intragastric administration and aerosol inhalation reagent of mice in group A were all replaced by normal saline, while the intragastric administration of mice in group B was replaced by normal saline. One hour after the last stimulation, the mice were anesthetized, their lung function was measured, blood was collected from the eyeballs and then they were sacrificed, and the blood was centrifuged and the serum was separated and stored. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used for pathological examination. Serum IgE was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Compared with group A, forced vital capacity in 0.15 second (FEV0.15), FEV0.15/forced vital capacity (FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF) of mice in group B were significantly decreased. The lung function of group C was improved compared with group B. In group B, the pathological manifestations were dysplasia and collapse of bronchial epithelium, infiltration of inflammatory cells, mainly lymphocytes and eosinophils, a small amount of mucus and shed epithelial cells in the tracheal lumen, and significant thickening of airway wall. The asthma mouse model was well established. The pathological manifestations of airway in group C were less severe than those in group B, the thickness of airway wall was reduced, and the inflammatory cells were also significantly reduced. The serum IgE concentration in groups B and C increased, and the IgE level in group C decreased significantly compared with group B. The differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusions Exogenous administration of OM-85 BV in asthmatic mice can effectively reduce the concentration of serum IgE, alleviate airway inflammation, reduce eosinophil infiltration, and improve the pulmonary function performance of asthmatic mice during acute attack, showing that FEV0.15/FVC, FEV0.15 and PEF indicators are significantly improved. OM-85 BV can alleviate the symptoms of bronchial asthma in the acute attack of mice, improve the physiological function of the lung during the acute attack, inhibit airway inflammation, and have certain application value in the stable asthma control.
Chronic airway diseases constitute the majority of mortality of respiratory diseases in China. The 2017 Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease has proposed a novel scheme for classification of disease severity. The mainstream for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management has shifted to the combination of long acting β2 agonists (LABA) and long acting muscarinic cholinergic antagonists instead of inhaled corticosteroid and LABA. Tiotropium was effective in early COPD with little or even without symptoms. The manangement strategy on COPD may be moving to the upper stream (early intervention). Greater interest has been focusing on clinical phenotyping and inflammatory pathways in asthma. The greater understanding of the pathogenesis of asthma has been associated with the clinical trial progress which suggests that multiple medications targeting at Th2 pathways may provide benefits for implementing personalized therapy. Medications targeting at neutrophilic airway inflammation and blockade of KIT pathways are expected to provide novel rationales for managing asthma with different phenotypes. There has been a considerable progress in bronchiectasis research in China, particularly in terms of etiology, bacteriology and clinical phenotying investigations. The establishment of bronchiectasis research centers in China may help better understanding of the pathogenesis of bronchiectasis, thus identifying potential targets for intervention, which may provide crucial rationale for future intervention to improve the long-term prognosis.
ObjectiveTo survey the current asthma impact on quality of life and related factors in China. MethodsTwo thousand and thirty-four asthmatic patients, from bronchial asthma prevalence epidemiology survey in the population over 14 years old in 8 areas of China from 2009 to 2013, were enrolled. The data about medical resource use, control status and quality of life were collected by detailed questionnaire and analysed using the Epidata database and SAS 9.2 software. ResultsOut of the 2034 asthma patients, 1213 patients (59.6%) reported that their activities including entertainment, learning, fertility and employment were limited due to asthma. In the four aspects of entertainment, education, family and employment, 688 patients (33.8%) had one limited activity in one aspect, 165 patients (8.19%) had most of activities limited in one aspect, 246 patients (12.1%) had limited activities in two or three aspects, 114 patients (5.6%) had limited activities in all aspects. One hundred and eighty-one patients (8.9%) needed help in daily life, such as cooking, shopping, doing housework. Seventy-one patients (3.5%) even needed help in eating, personal hygiene, toilet, and their daily activities were remarkably restricted. Eighty-one patients (4.0%) had motive of suicide. Aging, comorbidity, and medication use were the most important factors. ConclusionAsthma has a significant negative effects on the life and emotion of patients, and proper control of comorbidity and regular treatment of asthma are effective ways to improve the life and emotional state of patients with asthma.