Therapeutic effects of ambroxol hydrochloride combined with glucocorticoids in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Objective To observe the effect of ambroxol hydrochloride combined with glucocorticoid in treatment of idiopathic pulmonary interstitial fibrosis(IPF). Methods A total of 100 patients with IPF were selected as subjects and divided into two groups according to the random number table method, with 50 cases in each group. Control group was treated with glucocorticoids, while observation group was treated with ambroxol hydrochloride combined with glucocorticoids. The clinical curative effect, lung function ［vital capacity(VC), forced vital capacity(FVC), forced expiratory volume(FEV), diffusion lung capacity for carbon monoxide(DLCO)］, levels of blood gas indicators such as arterial partial pressure of oxygen ［p_a(O₂)］, partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood ［p_a(CO₂)］, serum inflammatory factors ［interleukin-10(IL-10), interleukin-13(IL-13), transforming growth factor-β₁(TGF-β₁)］ and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results The total effectiverate of the observation group was 90.00%, which was significantly higher than 72.00% of the control group(P<0.05). After treatment, the VC, ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity(FEV/FVC)and DLCO in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.05). The p_a(O₂)in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group, and the p_a(CO₂)was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05). Levels of serum IL-10, IL-13 and TGF-β₁ in the observation group after treatment were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05). The incidence of adverse reactions in the observation group was 8.00%, which was significantly lower - than 24.00% in the control group(P<0.05). Conclusion Ambroxol hydrochloride combined with glucocorticoids is effective in the treatment of IPF, which can improve respiratory function and reduce levels of inflammatory factors.