Effects of acetylcysteine on micro-inflammation and pulmonary ventilation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of the participants, n (%)

Variable	Treatment group (n = 50)	Control group (n = 50)	P value
Age (yr)	64.2 ± 8.7	63.8 ± 9.2	0.82
Sex (male/female)	32/18	31/19	0.88
Smoking history (pack-years)	28.4 ± 12.6	27.8 ± 13.2	0.79
BMI (kg/m2)	23.5 ± 3.2	23.7 ± 3.4	0.76
Comorbidities
Hypertension	18 (36.0)	16 (32.0)	0.67
Diabetes	12 (24.0)	14 (28.0)	0.59
Coronary heart disease	10 (20.0)	11 (22.0)	0.79
GOLD stage
II	18 (36.0)	17 (34.0)	0.83
III	22 (44.0)	23 (46.0)	0.85
IV	10 (20.0)	10 (20.0)	1.00
Anthonisen type
I	32 (64.0)	31 (62.0)	0.84
II	14 (28.0)	15 (30.0)	0.81
III	4 (8.0)	4 (8.0)	1.00
TCM syndrome score	18.6 ± 3.4	18.8 ± 3.6	0.78
Medication use
Bronchodilators	50 (100.0)	50 (100.0)	1.00
Corticosteroids	48 (96.0)	47 (94.0)	0.66
Antibiotics	46 (92.0)	45 (90.0)	0.72
Oxygen therapy	22 (44.0)	21 (42.0)	0.86

GOLD: Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease; TCM: Traditional Chinese medicine; BMI: Body mass index.

Table 2 The serum C-reactive protein level in the treatment and control groups

Group	CRP in serum (mg/L)			Mean difference (95%CI)	P value
	Baseline	End of treatment	Change
Treatment	32.6 ± 14.2	18.4 ± 9.6	-14.2 ± 8.4	(-12.6 to -4.2)	< 0.001
Control	31.8 ± 13.8	24.6 ± 11.2	-7.2 ± 7.6

CRP: C-reactive protein.

Table 3 The serum interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in the treatment and control groups

	IL-6 in serum (pg/mL)			TNF-α in serum (pg/mL)
Group	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change
Treatment	38.4 ± 16.2	20.8 ± 10.4	-17.6 ± 9.6	8.6 ± 3.2	6.4 ± 2.8	-2.2 ± 1.2
Control	37.6 ± 15.8	28.4 ± 12.8	-9.2 ± 8.8	8.4 ± 3.0	7.2 ± 2.6	-1.2 ± 0.8
Mean difference (95%CI)	-12.8 (-18.4 to -7.2)			-1.6 (-2.4 to -0.8)
P value	< 0.001			< 0.001

IL-6: Interleukin-6; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Table 4 The sputum C-reactive protein, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels in the treatment and control groups

	CRP in sputum (mg/L)			IL-6 in sputum (pg/mL)			TNF-α in sputum (pg/mL)
Group	Baseline	End of Treatment	Change	Baseline	End of Treatment	Change	Baseline	End of Treatment	Change
Treatment	42.8 ± 18.4	20.4 ± 12.0	-22.4 ± 13.2	46.2 ± 19.6	22.8 ± 14.4	-23.4 ± 11.2	12.6 ± 4.8	8.8 ± 3.6	-3.8 ± 2.4
Control	41.2 ± 17.6	32.8 ± 15.2	-8.4 ± 10.4	44.8 ± 18.4	36.8 ± 16.8	-8.0 ± 9.6	12.2 ± 4.6	10.4 ± 3.8	-1.8 ± 1.6
Mean difference (95%CI)	-16.2 (-22.8 to -9.6)			-18.6 (-26.2 to -11.0)			-2.2 (-3.2 to -1.2)
P value	< 0.001			< 0.001			< 0.001

CRP: C-reactive protein; IL-6: Interleukin-6; TNF-α: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Table 5 Lung ventilation function parameters in the treatment and control groups

	FEV1 (L)			FEV1 (% predicted)			FVC (L)			FVC (% predicted)			PEF (L)			PEF (% predicted)
Group	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change	Baseline	End of treatment	Change
Treatment	1.2 ± 0.4	1.6 ± 0.5	0.4 ± 0.2	38.4 ± 12.8	51.2 ± 16.0	12.8 ± 6.4	2.4 ± 0.8	3.2 ± 1.0	0.8 ± 0.4	72.4 ± 18.4	84.8 ± 22.4	12.4 ± 8.8	2.6 ± 1.0	3.8 ± 1.2	1.2 ± 0.6	58.4 ± 18.4	76.8 ± 22.4	18.4 ± 12.4
Control	1.2 ± 0.4	1.4 ± 0.4	0.2 ± 0.2	36.8 ± 12.4	44.8 ± 12.8	6.4 ± 4.8	2.4 ± 0.8	2.8 ± 0.8	0.4 ± 0.2	70.8 ± 18.0	78.4 ± 20.4	6.4 ± 4.8	2.4 ± 0.8	3.0 ± 0.8	0.6 ± 0.4	56.8 ± 16.4	68.0 ± 18.0	8.4 ± 8.0
Mean difference (95%CI)	0.2 (0.1 to 0.3)			6.4 (4.2 to 8.6)			0.4 (0.2 to 0.6)			6.0 (4.0 to 8.0)			0.6 (0.4 to 0.8)			10.0 (6.8 to 13.2)
P value	< 0.001			< 0.001			< 0.001			< 0.001			< 0.001			< 0.001

FEV1: Forced expiratory volume in one second; FVC: Forced vital capacity; PEF: Peak expiratory flow.