Clinical Analysis of Elderly Patients of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Acute Exacerbation

Objectives To explore the clinical characteristic and treatment of AECOPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Acute Exacerbation ) in elderly patients. Methods The clinical data of 52 cases of AECOPD in elderly patients (age60)admitted to our hospital during Sep. 2004 and Sep. 2005 were analyzed retrospectively.Results The reasons for hospitalization were 49 cases of increased cough, 47 case of worsened rabid breathing, 40 cases of increased sputum, 23 cases of yellowish sputum and 12 cases of fever. Among the 52 cases of AECOPD, there were 45 cases combined with 1 to 3 cases of other organ diseases.50cases patients were treated with antibiotics, most of which were combined antibiotics. The patients were administered according to the physicians' experience and the sputum culture and drug sensibility trials; 46 cases were given theophylline;38 cases were given glucocorticoid ;44 cases were given beta 2 receptor agonist and anticholinergic.Conclusions The change of anatomical physiology of respiratory system and the decline of resistance function of respiratory tract of elderly patient would easily cause repeated infection in respiratory tract. This may contribute to AECOPD. Apart from using anti-infective and theophylline treatment, thecombined use of glucocorticoid, beta 2 receptor agonist and anticholinergic, etc. according to the disease conditions should be adopted. Attention should be paid to the management of other organ diseases and the prevention and treatment of function failure.