Ulinastatin plus biapenem for severe pneumonia in the elderly and its influence on pulmonary function and inflammatory cytokines

To estimate the efficacy of ulinastatin (UTI) plus biapenem (BIPM) in the treatment of severe pneumonia in the elderly and its influence on pulmonary function (PF) and inflammatory cytokines. Methods We included 97 elderly patients with severe pneumonia in the present study. Patients in control group (n=47) were given BIPM, and those in research group (n=50) were treated with BIPM plus UTI. The clinical efficacy, adverse reactions, arterial blood gas (ABG) indices, PF and inflammatory cytokines were recorded. Results Patients in the research group had earlier fever clearance, inflammation absorption and cough disappearance than those in control group, as well as better clinical efficacy. In addition, no significant differences were found in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups during treatment. Monitoring changes in ABG indices, PF, and inflammatory cytokines revealed increased levels of PaO2, pH, FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC after treatment, but levels of PaCO2, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and hs-CRP decreased compared to before treatment. Levels of indices that increased after treatment in the research group were higher than those in the control group, whereas the levels of other indices that decreased after treatment were lower. Conclusion The combination of UTI and BIPM shortens the time of symptom disappearance, enhances PF, and inhibits inflammation, achieving higher efficacy in the treatment of severe pneumonia in the elderly.