Effect of azithromycin in combination with simvastatin in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension

Objective: To evaluate the effect of azithromycin in combination with simvastatin in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Methods: Eighty-six patients who developed COPD and pulmonary arterial hypertension and received treatment from August 2013 to October 2014 were selected and randomly divided into an observation group and a control group using random number table, 43 in each group. Patients in the control group were orally administrated 20 mg of simvastatin, once a day. Patients in the observation group took 0.25g of azithromycin enteric-coated tablets, once a day, besides simvastatin. The treatment course of both groups was six months. Blood gas analysis indexes, forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), six minutes walking distance, dyspnea grade and blood lipid parameter were recorded and compared between the two groups.

Results: Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) of the observation group were (68.13±3.03) mmHg and (45.08±2.27) mmHg after treatment, respectively. In the control group, the values were (60.01±4.72) mmHg and (38.93±1.61) mmHg, respectively. The improvement amplitude of the observation group was superior to that of the control group (P<0.05). FEV1, forced vital capacity (FVC) and 6-minutes walking distance of the observation group were (1.08±0.11) L, (2.1±0.2) L and (380.34 ± 31.28) m respectively after treatment, superior to the control group ((0.93±0.09) L, (1.7±0.1) L) and (302.79±29.74) m, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The levels of peripheral systolic blood pressure (PSBP) and peripheral diastolic blood pressure (PDBP) of patients in the observation group were both lower than those of the control group, and the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Azithromycin in combination with simvastatin has definite effect in the treatment of COPD in combination with pulmonary arterial hypertension as it can significantly relieve ventilation disturbance, improve lung function, and decrease pulmonary arterial pressure. Hence it is worth clinical promotion.