Abstract: Objective To investigate the clinical effect of air compressor pump atomizing inhalation with pulmicort respules on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).Methods72 IPF patients were randomly divided into there groups with 24 cases in each group. The group A was treated with pulmicort respules suspension by air compressor pump atomizing inhalation, 1 mg each time, twice each day; the group B with pulmicort aerosol, 4 puffs each time, twice each day and the group C with prednisone, 1 mg/kg each day, reduce half of the dosage 4 week later. The clinical manifestation, pulmonary function testing, high-resolution CT of the chest, arterial blood gas analysis and side effects were observed before and 3 months after treatment.ResultsAfter treatment, the improvement rate of symptoms was 70.8% in group A, 25% in group B and 50% in group C, with a significant difference between group A and group B ( P<0.0125), but no difference between group A and group C ( P>0.0125). The improvement rate showed by lung CT was 66.7% in group A, 29.2% in group B and 45.8% in group C, with a significant difference between group A and group B ( P<0.0125), but no difference between group A and group C ( P>0.0125). PaO₂ improved but no significant difference compared with that before treatment ( P>0.05). The incidence rate of side effect was 8.3% in group A, 8.3% in group B and 58.3% in group C with a significant difference between group A and group C ( P<0.0125).ConclusionAir compressor pump atomizing inhalation with pulmicort respules is effective in the treatment of IPF and has few side effects.

Key words: idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, pulmicort respules, air compressor pump atomizing inhalation