Objective:To search for therapeutic effect of lidocaine in the treatment of acute episode of chronic asthmatic bronchitis.Methods:The 58 cases of patients with acute episode of chronic asthmatic bronchitis admitted to this hospital from August

2004 to July

2007 were divided into group A and group B.Besides group A with lidocaine and group B as control with sodium chloride solution

there were no difference in the other therapeutic measures between group A and Group B.Oxygen was used as the power of spray or aerosolizer

the flow volume of oxygen was 8-10L/min.Group A patients were given 5 milliliters of 2% lidocaine(100mg) by nebulized inhalation three times a day for three days

and Group B patients received 5 milliliters of 0.9% sodium chloride solution by nebulized inhalation three times a day for successive three days.The changes of heart rate

respiratory frequency

forced expiratory volume in one second(FEV1)

peak expiratory flow(PEF)

partial pressure of oxygen in artery(PaO2) and partial pressure of carbon dioxide in artery(PaCO2) were determined in the group A and B before and after the nebulized inhalation therapy.Results:The results of the heart rate

respiratory frequency

FEV1

PEF

PaO2 and PaCO2 before and after the treatment of the nebulized inhalation were showed as follows

improvement of heart rate and respiratory frequency was more significant in the group with the nebulized inhalation treatment of lidocaine than that in the group as control after 30 minutes

one day and three days of therapy(P<0.005).The predicted value percentages of FEV1 and PEF were higher in the group with the nebulized inhalation treatment of lidocaine than that in the group as control after 30 minutes

one day and three days of therapy(P<0.005).The increase of PaO2 and decrease of PaCO2 were more significantly in the group with the nebulized inhalation treatment of lidocaine than that in the group as control after one day and three days of therapy(P<0.05).Compared the adverse reaction of the lidocaine group to the group as control

the incidence of the adverse reaction in the lidocaine group was higher than that in the group as control(16.7% VS 3.6%

P<0.05).The adverse reaction included pharyngeal discomfort

nausea and so on

all of them existing in a transient time and symptoms mild

and no one duo to severe adverse reaction to stop therapy.Conclusion:The therapeutic effect in relieving symptom of asthma of lidocaine by the way of nebulized inhalation in the patients suffering from acute episode of chronic asthmatic bronchitis was identified in this study.This therapy of lidocaine nebulized inhalation was a effective therapeutic tool in the patients with chronic asthmatic bronchitis

especially in the patients who cannot be tolerant to β2 receptor agonist therapy.