[Effects of sheng mai injection on thoracoabdominal motion]

Diaphragmatic muscle fatigue (DMF) has long been recognized as causing and developing respiratory failure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Paradoxical motion of thoraco-abdomen is one of asynchronous breathing pattern, which is clinical sign of DMF. Thoracoabdominal motion curves were recorded with impedance respirograph (IRG). Indexes, alpha and M on IRG correlated well to the degrees of asynchronous breathing movement. 30 patients with COPD, their IRG showed paradoxical motion of thoraco-abdomen were divided randomly into two groups of 15 cases. Group A was treated intravenously with Sheng Mai injection at first and with glucose later. Among patients of group B, preceding Sheng Mai injection was glucose. IRG were recorded before and after treatment. Results showed that the IRG of 26 patients treated with Sheng Mai injection changed from paradoxical pattern to sychronous one. The difference of the indexes alpha and M before and after treatment of Sheng Mai injection was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Only one patient treated with glucose changed from paradoxical to sychronous pattern. The difference of the indexes between treated and non-treated with glucose was not statistically significant (P < 0.05). This study suggest that Sheng Mai injection has a positive inotropic effect on fatigued diaphragmatic muscle.