ObjectiveTo explore the effects of prednisone combined with valsartan on blood gas indexes, lung function and exercise tolerance in patients with acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF). MethodsA total of 84 AE-IPF patients admitted to our hospital from February 2017 to June 2019 were enrolled. They were randomly divided into control group and observation group, with 42 cases in each group. Patients in the control group additionally administrated prednisone based on the routine treatment, based on which the observation group administrated valsartan additionally, for a six-month treatment course. The blood gas indexes, lung function and exercise tolerance (a six-minute walking test) were compared between the two groups. ResultsAfter 6 months of treatment, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2), forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and diffusion capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO), and the distances of the six-minute walking test significantly increased, and the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the artery (PaCO2) significantly decreased. PaO2, FVC, FEV1, DLCO and the distances of the six-minute walking test in the observation group were larger or longer than those in the control group, and PaCO2 of the observation group was significantly lower than that of the control group, with statistically significant differences (P＜0.05). ConclusionPrednisone combined with valsartan can effectively improve blood gas indexes, promote the recovery of lung function and exercise tolerance in AE-IPF patients.

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