To study the effects and safety of different doses of glucocorticoid combined with terbutaline inhalation in treatment of patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).

128 patients with AECOPD were selected. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Sixty four patients in the group A were treated with low dose budesonide (2 mg/d) combined with terbutaline inhalation, and the 64 patients in the group B were treated with high dose budesonide (2 mg/d) combined with terbutaline inhalation. The forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC) and FEV1/FVC, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO₂) and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) of two groups were observed before and after treatment, and the clinical symptoms and signs remission time, treatment effect and adverse reaction rate of two groups were statistically analyzed.

After treatment, the FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PaO₂ and effective rate in group B were significantly higher than those in group A, and the difference were statistically significant (t=3.141, 2.513, 4.128, 5.018, 5.780, 4.026, 4.187, 5.831, 7.340, 7.011, P<0.05). The PaCO₂, symptoms and signs remission time of group B were significantly lower than those of group A, and the difference were statistically significant (t=2.435, 2.052, 2.196, 2.337, 2.418, P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (χ²=0.061, P>0.05).

High dose glucocorticoid combined with terbutaline in the treatment of AECOPD can improve the pulmonary function and arterial blood gas, shorten the remission time of symptoms and symptoms, improve the clinical efficacy, and does not increase the incidence of adverse reactions.