Objective  To investigate the effect of bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) combined with respiratory stimulants in treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients complicated with pulmonary encephalopathy.

  Methods  A total of 84 COPD patients complicated with pulmonary encephalopathy were selected and randomly divided into control group and study group, with 42 cases in each group. Both groups were treated with routine symptomatic support therapy, while the control group was treated with BiPAP ventilator, and the study group was treated with respiratory stimulants on the basis of control group. The changes of arterial blood gas indexes and inflammation indexes before and after treatment, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), ventilation time, hospitalization time, tracheal intubation rate and mortality were compared between the two groups.

  Results  After treatment, the arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05), the arterial partial pressure of oxygen was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and the pH value showed no significant difference between two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, the levels of interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-8 and IL-6 in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment, the GCS score in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05), and ventilation time and hospitalization time were significantly shorter than those in the control group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the rate of tracheal intubation and mortality between the two groups (P>0.05).

  Conclusion  BiPAP combined with respiratory stimulants is effective in the treatment of COPD complicated with pulmonary encephalopathy, which can effectively correct arterial blood gas indexes and inflammation indexes, shorten ventilation time and promote rehabilitation.