Primary prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia by inhalation of pentamidine. Preliminary results from a placebo-controlled randomized trial. Swiss Group for Clinical Studies on AIDS.
Patients with AIDS but without pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, patients with advanced AIDS-related complex (ARC), and asymptomatic patients with less than 200 CD4-positive lymphocytes/mm3 were randomized to one of two groups: group I: Inhalation of 300 mg of pentamidine every 28 days; group II: Inhalation of placebo (300 mg of Na isethionate) every 28 days. From May to November 28, 1989, 160 patients have entered the trial. Inhalations were well tolerated, with only a 6% use of bronchodilators and a 15% incidence of cough. Until now five patients died, none of them drug related. So far, six patients have developed pneumocystis carinii pneumonia; four of these were on pentamidine, and two on placebo. Five of the six cases occurred before the second inhalation. Recruitment will continue until 250 patients are enrolled.
Hirschel
B
B
Division of Infectious Diseases, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire, Geneva, Switzerland.
Chopard
P
P
Chave
J P
JP
Furrer
H J
HJ
Opravil
M
M
Hilti
P
P
Vernazza
P
P
Lazzarin
A
A
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
D010419:Pentamidine