title: Comparison of plasma concentrations of aerosolized pentamidine in nonventilated and ventilated patients with pneumocystosis.
abstract: Pentamidine concentrations were determined in plasma after a single aerosolization of 4 mg/kg pentamidine base on 18 patients breathing spontaneously (Group I) and in eight patients receiving mechanical ventilation (Group II). All the patients had documented pneumocystosis. Large interindividual variations in concentrations appeared, especially in Group I. Low concentrations were observed in Group I: Cmax = 65.6 +/- 9.4 micrograms/L (mean +/- SEM), contrasting with high levels in Group II: Cmax = 215.8 +/- 49.8 micrograms/L (mean +/- SEM). Consequently, the mean area under the curve from zero to 4 h was 2.6-fold higher in Group II than in Group I. These findings underline the risk of dose-related pentamidine toxicity in ventilated patients treated with aerosolized pentamidine and the interest of plasma pentamidine monitoring.
authors.affiliation: Service des Maladies Infectieuses, INSERM Unite 13, Hôpital Bichat-Claude Bernard, Paris, France.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clair
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Certain
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bidault
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matheron
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Regnier
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farinotti
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications; D000336:Aerosols; D006801:Humans; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D010419:Pentamidine