Two cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia occurred in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients: supplemental treatment with aerosolised pentamidine isethionate.
Two cases of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia occurred in human immunodeficiency virus infected patients who were diagnosed by the aspiration-lung-biopsy. They were treated with 4 mg/kg of pentamidine isethionate intravenously administered followed by pentamidine aerosol inhalation. Although clinical and laboratory findings were improved by the fifth or seventh day of intravenous therapy, substantial leukocytopenia, from 3,000/cmm to 600/cmm and from 2,700/cmm to 1,000/cmm, occurred. At this point, the method of pentamidine administration was switched to inhalation. Pentamidine 600 mg in 30 ml distilled water was aerosolised using ultrasonic nebuliser and exposed for a 30-minute period once daily. In both cases, chest x-rays showed improvements: The disappearance of P. carinii were obtained in two weeks. Mild coughing was the sole adverse reaction encountered during the course of aerosol inhalation.
Goto
H
H
Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Oka
S
S
Mohri
H
H
Kimura
S
S
Mitamura
K
K
Shimada
K
K
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols; D000578:Amidines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000336:Aerosols; D000578:Amidines; D010419:Pentamidine