title: Actual pentamidine dose delivered by Respigard II nebulizer.
abstract: The Respigard II nebulizer system is the approved method to deliver pentamidine aerosols in the USA. Although continuous operation of the nebulizer until dryness is a designated regimen, the actual pentamidine dose delivered under the operating condition has not been thoroughly studied. Pentamidine solutions (300 mg in 6 mL water) were nebulized continuously with the Respigard II nebulizer system until dryness (40 min operation). Aerosols were delivered to the lower airways via an oropharyngeal model and sampled on a filter with a standard breathing mode of 20 breaths.min-1 frequency and 750 mL tidal volume. Intermediate samples were also obtained for the initial 20 min delivery. The pentamidine dose delivered to the mouth was 1.6% of the dose placed in the nebulizer. Of the dose delivered to the mouth, 92% was delivered during the initial 20 min period. Aerosol loss in the oropharyngeal model was 15% of the dose delivered to the mouth or 0.24% of the dose initially placed in the nebulizer. Pentamidine dose delivered to the lower airways was a very small fraction of the initial dose in the nebulizer. A partial delivery for the initial 20 min was nearly comparable to complete delivery.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Division, University of Miami School of Medicine, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wanner
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009330:Nebulizers and Vaporizers; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D010419:Pentamidine