Erythrocyte-mediated delivery of dexamethasone in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Human erythrocytes from ten patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were loaded with increasing amounts of dexamethasone 21-phosphate and were re-infused into the original donors. Drug-loaded erythrocytes acted as circulating bioreactors, converting the non-diffusible dexamethasone 21-phosphate into the diffusible dexamethasone. Pharmacokinetic analyses on these patients showed that a single administration of drug-loaded erythrocytes was able to maintain detectable dexamethasone concentrations in blood for up to seven days. This continuous release of dexamethasone was paralleled by the suspension of beta2-agonist and oral corticosteroid treatments by all of the patients. Thus dexamethasone 21-phosphate-loaded erythrocytes are safe carriers for corticosteroid analogues and are a useful alternative to frequent oral or inhaled drugs in elderly patients with COPD.
Istituto di Chimica Biologica G. Fornaini, Università degli Studi di Urbino, Via Saffi 2, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy.
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Rossi
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Serafini
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Cenerini
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Picardi
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Bigi
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Panzani
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Magnani
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004337:Drug Carriers; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006801:Humans; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004337:Drug Carriers; C004180:dexamethasone 21-phosphate; D003907:Dexamethasone