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.
Rossi
L
L
Istituto di Chimica Biologica G. Fornaini, Università degli Studi di Urbino, Via Saffi 2, 61029 Urbino (PU), Italy.
Serafini
S
S
Cenerini
L
L
Picardi
F
F
Bigi
L
L
Panzani
I
I
Magnani
M
M
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