The American review of respiratory disease
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Am. Rev. Respir. Dis. · Apr 1991
Factors determining pulmonary deposition of aerosolized pentamidine in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Although aerosolized pentamidine (AP) has recently been approved for prophylaxis and is undergoing clinical trials for treatment of pneumocystis, pneumonia (PCP), factors important in the deposition of AP have not been described. Using radioaerosol techniques, deposition was measured in 22 patients receiving AP for prophylaxis or treatment of PCP. In all patients total and regional deposition of pentamidine, breathing pattern, pulmonary function (PFT), regional ventilation, and type of nebulizer were analyzed. ⋯ The major factor influencing pentamidine deposition was aerosol delivery (mg deposited versus mg inhaled; r = 0.963, p less than 0.0001; n = 26). The nebulizer was an important determinant of aerosol delivery, with the AeroTech delivering between 2.5 and 5 times more drug than the Respirgard. These observations are important in assessing treatment failure and cost of therapy.