Aerosolized pentamidine: Effect on diagnosis and presentation of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

Journal Article · Tue May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Annals of Internal Medicine; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-112-10-750· OSTI ID:6869972

Jules-Elysee, K M; Stover, D E; Zaman, M B; Bernard, E M; White, D A ^[1]

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1. Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY (USA)

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of previous aerosolized pentamidine therapy on diagnosis and presentation of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. This was a retrospective study of fifty-two consecutive patients with P. carinii pneumonia and underlying infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who had bronchoscopy. Twenty-one patients who were on aerosolized pentamidine therapy served as the study group. Thirty-one patients who had not received the drug served as the control group. The yield of bronchoalveolar lavage for P. carinii pneumonia was 62% for the study group and 100% for the control group (P less than 0.05). This lower yield was significant for the subset of patients having their first episode of P. carinii pneumonia. The yield of transbronchial biopsy was similar for both groups of patients (81% compared with 84%). The yield of bronchoscopy was not influenced by use of zidovudine. Review of lavage specimen slides suggested that there may be fewer organisms present in patients receiving aerosolized pentamidine. An atypical roentgenographic presentation of upper lobe predominant infiltrates was seen in 38% of the study patients and 7% of the control patients. In addition, pneumothoraces and cystic changes were also frequently seen in the study patients. Gallium scans, when done, were also atypical in the study group. Markers of the severity of disease, however, were similar in both groups. The yield of bronchoalveolar lavage for P. carinii pneumonia in HIV-infected patients is lower in patients receiving aerosolized pentamidine. Unusual roentgenographic presentations and atypical gallium scans are also found in this setting.

• OSTI ID: 6869972
• Journal Information: Annals of Internal Medicine; (USA), Journal Name: Annals of Internal Medicine; (USA) Vol. 112:10; ISSN 0003-4819; ISSN AIMEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
AEROSOLS
AIDS VIRUS
ANTI-INFECTIVE AGENTS
ANTIBIOTICS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BIOPSY
BODY
COLLOIDS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
DISPERSIONS
DRUGS
GALLIUM ISOTOPES
IMAGE PROCESSING
ISOTOPES
LAVAGE
LUNGS
MEDICINE
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PARASITES
PATIENTS
PNEUMONIA
PROCESSING
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOLOGY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM DISEASES
SOLS
VIRUSES