INHALED VS. IV PENTAMIDINE FOR PNEUMOCYSTIS PNEUMONIA.

Inhaled pentamidine has been used to treat some AIDS patients with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) to avoid the toxicity of intravenous therapy, with varying success. These two randomized trials compare the efficacy of inhaled and IV pentamidine.

Soo Hoo and colleagues studied 21 patients with PCP, all of whom had an arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) above 50 mm Hg. All 10 patients randomized to receive IV pentamidine had satisfactory short-term responses. In contrast, five of 11 patients receiving inhaled pentamidine failed to respond, as indicated by a falling PaO2, progressive radiographic findings, persistent fever, and other parameters. Initial severity of illness predicted a poor response to inhaled pentamidine.

The second randomized…