Adjunctive Corticosteroid Therapy Decreases Lung Permeability in Patients with AIDS-Related Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia. Issue 1 (3rd March 1995)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Guillemi, Silvia; Belzberg, Allan; Lawson, Lindsay M; Schechter, Martin T; Montaner, Julio SG
• Is Part Of: Canadian respiratory journal. Volume 2:Issue 1(1995)
• Page Start: 55
• Page End: 58
• Publication Date: 1995-03-03
• Subjects: AIDS -- Corticosteroids -- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia -- Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan; Respiratory organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Respiration -- Canada -- Periodicals; Respiration; Respiratory organs -- Diseases; Canada; Respiratory Tract Diseases -- Periodicals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 616.2
• DOI: 10.1155/1995/806746
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1198-2241

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy on lung permeability as measured by Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan in patients with AIDS-related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). METHODS: Sixteen patients with microbiologically proven AIDS-related PCP were prospectively studied using sequential Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan. All patients received slant.lard antimicrobial treatment. Six patients received adjunctive oral corticosteroids in addition to the usual antimicrobial therapy. Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan was performed al baseline and during the second week of therapy. All scans were read by a blinded single observer using a standardized protocol. RESULTS: Baseline Tc-DTPA lung clearance halftime (T1/2) was 12±2 and 9±1 mins in the noncorticosteroid and corticosteroid treated groups, respectively. During the second week of therapy, Tc-DTPA T1/2 lung clearance was 17±8 and 24±9 mins for the noncorticosteroid and corticosteroid treated groups, respectively. The change in Tc-DTPA lung clearance between baseline and week 2 was significantly greater (P<0.02) in the corticosteroid treated patients. CONCLUSION: Data suggest that the use of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy decreases lung permeability, as measured by Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan, in patients with AIDS-related PCP.