Aerosols in the Treatment of Asymptomatic Pneumocystis Pneumonia: A Pilot Study Assessing the Effectiveness of Aerosolized Pentamidine as Treatment of Subclinical Pneumocystis Infection in Patients With No Clinical Symptoms

October 26, 2021 updated by: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

To confirm the ability of pulmonary (lung) function testing (PFT) to detect Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) before the development of clinical symptoms and to determine if pentamidine (PEN), a drug used in treating PCP, can be given effectively as an aerosol (inhaled mist). Other goals include the measurement of the actual amount of PEN that reaches the lung, and to determine if close clinical observation is safer and as effective as drug therapy for the prevention of subsequent episodes of PCP.

Many AIDS patients develop PCP, but the effectiveness of early diagnosis and treatment of PCP is not known. The effectiveness of PEN may be improved if treatment is begun when the parasite burden (the number of organisms in the lung) is still small, and before respiratory symptoms appear. If PFT of HIV-infected patients is able to identify patients in the early stages of infection, outpatient treatment of these patients offers a possible alternative to the expense and toxicity of continuous preventive therapy of all high-risk patients.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Many AIDS patients develop PCP, but the effectiveness of early diagnosis and treatment of PCP is not known. The effectiveness of PEN may be improved if treatment is begun when the parasite burden (the number of organisms in the lung) is still small, and before respiratory symptoms appear. If PFT of HIV-infected patients is able to identify patients in the early stages of infection, outpatient treatment of these patients offers a possible alternative to the expense and toxicity of continuous preventive therapy of all high-risk patients.

Patients are treated with aerosolized PEN on an outpatient basis. The aerosol therapy is given by a respiratory therapist 5 times a week, for a total of 21 days of treatment. In addition, patients participate in two radioactive aerosol studies in which the patient inhales a radioactive gas while sitting with his/her back against a gamma camera. The resulting picture outlines the lungs. Then the gas is exhaled and the patient breathes an aerosol of PEN. This mist contains a single dose of PEN mixed with a small amount of radioactivity (99mTc-pertechnetate). The gamma camera determines where the particles deposit in the lungs. The radioactive exposure is equivalent to a typical x-ray of the ribs. Patients also undergo diagnostic bronchoscopy with lavage, and PFT. Blood is drawn to measure the blood level of PEN. Patients are followed (clinical exams and PFT's) for 6 months after the end of therapy. Prophylaxis for PCP is allowed during the 6-month follow-up.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • New York
      • Stony Brook, New York, United States, 11794
        • SUNY - Stony Brook

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

9 years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Treatment:

Allowed during aerosolization:

Metaproterenol or albuterol to treat bronchospasm.

Patients must have:

  • HIV infection confirmed by ELISA, HIV culture, or p24 antigenemia.
  • Suspected subclinical Pneumocystis carinii infection as detected by > 10 percent change in lung volumes and/or diffusing capacity indicative of progressive restrictive disease as detected by monthly screening pulmonary function tests (PFT's). Patients will be afebrile and have no respiratory signs or symptoms of clinical disease. Morphologic confirmation of pneumocysts will be determined by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) performed 24 hours after the initial aerosol inhalation. If the BAL is negative for pneumocysts, the patient will be withdrawn from this protocol and will be followed per the screening PFT protocol at Stony Brook.
  • Diagnostic bronchoscopy and BAL must be performed within 2 weeks of detection of > 10 percent change in PFTs.
  • Ability and willingness to sign informed consent.

Prior Medication:

Allowed:

  • Primary prophylaxis with agents active against Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), but no more than 5 patients may have received prior prophylaxis with aerosolized pentamidine.
  • Zidovudine.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following conditions or symptoms are excluded:

  • History of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).
  • Development of respiratory signs and/or symptoms in the interval between detection of pulmonary function test (PFT) abnormality and the time of initial aerosol deposition.
  • Dyspnea, cough, or bronchospasm that prevents cooperation with aerosol administration.
  • History of a major adverse reaction to pentamidine defined by absolute neutropenia, < 750 polymorphonuclear leukocytes plus bands; thrombocytopenia, < 40000 platelets; creatinine rise, > 3.0 mg/dl; liver function abnormalities, SGOT or SGPT > 5 x normal; hypoglycemia, < 50 mg/dl; rash, exfoliative or mucositis; cough, unremitting cough or bronchospasm uncontrolled by bronchodilator preventing > 50 percent of dose delivered for > 2 days.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

  • Zidovudine.

Patients unable to cooperate with aerosol administration are excluded.

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

- Another antiprotozoal regimen for this episode. Unable to complete therapy or follow-up for social reasons in the opinion of the investigator.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)

Investigators

  • Study Chair: Smaldone G

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Completion (Actual)

June 1, 1991

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 2, 1999

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 30, 2001

First Posted (Estimate)

August 31, 2001

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 2, 2021

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 26, 2021

Last Verified

October 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ACTG 048
  • 11022 (DAIDS ES Registry Number)

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on HIV Infections

Clinical Trials on Pentamidine isethionate

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in United Kingdom

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe