PMID: 9541420Apr 16, 1998Paper

Itraconazole for the treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis in heart transplant recipients

Clinical Transplantation
J N NanasS D Moulopoulos

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of itraconazole as a first choice drug in the treatment of pulmonary aspergillosis in heart transplant recipients. Heart transplant recipients suffering from invasive pulmonary aspergillosis were included in this study. Group 1 included 4 patients treated with i.v. itraconazole (Janssen Pharmaceutica) 400 mg daily, as a first choice drug for 28 d. Itraconazole was discontinued and amphotericin-B was started before the 28th day if clinical or radiographic worsening was observed. Group 2 included 3 patients treated with amphotericin-B as a first choice drug. Itraconazole was discontinued in all patients of Group 1 after 12-26 d of treatment because of radiographic worsening (n = 3) or combined clinical and radiographic worsening (n = 1). Subsequent treatment with amphotericin-B resulted in improvement of all patients. On a 5-yr follow-up period no relapse of aspergillosis was observed in 3 of them. The fourth patient expired from cerebral hemorrhage. The 3 patients of Group 2 treated with amphotericin-B showed a gradual improvement, and all were doing well on a 2-yr follow-up. In conclusion, in our study population consisted of heart transplant recipients amphotericin-B was ...Continue Reading

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antifungals

An antifungal, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, and others. Discover the latest research on antifungals here.

Aspergillosis

Aspergillosis is the name given to a wide variety of diseases caused by infection by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Aspergillosis occurs in chronic or acute forms which are clinically very distinct. Most cases of acute aspergillosis occur in patients with severely compromised immune systems. Chronic colonization or infection can cause complications in people with underlying respiratory illnesses. Discover the latest research on aspergillosis here.

Aspergillosis (ASM)

Aspergillosis is the name given to a wide variety of diseases caused by infection by fungi of the genus Aspergillus. Aspergillosis occurs in chronic or acute forms which are clinically very distinct. Most cases of acute aspergillosis occur in patients with severely compromised immune systems. Chronic colonization or infection can cause complications in people with underlying respiratory illnesses. Discover the latest research on aspergillosis here.

Antifungals (ASM)

An antifungal, also known as an antimycotic medication, is a pharmaceutical fungicide or fungistatic used to treat and prevent mycosis such as athlete's foot, ringworm, candidiasis, cryptococcal meningitis, and others. Discover the latest research on antifungals here.