Effects of almitrine on the regional distribution of ventilation and perfusion in chronic bronchitis
Nunn, P.P.; Myers, M.J.; Wang, Y.T.; Lavender, J.P.; Hughes, J.M.
Bulletin Europeen de Physiopathologie Respiratoire 20(1): 37-42
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0395-3890 PMID: 6704563 Document Number: 227530
A double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study of the effects on regional lung function of oral almitrine bismesylate at a dose of 3 mg .cntdot. kg-1, was carried out in 6 patients with severe chronic airflow obstruction. O2 saturation (SaO2) was measured by ear-lobe oximetry and ventilation (.ovrhdot.VE) by inductance plethysmography. Radionuclide ventilation images of the lungs were obtained using 81mKr by inhalation and perfusion images using both 81mKr by i.v. infusion and 99mTc human serum albumin macro-aggregates. Images of ventilation, blood flow [.ovrhdot.Q] and .ovrhdot.VA/.ovrhdot.Q ratios were analyzed in several ways to see if distributional changes explained the improvement in O2 saturation. SaO2 improved by 6% and .ovrhdot.VE was 19% greater after almitrine than after placebo. There was no significant change in the distribution of ventilation, perfusion or .ovrhdot.VA/.ovrhdot.Q between any of 10 horizontal slices through the left lung. The average position of ventilation distribution was shifted towards the top of the lung compared to placebo (P < 0.05). No significant changes in distribution of perfusion were observed. Almitrine is not associated with any change in the inter-regional distribution of perfusion, but may have a slight effect on the distribution of ventilation.