[Initial experiences with pentamidine aerosol in prevention of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia following bone marrow transplantation].

After bone marrow transplantation there is a risk of 10% to acquire a pneumonia caused by pneumocystis carinii, if no prophylaxis is used. So far cotrimoxazol is the treatment of choice from day -14 before to day +180 after bone marrow transplantation. This substance, however, may cause allergic reactions, may augment the risk of nephrotoxicity of other drugs, and may be myelosuppressive. The prophylaxis with pentamidine-inhalation was used in 26 patients after bone marrow transplantation so far. It could be shown, that after salbutamol-inhalation 60 to 300 mg of pentamidine can be given safely in 14 to 28 days intervals. The main side effects were cough and dyspnea in some patients. Only minimal amounts of the drug could be detected in serum and urine after application. No toxic side effects and no pneumocystis carinii pneumonia were observed.