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Improvement of “irreversible” airway obstruction by thiazinamium (Multergan®)

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Abstract

Thiazinamium (Multergan®, 50 mg intramuscularly) improved lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1.0]; forced vital capacity [FVC]) within one hour after injection in 11 men (average age 66.4 years) with chronic cough, phlegm, and dyspnea, and with severe ventilatory function loss (average FEV1.0, 42.5% of predicted values; average FVC, 64.6%) due to prolonged exposure (≥28 years) to dust of soft hemp in industry. The increase of FEV1.0 and of FVC after thiazinamium was significantly greater than that observed after isoproterenol inhalation in the same subjects. The acute effect of thiazinamium, which lasted at least six hours, was maintained over a one-month period of daily injections. Oral administration of 200 mg thiazinamium had little effect on FEV1.0 and FVC. The results suggest that "irreversible" airway obstruction may be more amenable to drug treatment than is often thought.

Zusammenfassung

Thiazinamium (Multergan®, 50 mg i.m.) besserte die Lungenfunktion bei chronischer Bronchialobstruktion (Einsekunden-Kapazität; Vitalkapazität) innerhalb einer Stunde nach der Injektion bei 11 Probanden. Der Mittelwert des Alters war 66, 4 Jahre, die Symptome waren chronischer Husten, Auswurf und Dyspnoe sowie schwere Ventilationsstörungen mit einer exspiratorischen Einsekunden-Kapazität von im Mittel 42, 5% der Sollwerte und einer mittleren Vitalkapazität von im Mittel 64, 6% der Sollwerte, verursacht durch industriellen Hanfstaub. Die Besserung der exspiratorischen Einsekunden-Kapazität und der Vitalkapazität nach Thiazinamium war signifikant größer als diejenige nach Inhalation von Isoproterenol bei den gleichen Probanden. Die akute Wirkung von Thiazinamium, welche mindestens 6 Stunden andauerte, wurde für die Dauer eines Monats mit täglichen Injektionen aufrechterhalten. Orale Gabe von 200 mg Thiazinamium hatte nur geringen Effekt auf exspiratorische Sekunden-Kapazität und Vitalkapazität. Die Ergebnisse lassen annehmen, daß "irreversible" Bronchialobstruktionen einer Medikamentbehandlung eher zugänglich sind als oft vermutet wird.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale University Lung Research Center, New Haven, Connecticut, USA

    Arend Bouhuys & Juan Ortega

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  1. Arend Bouhuys
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  2. Juan Ortega
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Additional information

This research was supported by a grant from the Estate of the late Beulah Hinds. The Yale University Lung Research Center is supported by U. S. Public Health Service grant HE-14179 (SCOR Program), National Heart and Lung Institute, National Institutes of Health.

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Bouhuys, A., Ortega, J. Improvement of “irreversible” airway obstruction by thiazinamium (Multergan®). Pneumonologie 153, 185–195 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095884

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02095884

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