patients with CF who had chronic Pseudomonas bronchitis. Subjects older than 11 years. N=16
Interventions
placebo (n=7) or pentoxifylline (1600 mg/day) (n=9) orally for 6 months
Outcome measures
Pulmonary function and sputum elastase concentrations were determined before therapy and bimonthly during therapy; compliance was determined by measuring serum drug concentrations.
Main results
Of the 16 patients who completed the study, 9 received pentoxifylline. The sputum elastase concentrations among placebo recipients were significantly increased from baseline at 4 and 6 months (F = 3.44; p < 0.05); the values remained unchanged in the treatment group. The mean forced vital capacity for the placebo group decreased from 59.2% +/- 15.4% predicted at baseline to 52.0% +/- 12.9% predicted at 6 months; the values in the treatment group remained largely unchanged. The forced vital capacity improved between baseline and 6 months for four of nine pentoxifylline recipients and none of the seven control patients (p = 0.09). During the study, four of seven placebo recipients experienced a significant pulmonary exacerbation compared with one of nine treated patients (p = 0.077)
Authors' conclusions
These findings support the hypothesis that polymorphonuclear neutrophil elastase is a factor in the evolution of CF lung disease; further studies are needed to define the role of pentoxifylline in the treatment of CF.