Irinotecan plus carboplatin versus oral etoposide plus carboplatin in extensive small-cell lung cancer: a randomized phase III trial.

Purpose: A Japanese randomized trial showed superior survival for patients with extensive-disease (ED) small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) receiving irinotecan plus cisplatin compared with etoposide plus cisplatin. The present trial evaluated the efficacy of irinotecan plus carboplatin (IC) compared with oral etoposide plus carboplatin (EC).

Patients And Methods: Patients with ED SCLC were randomly assigned to receive either IC, which consisted of carboplatin (area under the curve = 4; Chatelut formula) and irinotecan (175 mg/m2) intravenously both on day 1, or EC, which consisted of carboplatin as in IC and etoposide (120 mg/m(2)/d) orally on days 1 through 5.

Palliative chemotherapy beyond three courses conveys no survival or consistent quality-of-life benefits in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

This randomised multicentre trial was conducted to establish the optimal duration of palliative chemotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We compared a policy of three vs six courses of new-generation platinum-based combination chemotherapy with regard to effects on quality of life (QoL) and survival. Patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC and WHO performance status (PS) 0-2 were randomised to receive three (C3) or six (C6) courses of carboplatin (area under the curve (AUC) 4, Chatelut's formula, equivalent to Calvert's AUC 5) on day 1 and vinorelbine 25 mg m(-2) on days 1 and 8 of a 3-week cycle.

Cisplatin and etoposide regimen is superior to cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and vincristine regimen in small-cell lung cancer: results from a randomized phase III trial with 5 years' follow-up.

Purpose: To investigate whether chemotherapy with etoposide and cisplatin (EP) is superior to cyclophosphamide, epirubicin, and vincristine (CEV) in small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Patients And Methods: A total of 436 eligible patients were randomized to chemotherapy with EP (n = 218) or CEV (n = 218). Patients were stratified according to extent of disease (limited disease [LD], n = 214; extensive disease [ED], n = 222).

Multicenter phase II trial of paclitaxel, cisplatin, and etoposide with concurrent radiation for limited-stage small-cell lung cancer.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of adding paclitaxel to cisplatin/etoposide chemotherapy and concurrent thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) in treatment of limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LD-SCLC).

Patients And Methods: Patients received five courses of chemotherapy (paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 1-hour intravenous [IV] infusion day 1; cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) IV day 1; etoposide 100 mg/m2 IV day 1; oral etoposide 100 mg bid days 2 to 5) at 3-week intervals. TRT (42 Gy administered in 15 fractions) was administered concurrent with chemotherapy cycle 3.

Protection against cold air and exercise-induced bronchoconstriction while on regular treatment with Oxis.

This study aimed to compare the duration of protection against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) after inhalation of formoterol (Oxis) Turbuhaler with that of terbutaline Turbuhaler and placebo Turbuhaler in asthmatic patients treated regularly with formoterol Turbuhaler 9 microg b.i.d.

Efficacy and duration of salmeterol powder inhalation in protecting against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Background: The protective effect of a new long acting beta 2-agonist, salmeterol, against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction has been documented when given as inhaled aerosol.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to examine the duration of the protective effect of a single dose of salmeterol, 50 micrograms, inhaled as dry powder, against exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

Methods: Sixteen patients with reproducible exercise-induced bronchoconstriction were challenged on a treadmill on two prestudy visits and six study days.

Comparison of the acceptability of the Ventolin metered-dose inhaler and the Bricanyl Turbuhaler.

One hundred fifty-nine asthmatic patients aged 19 to 76 years completed an open crossover-designed study comparing the acceptability of the Bricanyl Turbuhaler (BTH) and the Ventolin metered-dose inhaler (VMDI). The doses given were presumed to be equiactive. Each treatment period lasted for 14 days.

[Oxygen conserving nasal catheters. Oxymizer pendant].

The Oxymizer pendant consists of a 40 ml pendulating reservoir bag which is connected to the prongs by two tubes. Both reservoir and tubes serve as oxygen reservoirs. We wanted to examine if it was possible to save oxygen by changing from the usual nasal cannula to Oxymizer pendant.

Comparison between Bricanyl Turbuhaler and Ventolin metered dose inhaler in the treatment of exercise-induced asthma in adults.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of Bricanyl Turbuhaler (0.5 mg x 1 terbutaline) with the effect of albuterol metered dose inhaler (0.1 mg x 2 albuterol) in patients with reproducible bronchoconstriction.

Bambuterol: a new long acting bronchodilating prodrug.

Bambuterol, a carbamate prodrug of terbutaline as a 5, 10, or 20-mg tablet, was given once every evening to patients with asthma in a randomized double-blind crossover study. Twenty milligrams improved pulmonary functions over 24 hours; 5 and 10 mg did not. Few side effects were observed.

Comparison between theophylline and an adenosine non-blocking xanthine in acute asthma.

Enprofylline, a drug without adenosine antagonism and theophylline, a potent adenosine antagonist, were compared, double-blind, randomized, in acute asthma (n = 33). The drugs were given intravenously as loading over 10 min followed by maintenance infusion for 24 h. Mean final plasma levels were very high with enprofylline (14 mg.

A comparative study of the effect of three doses of nedocromil sodium and placebo given by pressurized aerosol to asthmatics with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction.

The effect of placebo and 1 mg, 4 mg, or 8 mg nedocromil sodium, administered 60 minutes prior to treadmill challenge, was determined in a double-blind study of 12 adult asthmatics with reproducible exercise-induced bronchoconstriction. All nedocromil sodium treatments gave significantly smaller falls in PEFR than placebo. Four and 8 mg gave significantly greater protection than 1 mg.

Stabilization of a diluted aqueous mite allergen preparation by addition of human serum albumin. An intracutaneous test study.

Stability of diluted Spectralgen Dermatophagoides farinae allergen preparations in phenol-saline with, and without human serum albumin (HSA) has been studied by intracutaneous tests in mite-allergic patients. The phenol-saline reconstituted mite allergen preparation lost activity to less than 1/10 of initial activity within 1 week, while mite allergen preparation reconstituted with solvent containing HSA was stable for at least 8 months after reconstitution. Human serum albumin probably prevents adsorption of allergens to glass surfaces which may be a problem for very diluted allergen preparations.

The effect of a new anti-allergic drug ICI 74, 9I7, given by aerosol, on nasal stenosis induced by allergen.

Nasal airways resistance was measured in ten patients with allergic rhinitis during intranasal application of an extract of grass pollen. Pretreatment with placebo did not inhibit the increase in nasal airways resistance, whereas ICI 74,917 administered from a pressurized aerosol gave almost complete protection. ICI 74,917 was well tolerated and no evidence was obtained of local hyposensitization during the period of the study.

Effect of atenolol on ventilatory and cardiac function in asthma.

The effects on ventilatory and cardiac function of atenolol, a new cardioselective beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, were compared with those of practolol in a double-blind trial in 12 patients with asthma. Both drugs impaired ventilatory function--atenolol insignificantly and practolol significantly. Atenolol was if anything more cardioselective than practolol.

Beta1-blocker (practolol) and exercise in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease.

Ventilatory and circulatory data from 20 patients suffering from chronic obstructive lung disease have been obtained before, during and after exercise at 600 kpm/min for 5 min on a bicycle ergometer. The patients had been given intravenously practolol, 15 mg, or saline alternatively, using a double-blind cross-over technique. A slight postexercise reduction of FEV1 (8%) was noted after practolol medication as compared to placebo, with an accompanying decrease in PaCO2; PaO2 did not differ substantially.

The effect of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol on allergen induced nasal stenosis.

Nasal resistance to air flow has been used to evaluate the effect of beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol on allergen induced nasal stenosis. Sixteen patients with allergic rhinitis due to pollen were investigated in a randomized double-blind cross-over study with beclomethasone dipropionate aerosol and placebo aerosol. Only patients reacting to challenge were chosen.