Cryptococcal empyema treated with tube thoracostomy and intrapleural fibrinolysis

A 55-year old woman with a history of relapsed T-cell ALL presented with right pleuritic chest pain and decreased breath sounds over the right hemithorax. Imaging of the chest showed loculated effusions. Tube thoracostomy was performed with intrapleural application of alteplase and dornase alpha over a 3-day period. Repeat imaging demonstrated a marked decrease in the volume of the effusion. In most prior published cases of pleural cryptococcosis, surgical drainage was required in addition to prolonged antifungal agents. More than 50% of patients with cryptococcal infection have severe underlying disease or immunodeficiency state making them high risk for surgery. This is the first case to our knowledge of cryptococcal empyema successfully treated with tube thoracostomy and intrapleural fibrinolysis.

Efficacy and safety of the biosimilar medicinal product Tigerase® (dornase alfa) in long-term symptomatic treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis: results of a phase III clinical trial

The article discusses the results of a phase III clinical trial to compare the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and safety of the biosimilar medicinal product Tigerase® (dornase alpha) (Generium JSC, Russia) and the reference medicinal product Pulmozyme® (F.Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Switzerland) with the purpose of establishing their comparability for symptomatic treatment of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).Methods. The study included 100 patients aged 18 years and older with a confirmed diagnosis of CF, who were divided into two groups by stratified randomization in a ratio of 1 : 1 based on the initial level of FEV1 (40–60% or > 60–100% from due value). Tigerase® or Pulmozyme® were used in a dose of 2.5 mg daily, once a day in the form of inhalations using a jet nebulizer compressor for 24 weeks.Results and discussion: The analysis of the data regarding the primary efficacy endpoint – changes in FEV1 – showed that in both groups (FAS population (Full analyses set) and PP population (Per protocol)), similar changes in FEV1 were observed. The average value of changes in FEV1 after 24 weeks of treatment compared with the initial level in the FAS population was –1.3% ± 9.8 % (95% CI (–4.1; 1.6)) in Group I (Tigerase®) and –1.9% ± 10.0% (95% CI (–4.7; 1.0)) in Group II (Pulmozyme®). The point estimate for the intergroup difference in changes in FEV1 (Group I – Group II) was 0.6%. The calculated 95% CI for the difference in changes in FEV1 in the FAS population was (–3.3; 4.6%]. In both populations studied, the intergroup difference in changes in FEV1 did not exceed 6%. During long-term treatment of patients with CF, no statistically significant differences were found in terms of efficacy (changes in FEV1 and FVC; number of exacerbations of chronic pulmonary disease and the number of days before its development; change in body weight; quality of life) between medicinal products in both studied populations (FAS and PP).Conciusion. A safety analysis demonstrated the comparability of medicinal products in terms of the incidence of adverse events. The frequency of detection of antibodies to dornase alpha during the study was similar in the treatment groups; the formation of antibodies did not lead to a decrease in the efficacy and safety of therapy.

Clinical Response-Guided tPA and DNase Administration as Rescue Treatment for Postoperative Empyema

Empyema untreated carries significant mortality. Medical management with tube thoracostomy accompanied by combination therapy with intrapleural tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and deoxyribonuclease (DNase, dornase alpha) has decreased the need for surgical intervention. Most studies on this combination therapy have been done on empyema associated with community acquired pneumonia. A fixed regimen of tPA and DNase has a high cost and carries a small risk of intrapleural hemorrhage. We report on two patients who developed empyema postoperatively. Intrapleural DNase and tPA were administered concurrently at a frequency and duration based upon the clinical response. Both patients had successful outcomes without adverse effects.