TY - JOUR T1 - Peripheral deposition of α<sub>1</sub>‐protease inhibitor using commercial inhalation devices JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J SP - 263 LP - 267 DO - 10.1183/09031936.03.00096802 VL - 22 IS - 2 AU - P. Brand AU - H. Beckmann AU - M. Maas Enriquez AU - T. Meyer AU - B. Müllinger AU - K. Sommerer AU - N. Weber AU - T. Weuthen AU - G. Scheuch Y1 - 2003/08/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/22/2/263.abstract N2 - Patients with hereditary α1‐proteinase inhibitor (α1‐PI) deficiency are at risk of developing lung emphysema. To prevent the development of this disease, α1‐PI replacement therapy via inhalation may be a more convenient and effective therapy than the intravenous administration of the drug. In order to optimise this treatment approach, lung deposition of inhaled radiolabelled α1‐PI (Prolastin®) was studied using four different commercial inhalation devices (PARI‐LC Star®, HaloLite®, and AKITA® system in combination with LC Star® and Sidestream®) in six patients with α1‐PI deficiency and mild-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The time required to deposit 50 mg of the Prolastin® (5% solution) in the lung periphery was used as a measure for the efficiency of delivery. The time was calculated from measurements of total and peripheral lung deposition of the radiolabelled α1‐PI. This time was shortest for the AKITA® system (18–24 min) and significantly higher for the PARI‐LC Star® (44 min) and the HaloLite® (100 min). The higher efficiency of drug delivery using the AKITA® system is due to the fact that this device controls breathing patterns, which are optimised for each patient individually. This study was supported by Bayer Corporation, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA. ER -