Efficacy of aerosolized amphotericin B desoxycholate and liposomal amphotericin B in the treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in severely immunocompromised rats

The effects of treatment with aerosolized amphotericin B desoxycholate and aerosolized liposomal amphotericin B were evaluated in severely immunosuppressed rats with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Aerosol treatment with amphotericin B desoxycholate consisted of a single dose (60 min) with amphotericin B concentrations in the nebulizer reservoir of 1, 2 and 4 mg/mL, respectively. For liposomal amphotericin B, aerosol treatment consisted of single, double or quadruple doses with a nebulizer reservoir concentration of 4 mg/mL of amphotericin B. Treatment, started at 30 h after inoculation, with aerosolized amphotericin B desoxycholate (nebulizer reservoir concentration 2 mg/mL) significantly prolonged survival of rats as compared with placebo-treated rats, whereas treatment with aerosolized amphotericin B desoxycholate with nebulizer reservoir concentration of 1 or 4 mg/mL did not have a significant effect on survival. Treatment with aerosolized liposomal amphotericin B significantly prolonged survival with all treatment regimens when compared with placebo-treated animals. Aerosol treatment did not prevent dissemination of the infection. The effects of amphotericin B desoxycholate and liposomal amphotericin B on pulmonary surfactant function were also evaluated in vitro. Amphotericin B desoxycholate inhibited surfactant function in a dose-dependent fashion. Liposomal amphotericin B had no detrimental effect on surface activity of surfactant. These results indicate that aerosol administration of amphotericin B, especially the liposomal formulation, could be an additional approach to optimizing treatment of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis.