Fenoterol Does Not Reduce Arterial Oxygen Tension In patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

An open study was designed to investigate the effects of fenoterol on oxygen transport at rest and after exercise in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 14 patients received a single inhaled dose of fenoterol 400,ug. Following inhalation of fenoterol 400,ug 1 day prior to the study, 7 patients (group 1) with fi xed airflow obstruction exhibited < 15% increase in FEV 1 , and the remaining 7 (group 2) with reversible airflow obstruction exhibited > 20% Increase in FEV 1.

In group 2, all baseline oxygen transport variables were within the range for healthy. age-matched subjects. However. at baseline group 1 patients exhibited decreased cardiac output (35 vs 5.1 l/min in group 2) and arterial oxygen flow (657 vs 1044 ml/ min) and increased heart rate (84 vs 68 beats/min) , arteriovenous oxygen content difference (85 vs 59 ml/ l) and oxygen extraction (45 vs 30%). At 1 hour postdose, there were no significant changes in Groups 1 and 2 with respect to any oxygen transport variable at rest. Exercise was associated with increases in heart rate, cardiac output, arterial oxygen saturation , arterial oxygen flow, arteriovenous oxygen content difference. oxygen extraction and oxygen consumption in all patients Fenoterol did not produce significant changes in responses to exercise .

Thus, inhaled fenoterol does not appear to affect oxygen transport, at rest or after exercise, in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, With fixed or reversible airflow obstruction. Carlone S. AngeliCI E. Palange p . Serra P Farber MO Ches193 790·79.1 Apr 1988

16 INPHARMA' 11 June 1988 0156-2703/ 88/ 0611·0016/ 0S01.00; 0 © ADIS Press