Table 3.
Characteristics associated with the use of dry powder inhaled antibiotics.
| Variables | Mean (SD) or % |
|---|---|
| Use of dry powder colistin/tobramycin | 86%/14% |
| Treatment time, months | 6 (6.5) months, range: 1 day–30 months |
| Reason for prescription | |
| CBI by PA | 86% |
| Intolerance of other IA | 4.4% |
| Problem with handling other IA | 2.4% |
| Need for portable IA | 1.8% |
| First infection by PA | 1.8% |
| Resistance to other IA | 1.8% |
| CBI by other PPM (not PA) | 1.8% |
| Information for the patient | |
| Handling of the inhaler | 94.5% |
| Possible appearance of cough | 93.2% |
| Handling of cough | 87.2% |
| First dose in a hospital | 81.1% |
| Difficulty in handling by the patient | 25.6% |
| Adverse effects | |
| Cough | 40.8% |
| Duration of cough | 21.8 (44); range: 1–280 days |
| Dyspnoea | 26.8% |
| Discomfort in the chest | 15.8% |
| Haemoptysis | 3.6% |
| Bad taste | 6.1% |
| Appearance of at least 1 adverse effect | 54.2% |
| Withdrawal due to adverse effects | 24.4% (84% for cough) |
CBI: Chronic Bronchial Infection; PA: Pseudomonas aeruginosa; IA: Inhaled antibiotics; PPM: Potentially pathogenic microorganisms.