Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy on lung permeability as measured by Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan in patients with AIDS-related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP).METHODS: Sixteen patients with microbiologically proven AIDS-related PCP were prospectively studied using sequential Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan. All patients received slant.lard antimicrobial treatment. Six patients received adjunctive oral corticosteroids in addition to the usual antimicrobial therapy. Tc-DTPA lung clearance scan was performed al baseline and during the second week of therapy. All scans were read by a blinded single observer using a standardized protocol.RESULTS: Baseline Tc-DTPA lung clearance halftime (