Intravenous Pentamidine for Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia

This study is a prospective, single arm study to assess safety of IV pentamidine for PJP prophylaxis. Patient satisfaction associated with IV pentamidine will also be assessed using a survey adapted from the validated Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (version 1.4).

Adult patients with a hematologic malignancy or who are receiving or have received a stem-cell transplant at the University of Illinois Hospitals and Clinics who have an indication for PJP prophylaxis therapy. They will receive intravenous pentamidine during their planned admissions for chemotherapy when they have an indication for and/or are due to receive pentamidine prophylaxis. These patients are outlined below in the inclusion criteria. Patients may or may not have received aerosolized or IV pentamidine prior to inclusion in the study.

Eligible patients will receive IV pentamidine during hospital admissions. Patients will be routinely monitored by nursing staff during and after the infusion. Nursing staff will monitor the systolic and diastolic blood pressure at baseline and one hour post infusion. Patients will also be monitored for nausea/vomiting. Patients who receive IV pentamidine will have anti-emetics available on call to use in the event that they become nauseous. Data will be collected on the type, grade, and incidence of adverse effects by research personnel.

Inclusion criteria

• Adults (18 years or older)
• Hematologic malignancy diagnosis or stem-cell transplant recipient
• Eligible for PJP prophylaxis therapy at time of enrollment as per institutional guidelines in compliance with NCCN guidelines. These patients include:
• Acute myeloid leukemia patients receiving induction and consolidation (first line and relapsed/refractory)
• Acute lymphoid leukemia patients receiving HyperCVAD/R (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, dexamethasone, methotrexate, cytarabine, rituximab)
• Lymphoma patients receiving ICE (ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide), DA-R-EPOCH (dose-adjusted rituximab, etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin), and other inpatient lymphoma regimens
• Patients receiving other inpatient chemotherapy regimens that are given on a monthly basis
• Patients who have received an allogeneic stem cell transplant
• Have given informed consent
• May have previously received inhaled or IV pentamidine

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnancy
• Prisoners
• Patients with a documented allergy or hypersensitivity to pentamidine.