Evaluation effects of nebulized gentamicin in exacerbation of chronic obstructive lung disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Exacerbation of COPD has negative effect on quality of life. Therapeutic effect of nebulized antibiotics in pulmonary infections has been reported previously. Hence, we evaluated the effect of nebulized gentamicin in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).
In this clinical trial study, 86 hospitalized patients with AECOPD were divided into two groups for using nebulized gentamicin twice daily (case group) and placebo (control group) for 5 days in addition to standard treatment. On admission and on the 6th day, respiratory rate (RR), white blood cell (WBC), spirometry, and  SPO2 (arterial O2 saturation by pulse oxymetry) were measured in groups. The severity of dyspnea was evaluated by the Medical Research Council scale.
In both groups, changes of SpO2, RR, forced an expiratory volume of first second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC) were significant during the times of intervention (P  0.05).
Treatment with Nebulized Gentamicin in AECOPD exacerbation resulted in further improvement of FVC and FEV1 on the 6th day.