Infusion therapy rationale

Furosemide is a widely used loop diuretic indicated for the treatment of different pathological conditions such as congestive heart failure, hepatic cirrhosis, and chronic renal failure. It has a narrow absorption window and mainly absorbed from the stomach and the upper part of the small intestine. Following administration of furosemide, the natriuretic effect rapidly disperses and is concealed before the next administration. This problematic aspect in furosemide therapy is mostly attributed to the natural homeostatic compensatory mechanisms. Lately, it has been demonstrated that the diuretic and natriuretic effects of furosemide can be significantly improved, following a continuous input (intravenous infusion) compared to immediate release DFs. Beside the narrow absorption window, this pharmacodynamic feature of the drug provides another rationale for the development of a GRDF for furosemide. 

Peter Glass provides a strong rationale for intravenous therapy including pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic bases for continuous delivery. Glinical complications around intravenous therapy are well summarized by MacCara (1983) and Bohony (1993). The AAMI Standard for Infusion Devices provides a comprehensive means of evaluating infusion device technology, and the British Department of Health OHEI Report 198 provides a competitive analysis of pumps and controllers. 

One of the rationales for the use of cytokine gene therapy in mesothelioma is that exogenous cytokines are known to have direct antiproliferative effects upon mesothelioma cells, as well as the ability to activate intrapleural and intratumoral immune effector cells in vivo. Several published Phase I and Phase II clinical trials have decumenfed mesothelioma tumor responses to intrapleural infusion of interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon-P (IFN-P), and inteiferon-y (IFN-y) (70-76). In particular,... 

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