Almitrine has no effect on gas exchange after bilateral carotid body resection in severe chronic airflow obstruction

Using a double-blind cross-over design, a single dose of 100 mg almitrine bismesylate and placebo were administered orally to eight patients with chronic airflow obstruction having undergone bilateral carotid body resection (BCBR) up to two years earlier to alleviate their extreme dyspnoea. In an open study, two other patients have been given almitrine before and three weeks after BCBR. In all patients, arterial blood gases, ventilation and breathing patterns, neuromuscular drive and hypoxic responsiveness have been studied before and three hours after drug administration. Almitrine failed to improve gas exchange in the patients with BCBR, nor did it affect ventilation, ventilatory or hypoxic drive. In the patients studied before and after BCBR, almitrine only improved gas exchange significantly before BCBR. It is concluded that in man almitrine acts solely as a peripheral chemoreceptor agonist and that the well-documented improvement in V/Q relationship is mediated through carotid body stimulation.