Clinical Effects of Mercaptoethane Sulphonate (MESNA(R)) in Various Respiratory Diseases

Choi, Kyu Hun; Kim, Kyung Rye; Kim, June Myeong; Lee, Uk Yong; Kim, Sung Kyu; Lee, Won Young; Kim, Ki Ho

doi:1982.29.3.157

Tuberc Respir Dis > Volume 29(3); 1982 > Article

Original Article

Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases 1982;29(3):157-160.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.4046/trd.1982.29.3.157 Published online September 1, 1982.

Clinical Effects of Mercaptoethane Sulphonate (MESNA(R)) in Various Respiratory Diseases

Kyu Hun Choi, Kyung Rye Kim, June Myeong Kim, Uk Yong Lee, Sung Kyu Kim, Won Young Lee, Ki Ho Kim

Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

각종 폐 질환에 있어서 Sodium 2-Mercapto-Ethane Sulphonate의 임상효과

최규헌, 김경래, 김준명, 이욱룡, 김성규, 이원영, 김기호

Abstract

One of the major problems in the management of patients with various respiratory diseases is clearing the airways. Because of thick and tenacious secretions in some cases, mucolytics are as important as bronchodilators in the treatment of pulmonary diseases. Although there are several kinds of mucolytics, no One drug has had quite enough action to eradicate the thick secretions. MESNA is one of the several mucolytics that has been developed recently. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of MESNA in the treatment of the thick and tenacious secretions in pulmonary diseases. In addition some sputum specimens were analysed by cytology and bacteriology. MESNA has been used in 29 cases of respiratory diseases; 16 cases for therapeutic and 13 for diagnostic purpose. Diagnosis of the patients are pulmonary tuberculosis in 12 cases, pneumonia in 5 cases, lung abscess and lung cancer in 4 cases respectively. Using the De Vilbiss inhalator, various diluted Mesna solutions (usually 1 : 1 diluted solution) have been used in 29 patients without remarkable complications. During the hospital days, mean daily expectorated volume was checked before and after the MESNA inhalation with the result of 23±11.6 ml(before) and 67±17.7 ml(after). The drug was found to be effective in 62% of the patients. Tolerance was excellent and there were only 3 complications: 2 cases of bronchospasm and one case of blood tinged sputum. Other parameters such as pulmonary function tests and blood gas analysis would be considered for further evaluation of these mucolytic substance in the future.