Location Based Services (LBS) adressieren heute zumeist persönliche Dienste, die im Zusammenhang mit dem momentanen Aufenthaltsort des Nutzers eines mobilen Endgerätes stehen. Mobile Network Operators (MNO) suchen im Rahmen der rechtlichen Möglichkeiten nach neuen Geschäftsfeldern für LBS-Mehrwertdienste, die zum einen massenmarktfähig sind, zum andern aber ein hohes Maß an Individualität unterstützen.

Aim: to characterise the in vitro and in vivo performance of Bramitob ®, a new tobramycin preservative-free sterile solution for nebulisation in comparison with ToN ® .Methods: in-vitro measurements, nebulisation time and the emitted dose, respirable dose, fine particle fraction and mass median aerodynamic diameter, were carried out using Pari Turbo Boy ® and Systam 290 LS ® nebulizers.The in vivo study was carried out as a single centre, single dose, randomised, double blind, twoway crossover study.Systemic exposure in plasma to assess the relative risk for systemic side effects and sputum levels as surrogate biomarker of activity were evaluated in nine CF patients after inhalation of Bramitob ® 300 rag/4 mL, or Tobi ® 300 rag/5 mL. Results:In vitro data demonstrated the equivalent performance of Bramitob ® and ToN ® with both nebulizers.In CF patients, tobramycin plasma levels peaked at 1.2 h (median) with Tobi ® and 1.5 h with Bramitob ®.Cmax and AUCoo (geometric mean) were 540ng/mL and 3454 ng*h/mL with Tobi ® and 549 ng/mL and 3470 ng*h/mL with Bramitob ®.Maximum tobramycin concentrations (543gg/g for ToN ® and 814gg/g for Bramitob ®) were observed in the first sputum sample taken 0.25 h after nebulisation.The target tobramycin sputum concentration of 400 gg/g was reached in eight patients with Bramitob ® and five patients with ToN ®.Conclusions: The in-vitro results demonstrates the similar performances of Bramitob ® and ToN ®.In the in vivo study, the systemic bioavailability of tobramycin was comparable with both formulations, whereas the peak concentration in sputum was higher with Bramitob ® than with ToN ®.

The aim of the present study was to assess the reproducibility of changes in forced inspiratory volumes after bronchodilator inhalation. Thirteen patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (FEV1, 32-75%pred) and 10 patients with asthma (FEV1, 43-75%pred) inhaled either 200 microg fenoterol or 200 microg oxitropium bromide or placebo, each of them on three occasions, on nine different days in a randomised, cross-over, double-blind fashion. Forced expiratory (FEV1) and inspiratory (FIV1) volumes were measured before and 30 min after inhalation. In patients with COPD, the increase in FEV1 (coefficient of variation) was 221 ml (43%) after fenoterol and 235 ml (33%) after oxitropium; changes in FIV1 were 301 ml (45%) and 360 ml (29%). In patients with asthma, FEV1 improved by 618 ml (26%) and 482 ml (25%), FIV1 by 553 ml (41%) and 475 ml (23%). In less severe COPD or asthma, the reduction in dyspnoea was associated with the improvements in both FIV1 and FEV1, but in severe COPD with the improvement in FIV1 only. The data demonstrate that, at least in terms of relative changes, the reproducibility of bronchodilator responses in terms of FIV1 is similar to that of FEV1 and they underline the assertion of FIV1 being a sensible parameter particularly in severe COPD.

Of 317 patients with hypersensitivity to Hymenoptera stings forty had severe local reactions (SLR) only, fifty-nine reported severe local reactions before their first and seven after their last systemic reaction (SR). The probability to develop a life threatening systemic reaction when restung after a severe local reaction was calculated to be about 5%. In 80% of the patients with severe local reactions only, hypersensitivity to either bee or yellow jacket venom could be demonstrated by skin tests and/or RAST. A fair correlation of skin test and RAST results was observed. In patients with severe local reactions hyposensitization therapy with venoms is not generally indicated. In exceptional patients whose allergy is proven by skin tests or RAST and who are at a high risk of being restung, hyposensitization may be considered.