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Didanosine treatment of haemophilic patients infected with HIV
Author(s) -
Wilde Jonathan T.,
McKernan Angela,
Hay Charles R. M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
haemophilia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.213
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1365-2516
pISSN - 1351-8216
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2516.1995.tb00052.x
Subject(s) - medicine , didanosine , zidovudine , pancreatitis , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , surgery , gastroenterology , viral disease , immunology
Summary Twenty‐six haemophilic patients with advanced HIV infection who had developed resistance or intolerance to zidovudine were treated with didanosine (ddI). 11 patients continue to take ddI at a median time of 14 months from commencement (range 7–18 months). Five of these patients showed an increase in CD4 lymphocyte count, reaching a maximum at a median time of 4 months. Four patients with HIV‐related symptoms improved clinically. In general, the CD4 count and clinical improvements were not sustained. 11 patients discontinued ddI after a median of 3 months (range 3 days to 10 months), most commonly due to gastrointestinal side‐effects. No case of pancreatitis or peripheral neuropathy was seen. Six patients, all with very advanced HIV disease, died. HIV‐infected haemophilic patients who become resistant or intolerant to zidovudine may derive benefit from ddI, although this is usually transient.