Document 0481
 DOCN  M9490481
 TI    Use of pentoxifylline therapy for patients with AIDS-related wasting:
       pilot study.
 DT    9411
 AU    Landman D; Sarai A; Sathe SS; Department of Medicine, Department of
       Veterans Affairs Medical; Center, Brooklyn, New York 11209.
 SO    Clin Infect Dis. 1994 Jan;18(1):97-9. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/94331513
 AB    Severe weight loss is a common manifestation of advanced infection with
       the human immunodeficiency virus. The level of tumor necrosis factor
       alpha (TNF-alpha), an inducer of cachexia in laboratory animals, is
       elevated in the serum of some patients with AIDS. In a pilot study, five
       patients with unexplained AIDS-related wasting were treated with
       pentoxifylline, a known suppressor of TNF-alpha production. Three of the
       five patients had elevated baseline serum levels of TNF-alpha, and these
       three patients did not have significant weight gain after 4-8 weeks of
       pentoxifylline therapy despite the reduction of serum TNF-alpha levels.
       The remaining two patients, who did not have elevated serum levels of
       TNF-alpha, continued to lose weight and developed extensive bacterial
       pneumonia within 3 weeks of starting pentoxifylline therapy. Thus,
       therapy with pentoxifylline did not clearly benefit the patients with
       AIDS-related wasting in this uncontrolled pilot study; indeed, it might
       have been harmful for a subgroup of these patients.
 DE    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/BLOOD/*COMPLICATIONS/MORTALITY  Adult
       Cachexia/BLOOD/*DRUG THERAPY/MORTALITY  Human  Male  Middle Age
       Pentoxifylline/ADVERSE EFFECTS/*THERAPEUTIC USE  Pilot Projects
       Prognosis  Tumor Necrosis Factor/*ANALYSIS  Weight Loss/*DRUG EFFECTS
       JOURNAL ARTICLE

       SOURCE: National Library of Medicine.  NOTICE: This material may be
       protected by Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.Code).