Document 0791
 DOCN  M9550791
 TI    Safety of pentamidine prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia on
       the endocrine pancreatic function in HIV patients.
 DT    9505
 AU    Veyssier P; Cevallos R; Le Fouille-Ribeyre C; Geffray L; Kaloustian E;
       Farinotti R; Department of Internal Medicine, General Hospital,
       Compiegne.
 SO    Ann Med Interne (Paris). 1994;145(7):464-6. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE
       MED/95168741
 AB    We assessed the pancreatic beta cells function of HIV patients receiving
       either 300 mg per month of aerosolized pentamidine (n = 12) or oral
       trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX), twice a day three times per
       week (TMP: 160 mg, SMX: 800 mg) (n = 10). Intravenous (i.v.) glucose
       tolerance tests were performed after i.v. injection of 0.5 glucose by kg
       of body weight in 30 seconds. Plasma insulin levels were assessed at
       baseline, 1, 2, 3 and 5 min. Moreover, in patients receiving inhaled
       pentamidine, plasma glucose amylase and insulin levels were measured
       every 30 min for 2 hours after the end of the aerosol. Plasma
       pentamidine levels were measured 30 min after the end of the aerosol.
       Those tests were performed every 2-3 months for one year. In most
       patients taking aerosol treatment, pentamidine levels were detectable,
       remaining under levels of 50 ng/ml. Pentamidine plasma levels increased
       in a time dependent manner. Baseline plasma glucose, amylase and insulin
       levels were in normal range and remained stable during the therapy. For
       7 out of 12 patients, glucose tolerance tests showed an adequate insulin
       secretion: the addition of the two best insulin levels were higher than
       70 IU/ml. When this criteria was not found (n = 5), a glucagon
       stimulation test allowed to exclude an endocrine pancreatic dysfunction.
       Due to its apparent short half-life, increased pentamidine levels could
       be related to an improvement of spray techniques as well as to a
       cumulative effect. Pancreatic function was preserved in
       pentamidine-treated patients compared to TMP-SMX-treated patients.
 DE    Adult  Aerosols  AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/*PREVENTION &
       CONTROL  Comparative Study  Human  HIV Infections/*COMPLICATIONS  HIV
       Seropositivity/COMPLICATIONS  Insulin/SECRETION  Islets of
       Langerhans/*PHYSIOPATHOLOGY  Pentamidine/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/ADVERSE
       EFFECTS/*THERAPEUTIC  USE  Pneumonia, Pneumocystis carinii/*PREVENTION &
       CONTROL  Prospective Studies  Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole
       Combination/THERAPEUTIC USE  JOURNAL ARTICLE

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