PANCREATIC INVOLVEMENT IN HIV-INFECTED PA TIENTS TREATED WITH DIDANOSINE (DDI)

Pancreatic involvement has been studied in 70 HIV infected patients, i n diverse stages, that were treated with didanosine (ddI), both as mon otherapy or associated to zidovudine; 38% of patients presented advers e reaction that obliged to withdraw the medication: pancreatitis (4%), hyperamylasemia (21%) and abdominal pain and/or diarrhea (12%). The p ossible causes in presentation of adverse effects were evaluated: rout e of infection, stage of HIV infection, use of pentamidine or trimetho prim-sulfamethoxazole for preventing Pneumocistis carinii pneumonia, a dministration of ddI in monotherapy or in combined form with zidovudin e, time of treatment and level of CD4 lymphocytes, The outcome of adve rse efects is related significantly only with the most advanced stage of HIV infection.