DRONABINOL AS A TREATMENT FOR ANOREXIA ASSOCIATED WITH WEIGHT-LOSS INPATIENTS WITH AIDS

The effects of dronabinol on appetite and weight were evaluated in 139 patients with AIDS-related anorexia and greater than or equal to 2.3 kg weight loss in a multi-institutional study. Patients were randomize d to receive 2.5 mg dronabinol twice daily or placebo. Patients rated appetite, mood, and nausea by using a 100-mm visual analogue scale 3 d ays weekly. Efficacy was evaluable in 88 patients. Dronabinol was asso ciated with increased appetite above baseline (38 % vs 8 % for placebo , P = 0.015), improvement in mood (10 % vs -2 %, P = 0.06), and decrea sed nausea (20 % vs 7 %; P = 0.05). Weight was stable in dronabinol pa tients, while placebo recipients had a mean loss of 0.4 kg (P = 0.14). Of the dronabinol patients, 22 % gained greater than or equal to 2 kg , compared with 10.5% of placebo recipients (P = 0.11). Side effects w ere mostly mild to moderate in severity (euphoria, dizziness, thinking abnormalities); there was no difference in discontinued therapy betwe en dronabinol (8.3 %) and placebo (4.5 %) recipients. Dronabinol was f ound to be safe and effective for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS.