ABSORPTION OF ZIDOVUDINE IN PATIENTS WITH DIARRHEA

Many patients with AIDS have gastrointestinal complaints, including th e major clinical disorder of chronic diarrhoea. The pharmacokinetics o f zidovudine was studied in 9 male patients with HIV infection and dia rrhoea to establish whether drug absorption was impaired in them. The peak plasma concentration and AUC after a single oral dose of 200 mg, were the same as those reported in 6 healthy male volunteers (3.1 vs 4 .0 mumol . l-1 and 7.2 vs 5.2 mumol . h . l-1, respectively). Since th e bioavailability of zidovudine is not particularly impaired, oral zid ovudine therapy can be maintained in patients with diarrhoea.