INHALATORY PENTAMIDINE THERAPY AND THE DURATION OF THE QT INTERVAL INHIV-INFECTED PATIENTS

We evaluated the effect of chronic Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP ) prophylaxis, with a once a month dose of 300 mg of inhalatory pentam idine isethionate, on QT interval duration. We included 22 human immun odeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients: 11 were on this medication and 11 were not. The mio groups were matched for age, sex and HIV infe ction stage. No patient had any clinical condition or was under any me dication known to affect the duration of the QT interval. The heart ra te-corrected QT (QTc) was obtained by averaging the observations of th ree independent observers, QTc duration was similar in both groups. Th e time separating pentamidine administration and the performance of th e ECG did not influence the results, neither did the duration of inhal atory pentamidine therapy. Our results suggest that inhalatory pentami dine does not prolong the QT interval duration and so, as opposed to w hat has been reported concerning intravenous pentamidine therapy, does not seem to induce an increased risk of torsades de pointes. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.