K. Goa, D. Campoli-Richards
1987
Citations
3
Influential Citations
43
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Drugs
Abstract
Pentamidine isethionate, an aromatic diamidine, is an antiprotozoal agent proven to decrease mortality from Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in debilitated infants and immunodeficient adults and children. Like the combination antimicrobial agent co-trimoxazole, pentamidine has been shown in retrospective studies to resolve episodes of pneumonia in approximately 41 to 87% of patients, including those with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), when used alone or as sequential therapy. Although about 45% of all patients given pentamidine experience side effects--which may include nephrotoxicity, hypotension, hypoglycaemia or local reactions--in patients with AIDS the incidence of side effects is less with pentamidine than with co-trimoxazole. Thus, despite its profile of potentially severe side effects, pentamidine isethionate is a proven antimicrobial agent with a distinct place in the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in the growing population of AIDS patients.