title: Central nervous system toxoplasmosis in AIDS patients: efficacy of an intermittent maintenance therapy.
abstract: Fifty-five episodes of central nervous system (CNS) toxoplasmosis developing in 43 of the 329 AIDS cases seen at our institution were diagnosed during a 34-month period and were prospectively studied. Acute episodes were treated with a pyrimethamine/sulfadiazine (P/S) combination for a mean of 21 days. Because of a previously known major allergy to sulfonamides, three episodes were treated with clindamycin instead of sulphadiazine. In those patients who accepted maintenance therapy, a combination of P/S or pyrimethamine and clindamycin (P/C) was administered 2 days per week. Thirty-six patients (83.7%) survived the first episode. Four of these 36 were lost to further study. Six of the 12 (50%) who decided not to undergo maintenance therapy relapsed (mean follow-up: 12 months). Fourteen patients were given P/S and none relapsed while they were on maintenance therapy (mean follow-up: 10.3 months). Six patients received an intermittent maintenance treatment with P/C and one relapsed 2 months after starting the maintenance therapy (mean follow-up: 13.7 months). We conclude that an intermittent (2 days per week) maintenance treatment for CNS toxoplasmosis with P/S was effective in preventing relapses, although prospective randomized studies remain to be done.
authors.affiliation: Infectious Disease Unit, Hospital Clinic, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pedrol
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: González-Clemente
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gatell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mallolas
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Miró
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Graus
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Mercader
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berenguer
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Jiménez de Anta
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D002981:Clindamycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006801:Humans; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013411:Sulfadiazine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014123:Toxoplasmosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D013411:Sulfadiazine; D002981:Clindamycin; D011739:Pyrimethamine