title: Dronabinol as a treatment for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS.
abstract: The effects of dronabinol on appetite and weight were evaluated in 139 patients with AIDS-related anorexia and > or = 2.3 kg weight loss in a multi-institutional study. Patients were randomized 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 days weekly. Efficacy was evaluable in 88 patients. Dronabinol was associated with increased appetite above baseline (38% vs 8% for placebo, P = 0.015), improvement in mood (10% vs -2%, P = 0.06), and decreased nausea (20% vs 7%; P = 0.05). Weight was stable in dronabinol patients, while placebo recipients had a mean loss of 0.4 kg (P = 0.14). Of the dronabinol patients, 22% gained > or = 2 kg, compared with 10.5% of placebo recipients (P = 0.11). Side effects were mostly mild to moderate in severity (euphoria, dizziness, thinking abnormalities); there was no difference in discontinued therapy between dronabinol (8.3%) and placebo (4.5%) recipients. Dronabinol was found to be safe and effective for anorexia associated with weight loss in patients with AIDS.
authors.affiliation: St. John's Hospital, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Beal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Laubenstein
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bellman
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yangco
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lefkowitz
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Plasse
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Shepard
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D000328:Adult; D000855:Anorexia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D013759:Dronabinol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D013759:Dronabinol