Hyperosmolar nonketotic diabetic syndrome following treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection with didanosine.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether didanosine (DDI), one of the drugs commonly used to treat infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), contributes to the development of diabetes and hyperosmolar nonketotic diabetic syndrome (HNKDS).


METHODS
One female patient was treated with DDI for infection with HIV during pregnancy. Soon after starting DDI treatment, she developed diabetes, which progressed to HNKDS.


CONCLUSIONS
Although not reported in the literature, hyperglycemia following treatment with DDI has been noted in 82 patients and is usually associated with pancreatitis. DDI should be recognized as one of the drugs known to potentially cause diabetes and HNKDS. With the increasing use of DDI and other drugs that cause hyperglycemia, such as pentamidine and dapsone, blood glucose should be monitored frequently in the HIV-infected patients.
Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock.
M N
MN
Munshi
R E
RE
Martin
V A
VA
Fonseca
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016049:Didanosine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006944:Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Nonketotic Coma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011251:Pregnancy Complications, Infectious / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000139:chemically induced*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D001786:Blood Glucose; D015215:Zidovudine; D016049:Didanosine