title: Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) secretion and refractory diarrhea in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC).
abstract: Elevated plasma levels of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) (as assessed by a radio-immunoassay), were found in 7/11 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related Complex (ARC), evaluated because of prolonged intractable diarrhea with either an infectious (6 cases) or a non-infectious (5 cases) etiology. Six subjects have been treated with the somatostatin analogue octreotide, which gave both a favourable clinical response and a significant reduction in plasma VIP concentrations. Evaluation of plasma VIP levels may provide a pathophysiological basis for explaining the efficacy of octreotide therapy in HIV-infected patients suffering from both infectious and non-infectious refractory diarrhea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vezzadini
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fanti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chiodo
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D006716:Homosexuality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015282:Octreotide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013997:Time Factors; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D015282:Octreotide