title: Acute pancreatitis in HIV/AIDS patients: an issue of concern.
abstract: Pancreatitis is a well-described complication of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) itself and its combination antiretroviral therapy. Historically, this has been predominantly associated with the usage of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors such as didanosine and stavudine, but only rarely with the usage of protease inhibitors via the induction of hypertriglyceridemia. Pancreatitis rates in HIV/AIDS population may have been exceedingly high because of the comorbid conditions prevalent in HIV/AIDS patients (e.g. ethanol use and biliary disease), and the use of non-combination antiretroviral therapy medications such as pentamidine, corticosteroids, ketoconazole, sulphonamides, metronidazole, isoniazid and opportunistic infections (e.g. cytomegalovirus, cryptosporidiosis, mycobacterial disease). In resource limited settings, where didanosine and stavudine are widely available in cheaper generic fixed dose combinations it is likely that their usage will remain in the first line HIV treatment in common. In such settings management or estimation of a patient's risk of pancreatitis still remains an issue of concern.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dragovic
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000208:Acute Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors
keywords: Acute pancreatitis; CD cells count; Gender; Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors; Protease inhibitors