title: Didanosine treatment of haemophilic patients infected with HIV.
abstract: Twenty-six haemophilic patients with advanced HIV infection who had developed resistance or intolerance to zidovudine were treated with didanosine (ddI). 11 patients continue to take ddI at a median time of 14 months from commencement (range 7-18 months). Five of these patients showed an increase in CD4 lymphocyte count, reaching a maximum at a median time of 4 months. Four patients with HIV-related symptoms improved clinically. In general, the CD4 count and clinical improvements were not sustained. 11 patients discontinued ddI after a median of 3 months (range 3 days to 10 months), most commonly due to gastrointestinal side-effects. No case of pancreatitis or peripheral neuropathy was seen. Six patients, all with very advanced HIV disease, died. HIV-infected haemophilic patients who become resistant or intolerant to zidovudine may derive benefit from ddI, although this is usually transient.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, and Royal Liverpool University Hospital Trust, Liverpool.
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wilde
authors.affiliation: Departments of Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, and Royal Liverpool University Hospital Trust, Liverpool.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McKernan
authors.affiliation: Departments of Haematology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, and Royal Liverpool University Hospital Trust, Liverpool.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Hay
keywords: CD4 lymphocytes; HIV; didanosine; haemophilia; reverse transcriptase inhibitors