Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
The Associated Press, Tue, 27 Dec 94
Bactrim is used to treat a form of pneumonia that preys on people with severely damaged immune systems and was at one time the first sign of the onset of AIDS in a majority of cases.
"Among the drugs we've researched to use in treating HIV and AIDS, the use of Bactrim is perhaps the single greatest achievement," said Dr. Judith Feinberg, who is leading the studies at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions.
Though Bactrim was initially used to treat leukemia patients suffering from pneumocystitis carinii pneumonia, it has long been in the arsenal of drugs used to treat AIDS patients.
But in many patients the drug can cause severe rashes, fevers and upset stomachs, Ms. Feinberg said. About 50 percent of AIDS patients can't tolerate the drug.
The first study will concentrate on those people. They will be given two other drugs, Dapsone and Atovaquone, and will be examined at Hopkins every four months for as long as four years, Ms. Feinberg said.
In the second study, AIDS patients who have never taken Bactrim will be given gradually increasing doses of the drug over three months to see if tolerance to the drug can be developed, Ms. Feinberg said.
Bactrim, made by Roche Laboratories, is one trade name for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, also manufactured by Burroughs Welcome under the name Septra.
Doctors in the late-1980s began prescribing Bactrim to patients before they developed the pneumonia and since then it has become the first evidence of AIDS in only about 20 percent of patients, Ms. Feinberg said.
Copyright (c) 1994 - The Associated Press. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, The Associated Press, 50 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, NY 10020.
941227
AP941219
Copyright © 1994 - Associated Press. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the AP Permissions Desk.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, Elton John AIDS Foundation, National Library of Medicine, Pacific Life Foundation, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1994. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 1994. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .