Treatments for Peripheral Neuropathy: Highlights of Neurological Research from the VIII International Conference on AIDS, Amsterdam, July 19-24, 1992
Seattle Treatment Education Project: STEP Perspective - Volume 4, Number 3 - October 1992 Lyn Frumkin, M.D., Ph.D.
HIV-related symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (PN) include painful sensations of the feet and hands or weakness, and reflect deterioration of peripheral nerve function. There is no specific treatment for reversing HIV-related PN but a number of drugs that help the painful sensations of non-HIV PN may also help in HIV PN. These include the tricyclic antidepressant amitriptyline (25-100 mg/day) or the anticonvulsant carbamazepine (400-1200 grams daily). Now, Ronald Baker has reported in a conference edition of Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS that an FDA-approved cardiac drug Mexitil (5-10 mg daily) and regular, long- term use of biotin are two additional therapies that resulted in improvement of symptoms in small groups of persons with painful HIV- related PN. Because high doses of vitamins and other drugs often used in the treatment of persons with HIV infection can cause PN, careful assessment must take place before any treatment for painful PN.
In addition, based on anecdotal reports that Peptide T (see initial paragraph of this article) improved painful HIV-related PN in some persons, trials are currently under way in New York and Miami. Persons with painful HIV-related PN who live in those area are being recruited (NYC: Dr. Simpson, (212) 241-0784, Dr. McKinley, (212) 523-6722, Dr. Dobkin, (212) 305-8507; Miami, Dr. Berger, (305) 547-5601).
COMMENT: Although there are many treatments for symptoms of painful PN, some side effects and varied response to treatment warrant the continued search for and evaluation of candidate drugs.
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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeard in 1992. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.