There were no significant differences between the dose groups, perhaps due to the small number of people using each dose. Table of Contents Pregnant Women and Abacavir Abacavir has not been formally studied in pregnant women. Women should be cautious of breast feeding while taking abacavir because it may be passed through breast milk resulting in potential toxicity to the child. Studies of abacavir in children are ongoing and it is expected to have similar results to those seen to date in the adult studies. Table of Contents Abacavir and the Brain Because HIV can infect brain cells, it is important to consider a drug's ability to reach the brain when considering antiretroviral therapy.
Animal studies suggest that abacavir readily penetrates into the brain.
A study is ongoing to determine the effectiveness of abacavir in treating HIV-related dementia. When devising a treatment regimen, it is probably wise to include at least one drug that has been shown to cross the blood-brain barrier. Recent studies suggest that 3TC, d4T, AZT and nevirapine also cross the blood-brain barrier to a useful degree. The most common side effects reported in the clinical studies are nausea, fatigue, headaches and diarrhea. The simplicity of the regimen is expected to be one of its most attractive features.