Pentamidine and Fatal Hypoglycemia
Authors: Fred R. Sattler, Hetty Waskin
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1987)

Letters and Corrections1 November 1987Pentamidine and Fatal HypoglycemiaFRED R. SATTLER, M.D., HETTY WASKIN, M.D.FRED R. SATTLER, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, HETTY WASKIN, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-107-5-789_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Hypoglycemia has occurred in 10% to 30% of patients treated with pentamidine for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (1, 2). This adverse reaction is reported to occur 5 to 13 days after treatment and is usually mild. Serum glucose concentrations generally range from 20 to 60 mg/dL and as few as 13% to 25% of patients actually have symptoms of hypoglycemia (1, 2). We report the case of a patient in whom fatal hypoglycemia occurred suddenly after 2 weeks of treatment.A 52-year-old homosexual man had cough and dyspnea for 1 week. His temperature was 39.5 °C and respiratory...References1. WESTERNPERERASCHULTZ KDM. Pentamidine isethionate in the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Ann Intern Med. 1970;73:695-702. LinkGoogle Scholar2. STAHL-BAYLISSKALMANLASKIN CCO. Pentamidine-induced hypoglycemia in patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1986;39:271-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. WASKINSATTLER HF. Pentamidine-associated dysglycemia [Abstract 697]. In: Program and Abstracts of the 26th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, New Orleans, Louisiana. Washington, D.C.; American Society for Microbiology; 1985. Google Scholar4. BOUCHARDSAIREACHCAUBARREREGANEVALASSAN PPGIDR. Diabetes mellitus following pentamidine-induced hypoglycemia in humans. Diabetes. 1982;31:40-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. CONTEUPTONPHELPSWOFSYZURLINDENLIN JRRCEE. Use of a specific and sensitive assay to determine pentamidine pharmacokinetics in patients with AIDS. J Infect Dis. 1986;154:923-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited bySafety and efficacy of reduced-dose pentamidine as second-line treatment for HIV-related pneumocystis pneumoniaDrug-Induced HypoglycaemiaDrug-induced endocrine disorders in the intensive care unitDrug-Induced Endocrine and Metabolic DisordersTHE PANCREAS IN AIDSEndocrine Implications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus InfectionAtteintes pancréatiques au cours du syndrome d'immunodéficience acquiseThe management of HIV-related illness in the emergency departmentHypoglycaemia and Diabetes Mellitus Following Parenteral Pentamidine Mesylate Treatment in AIDS PatientsInvited Review: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and Malnutrition: Role of Gastrointestinal PathologyDrug-Induced Hypoglycemia: A Review of 1418 CasesTrimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole Compared with Pentamidine for Treatment of Pneumocystis carinii Pneumonia in the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome A Prospective, Noncrossover StudyFred R. Sattler, MD, Robert Cowan, MD, Donald M. Nielsen, MD, Joel Ruskin, MDInhaled Pentamidine and HypoglycemiaJAMES A. KARBOSKI, B.S., PHARM.D. RESIDENT, PAUL J. GODLEY, PHARM.D. 1 November 1987Volume 107, Issue 5Page: 789-790KeywordsAdverse reactionsAttentionDyspneaGlucoseHomosexualsHypoglycemiaPneumocystis carinii pneumoniaTemperature Issue Published: 1 November 1987 PDF downloadLoading ...