Profilassi della polmonite da Pneumocystis Carinii con Trimetoprim-Sulfametossazolo intermittente

To evaluate efficacy and toxicity of intermittent trimethoprim-sulfametoxazole (T/S) prophylaxis for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) our HIV-positive patients were given T/S (160 mg, 800 mg) twice daily for 3 consecutive days per week. Patients were included only if they met the CDC criteria for PCP prophylaxis, did not have intolerance to T/S, and if follow-up was 3 or more months. Thirty-eight patients received primary prophylaxis (Group I) for a mean period of 18.1 months and 26 patients received secondary prophylaxis (Group II) for a mean period of 15.5 months. Seventeen patients had adverse reactions (14 minor and 3 major reactions). PCP occurred in 1 patient in Group I after 20 months of T/S, and in 2 patients in Group II after 11 and 18 months of T/S. This pilot study suggests that intermittent T/S treatment is efficacious and relatively safe in the prophylaxis for PCP in HIV-positive patients.