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Abstract

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OBJECTIVE:

To report a case of failure of treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX) in a patient with HIV infection, despite an adequate serum SMX concentration.

CASE SUMMARY:

A 52-year-old white man was treated with TMP/SMX for PCP. After discharge he returned to the hospital with worsening of the PCP despite a serum SMX concentration of 60 μg/mL 18 hours after his last dose of TMP/SMX.

DISCUSSION:

PCP is one of the most common complications of HIV infection. TMP/SMX is the drug of choice for prophylaxis and treatment. The causes of therapeutic failure with this agent are not well documented.

CONCLUSIONS:

Alternative therapies to TMP/SMX should be seriously considered if the serum concentrations are therapeutic and the patient is not clinically improved.

Keywords

trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole human immunodeficiency virus

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Therapeutic Failure of Trimethoprim/Sulfamethoxazole in the Treatment of Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

CASE SUMMARY:

DISCUSSION:

CONCLUSIONS:

Keywords

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References