Rifabutin for MAC questioned

Posit Aware. 1995 Jul-Aug:6.

Abstract

AIDS: Vanderbilt University researcher Mark A. Pierce remains doubtful about whether prevention is preferable to active surveillance and aggressive treatment of early infection in AIDS patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Problems of cost, compliance, drug toxicity, drug interactions, and long-term efficacy have limited the routine use of rifabutin. Two recently reported MAC prophylaxis trials have indicated the drug's effectiveness in preventing the opportunistic infection, but neither trial found a survival advantage. Rifabutin is the only approved agent for use in MAC prevention.

Publication types

  • Newspaper Article

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy*
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / mortality
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / prevention & control
  • Azithromycin / pharmacology
  • Azithromycin / therapeutic use
  • Clarithromycin / pharmacology
  • Clarithromycin / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Mycobacterium avium Complex / drug effects
  • Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / drug therapy*
  • Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / mortality
  • Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / prevention & control
  • Rifabutin / pharmacology
  • Rifabutin / therapeutic use*
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Rifabutin
  • Azithromycin
  • Clarithromycin