The impact of ethanol and Marinol/marijuana usage on HIV+/AIDS patients undergoing azidothymidine, azidothymidine/dideoxycytidine, or dideoxyinosine therapy.

Therapeutic observations suggest that azidothymidine (AZT)-resistant HIV+/AIDS patients are frequently offered AZT/dideoxycytidine (DDC) or dideoxyinosine (DDI) therapy. The latter therapies have been associated with the development of acute pancreatitis. During the initial portion of this study, when patients reported limiting ethanol consumption, an increase in CD4+, a decrease in amylase, and a decrease in lipase was observed in patients on DDI monotherapy. Marinol/marijuana usage was associated with depressed CD4+ counts and elevated amylase levels within the DDI subgroup. The purpose of this study was to follow these patients over 1 year and compare clinical indicators of pancreatitis and HIV progression. After 1 year, the remaining 56 patients were reexamined in the follow-up portion for clinical indicators of HIV disease progression and pancreatoxic/hepatotoxic effects. Those in the AZT group, who remained on this therapy throughout the year, had significantly increased amylase values from 55.3 to 69.3 IU/liter (p < 0.05). In the AZT/DDC group, those who remained on combination therapy throughout the year, 4 of the 5 clinical indicators of disease progression changed. Amylase, ALT, and AST all increased significantly from 55.2 to 77.8 IU/liter (p < 0.01), from 38.0 to 92.3 IU/liter (p < 0.05), and from 55.2 to 97.0 IU/liter (p < 0.05), respectively. Lipase levels decreased significantly (106.0 to 74.6 IU/liter, p < 0.05). The most remarkable changes occurred in the AZT/DDC group (who reduced ethanol consumption), wherein clinical indicators of pancreatitis and liver dysfunction declined, including amylase (65.0 to 20.0 IU/liter, p < 0.05), ALT (350.0 to 100.0 IU/liter, p < 0.01), and AST (240.0 to 95.0 IU/liter, p < 0.01). No significant changes were noted in the DDI or AZT groups. Marinol/marijuana use was associated with declining health status in both the AZT and AZT/DDC groups. In contrast, all clinical indicators of pancreatitis improved in the DDI patients who utilized Marinol/marijuana, including amylase (-34%), lipase (-30.8%), ALT (-21.4%), and AST (-20.1%). This paired follow-up study suggests that HIV+/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapies should restrict their ethanol consumption. In HIV+/AIDS patients with the lowest CD4+ counts (those on DDI monotherapy), utilization of Marinol/marijuana does not seem to have a deleterious impact.