Abstract
Sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (ST) is used in the prevention and treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) infection today. However, the relevance of dosing regimens of ST and the preventive effect have not yet been clarified. Therefore, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had been treated with ST for the prevention of PCP at Saga University Hospital to investigate the rates and the types of adverse events, and analyzed the factors influencing the adverse events.
We compared group A (2 tablets twice-weekly) and group B (1 tablet once-daily). As a result of multivariate analysis and the relationship between background factors (age, sex, doses, concomitant drugs) and adverse events, the incidence of adverse events in group A was significantly lower than in group B (Odds ratio = 6.185, 95％ confidence intervals 1.128-33.900, P = 0.036). However, there was no difference in the prophylactic effects of PCP between the two groups.
In conclusion, ST should be reduced or discontinued early before adverse events develop, when selecting an ST regimen of 1 tablet once-daily as PCP prophylaxis.
