Inhalatory pentamidine therapy and the duration of the QT interval in HIV-infected patients

• Published in: International journal of cardiology 1997-05, Vol.59 (3), p.285-289
• Main Authors: Silva Cardoso, José, Mota-Miranda, António, Conde, Cecı́lia, Moura, Brenda, Rocha-Gonçalves, Francisco, Lecour, Henrique
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administration, Inhalation; Adult; AIDS; Antibiotic Prophylaxis; Antifungal Agents - administration & dosage; Antifungal Agents - adverse effects; Antifungal Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Chronic Disease; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Electrocardiography; Female; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; HIV-1; HIV-2; Humans; Inhalatory pentamidine; Male; Medical sciences; Pentamidine - administration & dosage; Pentamidine - adverse effects; Pentamidine - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - complications; Pneumonia, Pneumocystis - prevention & control; QT interval prolongation; Retrospective Studies; Torsades de Pointes - chemically induced; Torsades de Pointes - physiopathology; Toxicity: cardiovascular system
• ISSN: 0167-5273; 1874-1754
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-5273(97)02968-9

We evaluated the effect of chronic Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis, with a once a month dose of 300 mg of inhalatory pentamidine isethionate, on QT interval duration. We included 22 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients: 11 were on this medication and 11 were not. The two groups were matched for age, sex and HIV infection stage. No patient had any clinical condition or was under any medication known to affect the duration of the QT interval. The heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) was obtained by averaging the observations of three independent observers. QTc duration was similar in both groups. The time separating pentamidine administration and the performance of the ECG did not influence the results, neither did the duration of inhalatory pentamidine therapy. Our results suggest that inhalatory pentamidine does not prolong the QT interval duration and so, as opposed to what has been reported concerning intravenous pentamidine therapy, does not seem to induce an increased risk of torsades de pointes.