Pentamidine-associated fatal acute pancreatitis
A. Zuger, B. Z. Wolf, W. el-Sadr, M. S. Simberkoff and J. J. Rahal
Severe hemorrhagic pancreatitis developed in a patient with the acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) during pentamidine isethionate treatment
for Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Despite prompt withdrawal of
administration of the drug, the patient died of complications of
pancreatitis. Pentamidine is known to be toxic to pancreatic islet cells,
causing both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in clinical use. However, it
rarely causes symptomatic pancreatitis. A review of the literature
indicates that this is the second report of fatal pancreatitis associated
with pentamidine therapy.
