vasoactive-intestinal-peptide and AIDS-Related-Complex

Elevated plasma levels of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) (as assessed by a radio-immunoassay), were found in 7/11 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related Complex (ARC), evaluated because of prolonged intractable diarrhea with either an infectious (6 cases) or a non-infectious (5 cases) etiology. Six subjects have been treated with the somatostatin analogue octreotide, which gave both a favourable clinical response and a significant reduction in plasma VIP concentrations. Evaluation of plasma VIP levels may provide a pathophysiological basis for explaining the efficacy of octreotide therapy in HIV-infected patients suffering from both infectious and non-infectious refractory diarrhea.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Adult; AIDS-Related Complex; Diarrhea; Homosexuality; Humans; Male; Octreotide; Substance Abuse, Intravenous; Time Factors; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide