Other therapies for wasting

GMHC Treat Issues. 1995 May;9(5):7-8, 12.

Other therapies for wasting.

Smart T.

AIDS: Individuals with wasting syndrome lose muscle or lean body mass rather than
body fat. Several possible alternatives to the approved drugs for AIDS-related
wasting are discussed. Ketotifen, an antihistamine approved in Europe, is a TNF
inhibitor. Anabolic steroids are testosterone derivatives designed to increase
strength and muscle. Although there are anecdotal reports of success with these
steroids, their long-term safety and efficacy have yet to be established in
placebo-controlled studies. An ongoing study at Mt. Sinai shows a statistically
significant effect on lean body mass in the first twelve men to complete the
study. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a hormone produced by the adrenal gland.
Although its role in the body is poorly understood; it may have immunologic
effects, and appears to influence metabolism. There have been no studies of
DHEA's effect on weight or body composition in people with AIDS-related wasting.
A study combining ketotifen and oxymetholone, the oral anabolic steroid, was
presented at the Ninth International AIDS Conference. Preliminary data from a
study combining ketotifen and oxymetholone showed that 18 out of 22 patients
gained an average of 11.4 pounds after treatment of an average of 3.9 weeks.
Finally, a trial of smoked marijuana versus the oral drug marinol for
AIDS-related wasting syndrome may be canceled. The Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) and the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) rejected the
Community Consortium of San Francisco's proposal to obtain officially sanctioned
cannabis.