Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole desensitization

Papakonstantinou G, Fuessl H, Hehlmann R. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole desensitization in AIDS. Khn Wochenschr 1988 66(8) 351-3. 

Finegold I. Oral desensitization to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. J Allergy Clin Immunol 1986 78(5 Pt l) 905-8. 

Patients with AIDS frequently have hypersensitivity reactions to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, including rash, neutropenia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome. Sweet s syndrome, and pulmonary infiltrates. It may be possible to continue therapy in such patients following rapid oral desensitization. 

A number of trials have confirmed the efficacy of desensitization with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in HIV-infected patients. Successful desensitizations, both rapid and slow, were achieved with success rates often in the 70-100 % range depending on the number of patients involved and the CD4h- and CD8h- counts. Desensitization seemed more often successful with lower CD4-I- percentages and CD4-i- CD8-i- ratios. 

Caumes E, Guermonprez G, Lecomte C, et al. Efficacy and safety of desensitization with sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim in 48 previously hypersensitive patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus. Arch Dermatol 1997 133 465 69. 

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