Calcium tablets taken twice daily appear to have a dramatic impact on nelfinavir-related diarrhoea, doctors from Texas reported at last week's ICAAC conference in San Francisco.
A small 15 person open-label study tested the effectiveness of 500mg calcium twice daily in patients reporting nelfinavir-related diarrhoea which had been poorly controlled with standard anti-diarrhoeal medications. 40% had grade 1 diarrhoea, 47% grade 2 and 13% grade 3 (severe). After a minimum of 48 hours calcium treatment, all reported significant improvement in their symptoms as measured by 6 parameters. 87% reported normal stools and 13% reported grade 1 diarrhoea.
A study of psyllium husk fibre bars for the control of PI-associated diarrhoea reported similar encouraging results. 13/14 individuals reported improved symptoms after taking two bars one hour before bedtime; the mean severity of diarrhoea declined from grade 1.78 (verging on moderate) at baseline to 0.93 (mild) after two weeks, and the treatment was well tolerated.
References
Perez-Rodriguez E et al. The role of calcium supplements in the treatment of nelfinavir-associated diarrhoea. 39th ICAAC, San Francisco, abstract 1308, 1999.
Ronagh T et al. Psyllium husk fibre bars are efficacious in the treatment of protease inhibitor (PI)-induced diarrhoea. 39th ICAAC, San Francisco, abstract 1307, 1999.