Luchi M, Warren K A, Saberhagen C, Hinthorn D
Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, USA.
J La State Med Soc. 1999 Feb;151(2):82-5.
We present a case of a patient with AIDS who developed a profound anemia caused by zidovudine, an important antiretroviral drug. In the setting of concurrent cytomegalovirus retinitis, the anemia produced transient visual loss that resolved with transfusion of red blood cells. Withdrawal of zidovudine resulted in a stable hemoglobin. This case describes an unusual manifestation of severe anemia. Anemia itself is a very common complication of treatment with zidovudine, one of the most commonly used agents in the treatment of AIDS. The relationship of profound anemia to transient visual loss and the role played by zidovudine in anemia in AIDS patients are discussed.
