A placebo-controlled study of memantine for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-associated sensory neuropathy

• Published in: Journal of neurovirology Vol. 12; no. 4; pp. 328 - 331
• Main Authors: Schifitto, Giovanni, Yiannoutsos, Constantin T, Simpson, David M, Marra, Christina M, Singer, Elyse J, Kolson, Dennis L, Nath, Avindra, Berger, Joseph R., Navia, Bradford, Group (ACTG) 301 Team, Adult AIDS Clinical Trials
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Informa UK Ltd 01.08.2006; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cranial nerves. Spinal roots. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system. Gustation. Olfaction; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists - therapeutic use; Female; HIV - growth & development; HIV Infections - complications; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Male; Medical sciences; Memantine - therapeutic use; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - drug therapy; Peripheral Nervous System Diseases - virology; Placebos; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral diseases of the nervous system; Immunopathology; Nervous system diseases; Retroviridae; AIDS; Neuropathy; Immune deficiency; Lentivirus; Infection; Virus; Memantine; Treatment; HIV; Viral disease; Placebo; Human immunodeficiency virus
• ISSN: 1355-0284; 1538-2443
• DOI: 10.1080/13550280600873835

Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most frequent neurological complication of HIV infection. Neuropathic symptoms vary from mild paresthesias to severe pain that respond only partially to symptomatic treatment. Forty-five subjects with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated symptomatic DSP (SDSP) were enrolled in a randomized, multicenter, 16-week placebo-controlled study of memantine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) uncompetitive antagonist. Although memantine was well tolerated, no trend toward clinical benefit was observed. Results were similar to those of other pilot studies of memantine for neuropathic pain unrelated to HIV, suggesting that memantine is ineffective for the symptomatic treatment of HIV-associated SDSP.