combivir

Important safety information

Hepatic decompensation, some fatal, has occurred in HIV‑1/HCV co‑infected patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy and interferon alfa with/without ribavirin. Discontinue COMBIVIR as medically appropriate and consider dose reduction or discontinuation of interferon alfa, ribavirin, or both. ( 5.5 ) • Exacerbation of anemia has been reported in HIV‑1/HCV co‑infected patients receiving ribavirin and zidovudine. Coadministration of ribavirin and zidovudine is not advised. ( 5.5 ) • Pancreatitis: Use with caution in patients with a history of pancreatitis or other significant risk factors for pancreatitis. Discontinue treatment as clinically appropriate. ( 5.6 ) • Immune reconstitution syndrome and lipoatrophy have been reported in patients treated with combination antiretroviral therapy. ( 5.7 , 5.8 ) 5.1 Hematologic Toxicity/Bone Marrow Suppression Zidovudine, a component of COMBIVIR, has been associated with hematologic toxicity including neutropenia and anemia, particularly in patients with advanced HIV‑1 disease. COMBIVIR should be used with caution in patients who have bone marrow compromise evidenced by granulocyte count less than 1,000 cells per mm 3 or hemoglobin less than 9.5 grams per dL [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )] . Frequent blood counts are strongly recommended in patients with advanced HIV‑1 disease who are treated with COMBIVIR. Periodic blood counts are recommended for other HIV‑1‑infected patients. If anemia or neutropenia develops, dosage interruption may be needed. 5.2 Myopathy Myopathy and myositis, with pathological changes similar to that produced by HIV‑1 disease, have been associated with prolonged use of zidovudine, and therefore may occur with therapy with COMBIVIR. 5.3 Lactic Acidosis and Severe Hepatomegaly with Steatosis Lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, including fatal cases, have been reported with the use of nucleoside analogues, including lamivudine and zidovudine (components of COMBIVIR). A majority of these cases have been in women. Female sex and obesity may be risk factors for the development of lactic acidosis and severe hepatomegaly with steatosis in patients treated with antiretroviral nucleoside analogues. See full prescribing information for EPIVIR (lamivudine) and RETROVIR (zidovudine). Treatment with COMBIVIR should be suspended in any patient who develops clinical or laboratory findings suggestive of lactic acidosis or pronounced hepatotoxicity, which may include hepatomegaly and steatosis even in the absence of marked transaminase elevations. 5.4 Patients with Hepatitis B Virus Co-infection Posttreatment Exacerbations of Hepatitis Clinical and laboratory evidence of exacerbations of hepatitis have occurred after discontinuation of lamivudine. See full prescribing information for EPIVIR (lamivudine). Patients should be closely monitored with both clinical and laboratory follow‑up for at least several months after stopping treatment. Emergence of Lamivudine ‑ Resistant HBV Safety and efficacy of lamivudine have not been established for treatment of chronic hepatitis B in subjects dually infected with HIV-1 and HBV. Emergence of hepatitis B virus variants associated with resistance to lamivudine has been reported in HIV–1-infected subjects who have received lamivudine‑containing antiretroviral regimens in the presence of concurrent infection with hepatitis B virus. See full prescribing information for EPIVIR (lamivudine). 5.5 Use with Interferon- and Ribavirin–Based Regimens Patients receiving interferon alfa with or without ribavirin and COMBIVIR should be closely monitored for treatment‑associated toxicities, especially hepatic decompensation, neutropenia, and anemia. See full prescribing information for RETROVIR (zidovudine). Discontinuation of COMBIVIR should be considered as medically appropriate. Dose reduction or discontinuation of interferon alfa, ribavirin, or both should also be considered if worsening clinical toxicities are observed, including hepatic decompensation (e.g., Child-Pugh greater than 6) (see full prescribing information for interferon and ribavirin). Exacerbation of anemia has been reported in HIV–1/HCV co–infected patients receiving ribavirin and zidovudine. Coadministration of ribavirin and COMBIVIR is not advised. 5.6 Pancreatitis COMBIVIR should be used with caution in patients with a history of pancreatitis or other significant risk factors for the development of pancreatitis. Treatment with COMBIVIR should be stopped immediately if clinical signs, symptoms, or laboratory abnormalities suggestive of pancreatitis occur [see Adverse Reactions ( 6.1 )]. 5.7 Immune Reconstitution Syndrome Immune reconstitution syndrome has been reported in patients treated with combination antiretroviral therapy, including COMBIVIR. During the initial phase of combination antiretroviral treatment, patients whose immune systems respond may develop an inflammatory response to indolent or residual opportunistic infections (such as Mycobacterium avium infection, cytomegalovirus, Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia [PCP], or tuberculosis), which may necessitate further evaluation and treatment. Autoimmune disorders (such as Graves’ disease, polymyositis, and Guillain-Barré syndrome) have also been reported to occur in the setting of immune reconstitution; however, the time to onset is more variable, and can occur many months after initiation of treatment. 5.8 Lipoatrophy Treatment with zidovudine, a component of COMBIVIR, has been associated with loss of subcutaneous fat. The incidence and severity of lipoatrophy are related to cumulative exposure. This fat loss, which is most evident in the face, limbs, and buttocks, may be only partially reversible and improvement may take months to years after switching to a non-zidovudine-containing regimen. Patients should be regularly assessed for signs of lipoatrophy during therapy with zidovudine-containing products, and if feasible, therapy should be switched to an alternative regimen if there is suspicion of lipoatrophy.