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Medical Uses

Special Populations

Pregnant Women

Stavudine is Pregnancy Category C, since there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in HIV-infected pregnant women.  However, there have been case reports of fatal lactic acidosis in women receiving combination therapy of stavudine and didanosine with other antiviral agents.  An Antiviral Pregnancy Registry have been established to monitor maternal-fetal outcomes of HIV-infected pregnant women on antiviral therapy. (www.apregistry.com)

Nursing Mothers

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that HIV-infected mothers not to breastfeed their infants, in order to avoid the risk of perinatal HIV transmission through breast milk.

Pediatrics

Stavudine is safe for use in children infected with HIV from birth through adolescence.  Adverse effects and safety profile were consistent with adults.

Geriatrics

There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of stavudine for use in HIV-infected adults aged 65 years or older.  However, from the Food and Drug Administration's Expanded Access Program with 12,000 geriatric enrollments, 30% of the patients developed peripheral neuropathy.  Additionally, since elderly patients are more likely to have decreased renal function, they are more likely to develop toxic side effects