Het effect van zidovudine op HIV-antigeenspiegels in het serum van personen zonder tekenen van HIV-infectie

- 18 men with longstanding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antigenaemia but no symptoms of ARCAIDS received zidovudine in low-dose regimens (250 mg 6-hourly, or 500 mg 12-hourly) with or without aciclovir. Serum HIV antigen rose in only 1 patient and declined significantly in 13 (to below cut-off values in 9). In the 1 subject in whom HIV antigen positive cerebrospinal fluid was obtained, the fluid became antigen negative after 12 weeks of treatment.

Aciclovir treatment alone or in addition did not seem to influence serum antigen levels. In 7 untreated men serum antigen levels rose or remained stable during follow-up. CD4⁴ cell counts increased in 1418 treated subjects and 17 untreated subjects. No disease progression was observed in either group. Regression of enlarged lymph nodes was seen in the zidovudine-treated subjects. Adverse reactions to the study drugs were infrequent and mild. Anaemia caused symptoms in 2, but serious leucopenia or neutropenia was not observed.