AIDS · 1988 · 32 citations · 0 references
PharmacyInfectious DiseasesPharmacotherapyClinical NeuroscienceInfectious Disease PharmacotherapyNeuroimmunologyAntiretroviral TherapyAntiviral TherapyCerebrospinal Fluid ImmunologyHiv DiagnosisHuman Immunodeficiency Virus PharmacotherapyNeuropathology Of InfectionCerebrospinal Fluid SystemHiv Antigen DetectionHiv Antiretroviral TherapyNeurological DysfunctionPharmacodynamics Of Antiretroviral TherapySuppressionViral Replication ControlViral Replication Kinetics
Six HIV-antigenaemic patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex were studied to assess the effect of treatment with low-dose zidovudine (250 mg) in 6-hourly doses on HIV antigen (HIV-Ag) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). HIV-Ag was detected in CSF of three patients before treatment. These patients became CSF HIV-Ag-negative within 8 weeks of treatment. One initially CSF HIV-Ag-negative patient became strongly CSF HIV-Ag-positive during interruption of zidovudine treatment; CSF HIV-Ag disappeared again after treatment was restarted. None of our patients showed a significant neurological improvement during the study. These results show that low-dose zidovudine can suppress viral expression in CSF. Whether suppression of viral replication can prevent future HIV-related neurological disease remains to be investigated.