title: Outcome of intervention with or without low dose oral interferon alpha in thirty-two HIV-1 seropositive patients in a referral hospital.
abstract: Thirty two critically ill patients were admitted to Kenyatta National Hospital with a diagnosis of HIV-1 seropositivity on both ELISA and Western Blot between October 1989 and January 1990. Sixteen of the patients received low dose oral interferon alpha while the other 16 patients received intensive supportive management alone. Of the 16 patients who received low dose interferon alpha, 14 were discharged from the Hospital within 2 to 4 weeks of admission in a reasonable state of health while two of the patients died after 18 and 42 days from the time of admission. All the 16 patients who received intensive supportive management alone were dead within 4 weeks of entering the Hospital, their mean (+/- SD) stay after admission being 8.6 +/- 6.8 days. These results suggest that low dose oral interferon alpha may be of value in the care of critically ill HIV-1 seropositive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Obel
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Koech
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I