title: Decline of HIV antigen levels in cerebrospinal fluid during treatment with low-dose zidovudine.
abstract: 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.
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology; D015488:HIV Antigens; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013936:Thymidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015215:Zidovudine
chemical_list: D000956:Antigens, Viral; D015488:HIV Antigens; D015215:Zidovudine; D013936:Thymidine