title: Efficacy, safety, and tolerance of low-dose, long-term interferon-alpha 2b and zidovudine in early-stage AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma.
abstract: Seventeen male homosexual outpatients with limited but progressive AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) of skin, lymph nodes, oral cavity, and gastrointestinum were consecutively enrolled in an open, nonrandomized, prospective study. Patients received low-dose IFN-alpha 2b (3 MIU t.i.w.) in combination with 250 mg ZDV b.i.d. After remission of KS, continuation of treatment as maintenance therapy was provided. Eleven (65%) of 17 patients had a complete (CR) or partial remission (PR) of KS lasting more than 24 months in four patients. Response to treatment was strongly dependent on pretreatment values of CD4+ lymphocyte counts, CR and PR occurred only in patients with pretreatment levels higher than 250 CD4+ lymphocytes per microliter. Treatment was generally well tolerated and without severe hematologic side effects attributable to the addition of IFN-alpha 2b to ZDV treatment. This study suggests that a combination of low-dose IFN-alpha 2b and ZDV is therapeutically effective and well tolerated in early stages of progressive KS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University, Duesseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mauss
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jablonowski
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D000328:Adult; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010157:Palatal Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D015215:Zidovudine