title: Clinical and immunologic evaluation of HIV-infected patients treated with dinitrochlorobenzene.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Promotion of cell-mediated immunity appears to be an important goal in the control of HIV infection. Topical dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) stimulates systemic cell-mediated immunity via the induction of cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our goal was to evaluate the clinical and immunologic effects of chronic DNCB application in a group of 24 HIV-infected patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We observed the patients for a mean of 28 months (range, 14 to 44 months). Of the 24 patients, 13 continued weekly DNCB application throughout the study (the compliant group), and 11 discontinued DNCB use after a mean of 10.9 months (the noncompliant group).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two of the 13 compliant patients progressed to AIDS; none of these patients died. In contrast, AIDS developed in 5 of the 11 noncompliant patients and four of these patients died. Analysis of lymphocyte subsets revealed significant increases in natural killer cells and activated/cytotoxic CD8 T-cell subsets in the compliant group. In contrast, these cellular immune-related lymphocyte subsets decreased in the noncompliant subjects. Although CD4 T-cell levels decreased in both groups, there was a significantly greater drop in the noncompliant patients. CD8+CD38+ T cells increased significantly in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chronic DNCB application appears to have a beneficial clinical and immunomodulatory effect in HIV-infected patients.
authors.affiliation: HemaCare Corporation, San Francisco, CA 94108.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Stricker
authors.forename: B F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Elswood
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dumlao
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Elk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Winger
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Epstein
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000276:immunology; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000032:analysis; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D004137:Dinitrochlorobenzene