title: Combined therapy in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children--a 4-year experience.
abstract: From 1988 to 1991 the long-term efficacy of a combined therapy with a polyvalent immunoglobulin/cytomegalovirus (CMV) hyperimmunoglobulin, oral low dose zidovudine, oral cotrimoxazole or inhaled pentamidine was investigated in three groups of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children. Group 1A consisted of three perinatally infected children with a CD4 cell decrease of > 400 cells/microliters per year. Group 1B were 17 perinatally infected children with a CD4 cell decrease of < 400 cells/microliters per year. Group 2 comprised eight haemophilic children infected by clotting factors. Despite combined therapy none of group 1A survived longer than 12 months showing a rapid loss of CD4 cell counts, progressive encephalopathy, wasting syndrome and severe bacterial, fungal and CMV reactivation. Under pure intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy severe bacterial infections were seen in 1 of 12 children in group 1B. The majority of these patients showed increases or stabilisation of length and weight percentiles. In this group low dose zidovudine therapy was of benefit in HIV-associated neurological symptoms. Nevertheless combined therapy could not prevent further deterioration of CD4 cell counts. In group 2 severe bacterial infections were not seen under IVIG therapy. In this group a temporary increase (6 months) of CD4 cell counts under IVIG/zidovudine combined therapy occurred. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis with oral cotrimoxazole or inhaled pentamidine successfully prevented PCP in all three groups. Under CMV hyperimmunoglobulin (n = 22), ten out of ten patients did not acquire primary CMV infection, whereas CMV reactivations mainly located in the CNS could not be prevented in 5 of 12 patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology/Oncology, J. W. Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Güngör
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Funk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Linde
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kynast
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Allendorf
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lotz
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ehrenforth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hofmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kornhuber
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kreuz
mesh_terms: D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000276:immunology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011020:Pneumonia, Pneumocystis / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; D016756:Immunoglobulins, Intravenous; C045781:cytomegalovirus-specific hyperimmune globulin; D015215:Zidovudine; D010419:Pentamidine; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination