title: Immunotherapy of HIV-infected patients with intermittent interleukin-2: effects of cycle frequency and cycle duration on degree of CD4(+) T-lymphocyte expansion.
abstract: The ability of IL-2 to induce expansion of the CD4(+) T lymphocyte pool has made it the most studied cytokine in the treatment of HIV infection. The majority of trials have used an empirical regimen of 5-day IL-2 cycles given every 8 weeks--a regimen based upon early pharmacodynamic studies and patient preference. To better define optimal duration and frequency of cycles, a randomized trial was conducted in which patients who received this "standard" regimen were compared to patients who received cycles of variable duration (based on individual patterns of cell cycle progression) and to patients who received cycles of variable frequency (based on individual CD4(+) T lymphocyte responses to previous cycles). Twenty-two patients with HIV-1 infection and CD4(+) T lymphocyte counts > 200 cells/mm(3) were randomized to one of three treatment groups for 32 weeks of study. Eight participants received four 5-day IL-2 cycles (controls) every 8 weeks; 7 participants received four cycles of longer duration (mean 7.7-days); and 7 participants received an increased frequency of 5-day cycles (every 4.1 weeks on average). All three groups experienced significant increases in mean CD4(+) T lymphocytes. However, there were no statistically significant differences in CD4(+) T lymphocyte increases between the group that received longer cycles (median increase 239 cells/mm(3), P = 0.78) or between the group that received more frequent cycles (median increase 511 cells/mm(3), P = 0.54) and the control group (median 284 cells/mm(3)). HIV-1 viral loads decreased during the study period in all three groups. Our inability to demonstrate a significant advantage of increased frequency or duration of IL-2 administration provides corroborating experimental evidence for the use of an IL-2 regimen consisting of 5-day cycles administered no more frequently than every 8 weeks in future clinical trials aimed at expanding the CD4(+) T lymphocyte pool.
authors: Critical Care Medicine Department, Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
authors: K D
authors: KD
authors: Miller
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Spooner
authors: B R
authors: BR
authors: Herpin
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Rock-Kress
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Metcalf
authors: R T
authors: RT
authors: Davey
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Falloon
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Kovacs
authors: M A
authors: MA
authors: Polis
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Walker
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Masur
authors: H C
authors: HC
authors: Lane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2