Interferon-alpha produces significant decreases in HIV load.
A randomized, controlled clinical trial was started in the pre-HAART era to compare the efficacy of zidovudine (AZT) and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) either alone or in combination to reduce HIV viremia, maintain CD4(+) cell count, and decrease time to AIDS progression and death. The purpose of the current study was to compare the effects of AZT and IFN on HIV load using modern technology. One hundred and eighty patients with CD4(+) counts above 500 cells/mm(3) were randomized to receive AZT alone, IFN-alpha alone, or AZT and IFN-alpha in combination. CD4(+) cell count and HIV load at baseline and at the last follow-up visit were compared, and time to AIDS or death was calculated by treatment group. At a mean follow-up of 45 weeks, the mean change in log HIV RNA was -0.06 for the AZT alone group, -0.47 for the AZT plus IFN-alpha group (P = 0.01 versus AZT group), and -0.35 for the IFN-alpha alone group (P = 0.02 versus AZT group). There was no significant difference among groups in change in total CD4(+) count or in time to AIDS or death. Since treatment with IFN-alpha produces significant decreases in HIV load, additional studies of IFN-alpha as part of a combination regimen are warranted.
Division of Clinical Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. jtavel@niaid.nih.gov
Jorge A
JA
Tavel
Chiung-Yu
CY
Huang
Jean
J
Shen
Julia A
JA
Metcalf
Robin
R
Dewar
Akram
A
Shah
M B
MB
Vasudevachari
Dean A
DA
Follmann
Betsey
B
Herpin
Richard T
RT
Davey
Michael A
MA
Polis
Joseph
J
Kovacs
Henry
H
Masur
H Clifford
HC
Lane
D000328:Adult; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006678:HIV / Q000502:physiology*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019562:Viral Load / Q000187:drug effects; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D016898:Interferon-alpha; D015215:Zidovudine