title: Persistence of Macrocytosis after Discontinuation of Zidovudine in HIV-Infected Patients.
abstract: The duration of macrocytosis after stopping zidovudine (ZDV) is unknown. Among 104 HIV-infected patients treated with ZDV for more than 1 year, 84 patients had macrocytosis at ZDV discontinuation. The median mean corpuscular volume (MCV) was 114.6 fL (range 100-128 fL). Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who did (resolved macrocytosis, n = 36) and did not (persistent macrocytosis, n = 48) normalize MCV at 3 to 6 months after ZDV discontinuation. Alcohol use ( P = .02), smoking ( P = .03), and lower (but within normal range) folic acid levels ( P = .05) were related to the persistence of macrocytosis. A persistence of macrocytosis was observed in 57% at 3 to 6 months, 38% at 1 year and 37% at 2 years after ZDV therapy had stopped. Duration of ZDV therapy did not have an effect on the persistence of macrocytosis ( P = .73). The median time for the MCV to normalize after stopping ZDV was 12.5 months.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, St Joseph Medical Center, Lewiston, ID, USA.
authors.forename: Inski
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Richard N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: 3 School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Alice C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Thein
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Myint
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004913:Erythrocytes, Abnormal / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D028761:Withholding Treatment; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D015215:Zidovudine
keywords: HIV; discontinuation; macrocytosis; persistence; zidovudine