Abstract
Twenty-eight patients with different stages of HIV infection who had not undergone antiretroviral pretreatment were treated with an escalating dose regimen of zidovudine (4 weeks 2 × 50 mg, 4 weeks 2×100 mg, 4 weeks 2×250 mg). CD4+ cell counts and p24 antigen levels were monitored every four weeks. Twenty-one patients were evaluable. p24 antigen levels showed a significant decrease after four weeks (p<0.01, Sign test, Wilcoxon matched pairs test) that was sustained until week 12 without a further significant decrease. CD4+ cell counts increased significantly within the first four weeks (p<0.01, Sign test, Wilcoxon matched pairs test). This increase was sustained until week 12 but no further significant increase was noted. Mean corpuscular erythrocyte volume values increased significantly after week 4 and continued to rise until week 12. These results demonstrate antiretroviral activity of a very low zidovudine dose, however low doses should not be used for treatment unless the clinical efficacy is shown to be equivalent to that of standard doses.
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Stellbrink, H.J., Albrecht, H., Plettenberg, A. et al. Antiviral and immunological effects of escalating low doses of zidovudine in HIV-positive patients. Eur. J. Clin. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. 12, 618–621 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973641
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01973641