Leon D, Rodriguez MA, Rodriguez VM, Soto CA, Calderon M; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 349 (abstract no. 22425).
Facultad de Microbiologia U.C.R., University of Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica.
OBJECTIVES: To develop an alternative therapy for HIV+ patients that is less costly for developing countries improving life expectancy and quality of life. DESIGN: Phase II prospective study. METHODS: Adult male patients with CD4+ counts ranging from 600-9 were included. Evaluation of levamisole treatment was based in CD4+ and CD8+ counts and by clinical improvement of the patients. Renal and hepatic function tests were conducted to determine toxicity. RESULTS: Administration of a combination of levamisole and an antiretroviral drug as AZT and/or 3TC could act at three levels: a. Inhibition of the viral replication by the antiretroviral therapy. b. Inhibition of viral replication by the restored immune system due to the immunostimulatory therapy. c. Less secondary infections due to a more effective immune system and therefore a slower or non-existent progression to AIDS. Increases were observed in one patients receiving levamisole, AZT and 3TC from 9 to 429 CD4+ lymphocytes after 5 months of treatment and another one receiving levamisole and AZT from 270 to 415 CD4+ after 8 months of treatment. Additionally an experiment was conducted in 10 patients receiving only levamisole and the observed mean increase was from 551 to 722 CD4+ though further increases were not observed on the follow up. CONCLUSION: Levamisole is an excellent alternative treatment for HIV infected patients, increase in CD4+ lymphocytes is very significant and the cost of the treatment compared with available therapies is roughly a third.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- AIDS Vaccines
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Adult
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes
- Complementary Therapies
- Developing Countries
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Humans
- Lamivudine
- Longitudinal Studies
- Male
- Zidovudine
Other ID:
UI: 102228464
From Meeting Abstracts