Failure to maintain high-dose treatment regimens during long-term use of zidovudine in patients with symptomatic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection

R. van Leeuwen, P. J. van den Hurk, G. J. Jöbsis, P. A. van der Wouw, P. Reiss, J. K. Eeftinck Schattenkerk, S. A. Danner, J. M. Lange, G. J. Jobsis

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Abstract

Long-term tolerance of zidovudine treatment was retrospectively analysed in 97 patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex. After one year of treatment 68% and after two years 87% of the patients had had at least one dose adjustment during their course of therapy. Myelotoxicity was the most common cause (58% of all cases) of dose reductions and therapy interruptions (dose adjustments). At the time of the first dose adjustment 33 patients (34%) were suffering from anaemia (Hb less than 6.0 g/dl), 20 patients (21%) from leukopenia (leukocytes less than 1.5 x 10(9], and 10 patients (10%) from thrombocytopenia (thrombocytes less than 75 x 10(9]. Fifty-six patients (57%) needed one or more blood transfusions during therapy. The median time from the start of therapy to the time of the first dose adjustment was 14 (range: 2-64) weeks in patients who had a first dose adjustment because of anaemia without co-existing leukopenia or thrombocytopenia, and 37 (range: 6-85) weeks in patients who had a first dose adjustment because of leukopenia without co-existing anaemia or thrombocytopenia (p = 0.01). Peripheral blood CD4 positive lymphocyte counts less than or equal to 100/mm3, anaemia, and CDC classification IV-C1 at the start of treatment were associated with a need for an early dose modification or blood transfusion rather than the need for dose modification per se
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)418-422
Number of pages5
JournalGenitourinary medicine
Volume66
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1990

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