Acyclovir improves survival time. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023. NLM AIDSLINE Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1995. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

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Acyclovir improves survival time. Clearinghouse, P.O. Box 6003, Rockville, MD 20849-6003. 800-458-5231 ext. 5023.

Common Factor. 1995 Apr;(no 10):14. Unique Identifier : AIDSLINE AIDS/95700367

Abstract: Some clinical studies are indicating that acyclovir, combined with AZT, improves survival time for HIV-infected people, although exactly how acyclovir prolongs survival is not known. One study reveals a 26 percent decrease in the risk of death in persons taking both acyclovir and AZT. If acyclovir treatment was initiated after a clinical diagnosis of AIDS, the risk of death was reduced by 44 percent. These risk reductions are roughly equivalent to an increased survival time of six months to one year. Some researchers hypothesize that herpes viruses may be co-factors in the progression of HIV disease and that acyclovir suppresses herpes infections. A new clinical trial comparing low- and high-doses of a similar compound, valacyclovir, may shed light on this hypothesis.
Keywords: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome/COMPLICATIONS Acyclovir/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE/*THERAPEUTIC USE Clinical Trials CD4 Lymphocyte Count Drug Therapy, Combination Human HIV Infections/COMPLICATIONS/*DRUG THERAPY/MORTALITY Retrospective Studies Survival Analysis Zidovudine/ADMINISTRATION & DOSAGE NEWSLETTER ARTICLE

KWDacquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome/complicationsacyclovir/administration&dosage/KWDtherapeuticuseclinicaltrialscd4lymphocytecountdrugtherapy,combinationhumanhivinfections/complications/KWDdrugtherapy/mortalityretrospectivestudiessurvivalanalysiszidovudine/administration&dosagenewsletterarticle
951130
M95B0899

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