AEGiS-GMHC: Treatment Briefs: Sulfasalazine Studied as HIV Treatment

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1994. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Treatment Briefs: Sulfasalazine Studied as HIV Treatment

Gay Men's Health Crisis: Treatment Issues - Volume 8 no. 6
David Gold

Researchers from Cabrini Medical Center in New York City report that four HIV-positive patients given sulfasalazine (SFSZ) had substantial increases in CD4 counts (Journal of Rheumatology 1994; 21:662-664). SFSZ is an approved treatment for a number of autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis. The four patients were all treated for Reiter's syndrome, an inflammatory joint disease that has been associated with HIV infection. After treatment for the syndrome, doctors noticed that mean CD4 cells increased in the patient group from 315 to 542. CD4/CD8 ratios did not change except in one patient, in whom it doubled. No antiretroviral treatment was used in three of four patients. The effect of SFSZ on viral load was not measured. Although no side effects were reported, SFSZ can be suppressive to bone marrow. With the results from this very small, unblinded study, the researchers are currently working with a manufacturer to develop a larger trial of SFSZ in people with HIV.

Copyright (c) 1994 - GMHC Treatment Issues. Noncommercial reproduction encouraged. Distributed by AEGIS, your online gateway to a world of people, knowledge, and resources. Direct Dial: v.34+: 714.248.2836; v.120/ISDN: 714.248.0433 Internet: telnet:aegis.com www: www.aegis.com
9408
GM080604

Copyright © 1994 - Treatment Issues. Reproduced with permission. Treatment Issues is published twelve times yearly by GMHC, Inc. All rights reserved. Noncommercial reproduction is encouraged. Subscription lists are kept confidential. GMHC Treatment Issues, The Tisch Building, 119 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10011 fredg@gmhc.org http://www.gmhc.org

AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, iMetrikus, Inc., John M. Lloyd Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2003. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.

AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.

Copyright ©1980, 2003. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. .