Low-Dose Oral Interferon Alpha in the Management of Symptomatic HIV-1 Infection

ABSTRACT

Objectives: To determine whether symptomatic HIV-1 infected persons will benefit from treatment with low doese oral interferon alpha (IFN). Study Design: This was a randomised ; double-blind; placebo controlled trial. Results: a total of 560 patients (45male; 55females) were enrolled between May 1991 and July 1992. At entry the baseline characteristic of age; WHO clinical stage; body weight; Karnofsky score and CD4+ cell count between the 2 groups were similar. Patients were followed up to between 30 and 60 weeks. Survival rates and disease progression was analysed using Kaplan-Meier estimation long-rank test and proportional hazards regression. Symptoms on follow up were analysed using logic regression and adjusted relative risk estimates. The details will be presented. Conclusion: The study did not reveal any significant differences between the group which took IFN and the one on placebo