TREATMENT OF EARLY AIDS DEMENTIA IN INTRAVENOUS-DRUG-USERS - HIGH VERSUS LOW DOSE PEPTIDE-T

This placebo-controlled, double blind, cross-over study tested the eff icacy of two different doses of Peptide T in the treatment of nine int ravenous drug users with early AIDS dementia who were also receiving m ethadone and AZT. Subjects received Peptide T doses of either 15 or 1. 5 mg daily for four weeks. Neuropsychological performance improved in four of five patients treated with the high dose, but at the lower dos e, three of four patients showed no improvement on Peptide T when comp ared with placebo. When subjects who received the high dose were compa red with those who received the low dose, a significant dose effect wa s found only during the active phase of the trial even after correctio n for differences in level of functioning at baseline.