THE IMPACT OF ANTIVIRAL THERAPY WITH ZIDOVUDINE - A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON HIV-POSITIVE HEMOPHILIACS IN ITALY

Background The effects of zidovudine (ZDV) treatment on progression to AIDS are not completely dear. This study evaluated the effects of ZDV treatment on the progression to AIDS in HIV-positive hemophiliacs. Me thods. A retrospective study ws carried out on HIV-infected hemophilia cs: it included 238 individuals, 119 each from the treated and the non -treated groups. For the group receiving ZDV, we included those for wh om a CD4(+) count was available prior (median=1 month) to beginning th erapy. The cumulative incidence of developing AIDS was estimated by th e Kaplan-Meier method. To identify factors independently associated wi th progression to AIDS, a Cox proportional hazards model was used. Res ults. The cumulative incidence of developing AIDS at 8 years after HIV seroconversion was 10.4% [standard error (SE)=2.8%] for the treated g roup and 17.1% (SE=3.8%) for the non-treated group. The difference was statistically significant (p=0.01). By multivariate analysis, ZDV the rapy and CD4(+) T-cell count >200/mm(3) were the parameters independen tly associated with a slower progression to AIDS. Conclusions. Treatme nt with zidovudine seems to slow the progression to AIDS in HIV-positi ve hemophiliacs.