LACK OF ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ACYCLOVIR USE AND SURVIVAL IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS DISEASE TREATED WITH ZIDOVUDINE

To evaluate the association between acyclovir use and survival in pati ents with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection, observation al data from 1044 persons with AIDS or AIDS-related complex (ARC) and less than or equal to 250 CD4 cells/mm(3) following initiation of zido vudine were analyzed, Of these patients, 336 (32%) received regular ac yclovir (greater than or equal to 6 weeks in 2 months). There were no differences in mortality data between acyclovir users and nonusers ove rall or when analyzed from 1 year after first use of zidovudine, from time of AIDS in those with ARC at enrollment, from patients with AIDS or <100 CD4 cells/mm(3) at enrollment, or from patients taking acyclov ir for up to 10 months. Acyclovir use was associated with increased mo rtality (relative hazard, 1.28; P = .057) independent of herpesvirus i nfections and of other characteristics associated with mortality, In t his study, the use of acyclovir at doses for treatment of herpes simpl ex virus infection in combination with zidovudine was not associated w ith prolonged survival.