THE EFFECT OF TENIDAP ON CYTOKINES, ACUTE-PHASE PROTEINS, AND VIRUS LOAD IN HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS (HIV)-INFECTED PATIENTS - CORRELATION BETWEEN PLASMA HIV-1 RNA AND PROINFLAMMATORY CYTOKINE LEVELS

Proinflammatory cytokines may be important in the pathogenesis of huma n immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HTV-1) disease. Tenidap decreases int erleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production by p eripheral blood mononuclear cells and decreases IL-6 plasma levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients, In this randomized double-blind study, 43 HIV-1-infected patients received tenidap (120 mg) or placebo daily for 6 weeks and then crossed over to the alternative therapy for an ad ditional 6 weeks. Mean entry CD4 cell count was 140/mu L. Analyses wer e performed on cytokines, acute-phase proteins, virus load, and CD4 ce ll counts. With the exception of small differences in plasma TNF level s, tenidap had no significant effect on these indices. Significant cor relations of plasma IL-6 and TNF levels with HTV-1 RNA were noted. Six patients discontinued tenidap due to rash, The effects of tenidap in HIV-1 infection contrast to results in arthritis patients, in whom ten idap decreased plasma levels of IL-6 and acute-phase proteins.