View clinical trials related to HIV Infections.
Filter by:To determine if the pharmacokinetics of low doses of zidovudine (AZT) (that is, how fast AZT reaches the blood, what concentration of AZT is attained in the blood, and how long AZT remains in the blood) changes from day-to-day in the same patient. Also to determine whether the pharmacokinetics of AZT is changed by sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMX/TMP) given at the same time or whether the pharmacokinetics of SMX/TMP is altered by AZT therapy. AZT has been effective in treating some patients with AIDS, and SMX/TMP is an antibiotic combination which is useful in preventing or treating Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), which is an important cause of disease and death in patients with AIDS. It is important to know how drugs interact in patients because addition of a second drug may change the speed at which a drug is eliminated from the body, and cause increased toxic effects or decreased therapeutic effects.
To determine if zidovudine (AZT) and acetaminophen (APAP) interact when given to the same patient, and if so, the manner of interaction. Patients with AIDS often require therapy with painkillers for the management of mild pain and discomfort associated with their disease, and APAP is often prescribed. AZT is being used to treat AIDS patients. It is important for doctors to understand how AZT and APAP may interact when given to the same patient, because other studies have suggested that the dosage of AZT may have to be adjusted when given with APAP in order to avoid or minimize adverse effects.
This study compares three different therapies for treatment of refractory Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients with AIDS. "Refractory" means that the patient has failed to respond to at least 4 days of treatment with either of two standard therapies: (1) sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (SMX/TMP) or (2) pentamidine (PEN). This study compares therapy with trimetrexate (TMTX) and leucovorin (LCV) to standard therapy and standard therapy plus high-dose steroids (methylprednisolone). The purpose is to find better and safer forms of treatment for PCP in AIDS patients. There is at present no scientific information about the best treatment for an AIDS patient with PCP who is not improving while receiving the standard therapies (SMX/TMP or PEN). New drug treatments are available, including steroid therapy and TMTX, but there is no information proving that these new treatments work better than the standard therapies.
To determine the toxicity of low dose foscarnet administered for 4 weeks to HIV infected patients who are asymptomatic, have AIDS, or other HIV associated conditions and a CD4+ lymphocyte count < 500 cells/mm3. To obtain preliminary efficacy data. Although zidovudine (AZT) has been effective in treating some AIDS patients, AZT has toxic effects in many patients and other means of treating HIV-infected persons need to be evaluated. In vitro (test tube) studies have shown that the human herpes viruses are inhibited by foscarnet and that a number of retroviruses, including HIV, are sensitive to it. It is hoped that treatment of HIV-infected individuals with foscarnet during an early phase of HIV infections will reduce the risk of developing AIDS.
To evaluate the short-term effects of administering zidovudine ( AZT ) at the same time with increasing doses of aldesleukin ( interleukin-2; IL-2 ) in patients with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy syndrome ( PGL ). The effects to be studied include safety or toxicity, how quickly the drugs are used in the body, effects on the immune system, effects on HIV, concentrations in body fluids, and how quickly the drugs are cleared by the kidneys. The trial will establish the maximum tolerated dose ( MTD ) and will be a pilot study to determine the dose that has the greatest effect in the immune system. AZT has been shown to be effective in HIV-related disease. IL-2 has been shown to increase immune responses and correct immune problems caused by HIV in the test tube. IL-2 has also been effective in treating Kaposi's sarcoma in a number of patients. Because of the clinical activities of these two drugs and because their toxicities and mechanisms of action do not overlap, it may be beneficial to combine the two drugs with their antiviral and immune stimulatory effects.
To determine if the drug combination sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (SMX-TMP), given by mouth, and the drug pentamidine (PEN), given by inhaled aerosol, are effective in preventing a relapse of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) when they are given to patients who have recovered from a first episode of PCP and are being given zidovudine (AZT) to treat primary HIV infection. AZT prolongs survival in patients with AIDS and decreases the occurrence of opportunistic infections such as PCP. However, PCP recurs in about 43 percent of patients receiving AZT, indicating a need for other treatments to reduce the relapse rate. The two medications to be tested in this study, SMX/TMP and aerosolized PEN, have also been partially effective in preventing recurrence of PCP. It is hoped that the combination of AZT with these medications will be more effective than AZT or one of the medications alone.
To explore the safety and usefulness of foscarnet, an antiviral agent, in the treatment of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis. Untreated CMV retinitis is a rapidly progressive, blinding disease in AIDS patients. The manner in which foscarnet breaks down in the body and the effect of increasing periodic intravenous doses are also studied. Foscarnet is active in vitro (test tube) against herpes viruses, including CMV, by inhibiting the virus DNA polymerases, enzymes necessary for virus replication, without affecting cellular DNA polymerases. Opportunistic CMV disease in AIDS is usually seen as retinitis, colitis, esophagitis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, encephalitis, or pneumonia. Ganciclovir has been used to treat AIDS patients with CMV disease but can cause severe neutropenia (very low neutrophil cell counts). Foscarnet does not suppress the production of neutrophils or other leukocytes (myelosuppression) and has shown in vitro activity against HIV.
To evaluate the safety and toxicity of combination therapy for AIDS-associated Kaposi's sarcoma with zidovudine (AZT) and two kinds of interferon alpha. The two kinds are interferon alpha (IFN-A) and interferon alpha-2A (recombinant) (IFN-A2A). To define the pharmacokinetics of both AZT and IFN-A or IFN-A2A when given in combination; to define the maximum tolerated dose of each drug in combination and to define doses to be used in Phase II trials. AZT has been found to inhibit both the in vitro (in test tube) and cell killing effects of HIV, and both interferons (IFN-A and IFN-A2A) have shown antiviral and antitumor effect in Kaposi's sarcoma. It is reasonable to assume that a synergistic effect and enhanced antitumor response may be seen with combination therapy. A study to evaluate the safety and efficacy of AZT in combination with IFN-A or IFN-A2A is warranted.
To study the safety and effectiveness of trimetrexate (TMTX) plus leucovorin calcium rescue (LCV) in the treatment of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in patients who have AIDS, patients who are HIV positive, or those for whom laboratory confirmation of HIV infection has not yet been established if they are at high risk for HIV infection, and who have not responded to standard treatments or who have demonstrated severe or life-threatening intolerance to both conventional therapies for PCP. The drugs trimethoprim / sulfamethoxazole (TMP / SMX) and pentamidine, usually used to treat PCP in AIDS patients, have proven ineffective in many patients and have had to be discontinued in many other patients because of severe side effects. TMTX was chosen for this trial because it was found to be very active against the PCP organism in laboratory tests and, in a preliminary trial in combination with LCV, there was a high response rate without severe toxicity.
To determine the safety and toxicity of high-dose systemic methotrexate (MTX) and dexamethasone (DEX) combined with zidovudine (AZT) and brain irradiation in patients with AIDS-related primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and to determine response rates and survival of treated patients. Also to determine if the treatment inhibits HIV replication in patients who are HIV culture and/or antigen positive and to assess the incidence of opportunistic infection in these patients Results of radiation given to patients with AIDS-related high-grade CNS lymphoma have been disappointing, with short survival times due to infection complications. However, complete response has been documented after radiation in some patients. High-dose MTX will be used to improve the possibility of a greater antineoplastic response than that obtained by radiation alone. Since the underlying immunodeficiency state is not affected by therapy directed against the lymphoma, patients are still prone to life-threatening opportunistic infections or relapse of lymphomatous disease within the CNS. Accordingly, AZT will also be used in an attempt to alter the overall natural history of the disease.