Behaviour of different clinical, immunological and serological parameters observed in a group of HIV positive patients during a 12 month treatment period with zidovudine.

During a 12 month open clinical trial, 14 patients (6 with AIDS, 2 with ARC and 6 with PGL) were continuously administered a daily 1200 mg dose of Zidovudine. Clinical course was correlated with a number of serological (HIV p24 antigen, p17 and p24 antibodies) and immunological (CD4 cell counts, serum neopterin and beta 2-microglobulin levels) parameters. All patients survived until the end of the trial: none developed major opportunistic infections, but 5 required an average of 7 blood transfusions each.

CD4+:neopterin ratio correlates with p24 antigenaemia in HIV infected patients.

In an effort to improve the Walter Reed Staging System (WR), which mainly relies on immune depletion parameters, by introducing viral replication and T-cell activation markers, we examined by p24 antigenaemia and serum neopterin levels (SNL) 72 HIV positive PGL, ARC and AIDS patients (11 of whom classified as WR 2, 21 as WR 3, 16 as WR 5 and 24 as WR 6). While CD4 cell counts, already weakly correlating with the WR itself, did not significantly differ between p24 antigen (p24 AG) positive and negative patients, striking differences between the two groups, especially in PGL patients (p less than 0.0001), were found as far as SNL was concerned.

HIV-related severe thrombocytopenia in intravenous drug users: prevalence, response to therapy in a medium-term follow-up, and pathogenetic evaluation.

Severe thrombocytopenia (TP) accounted for 5.3% of cases in a consecutive series of 380 HIV-infected intravenous drug users (IVDUs) at presentation. Forty-one of 53 subjects with severe TP showed haemorrhages and were treated as follows: ten were splenectomized, 17 were given high-dose intravenous immunoglobulins (HDIg), and 10 received anti-Rh(D) immunoglobulins (anti-Rh Ig).

Single-dose fosfomycin trometamol versus multiple-dose cotrimoxazole in the treatment of lower urinary tract infections in general practice. Multicenter Group of General Practitioners.

A randomized trial, comparing a single dose treatment of fosfomycin trometamol (FT, 3 g) versus a 3-times daily regimen of cotrimoxazole (CTX, 960 mg) was carried out in women with uncomplicated urinary tract infections. Of 36 evaluable patients, 19 were treated with FT and 17 with TMP. The bacteriological results after 4 weeks of follow-up were in the FT group (n = 19): cure in 17 (89%), and failure in 2 (11%).

A trial with ribavirin in patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex.

A therapeutic trial is described which concerns 6 patients with AIDS and 6 patients with ARC who were submitted to a 6 month course of Ribavirin. Ribavirin was administered orally as the following doses: 3.000 mg daily the first week, 2.

T-lymphocyte subsets and delayed type hypersensitivity as classification parameters for HIV infection among drug-addicts.

HIV selectively infects T helper lymphocytes, which play an essential role in cell-mediated immunity mechanisms. Impairment of these mechanisms can be evaluated, other than by clinical parameters, by testing lymphocytic subsets and cutaneous delayed type hypersensitivity. All these indices are used in the Walter Reed Foundation (WR) staging system, which includes the different stages of HIV infection.

Role of PMN's candidicidal activity in the pathogenesis of AIDS-related systemic candidiases.

Phagocytic and fungicidal activity towards C. albicans spores were tested in 9 patients with AIDS-Related Complex (ARC), but without Candida infections, and in 13 patients with AIDS and deep candidiasis. No significant differences were observed between the two mentioned groups as far as PMN's phagocytosis and killing were concerned.

Milan as possible starting point of LAV/HTLV III epidemic among Italian drug addicts.

Sera collected between 1978 and 1985 from 716 parenteral drug-addicts admitted to our Clinic with viral hepatitis were tested for antibodies to HTLV III. None of the patients was showing symptoms suggestive of LAV/HTLV III infection at the time of sera collection. Positivity for HTLV III antibody was found and confirmed (by ELISA) in 212 subjects (29.

Albendazole in the treatment of cystic hydatid disease.

Four cases of cystic hydatid disease treated with albendazole are described. The first patient had previously undergone surgical treatment with only partial removal of her hepatic cysts. The size of the remaining cyst resulted remarkably reduced after three courses of the drug.

Clinical and epidemiological aspects of the first 50 cases of AIDS in Milan.

Between April 1984 and December 1985, 50 patients diagnosed as AIDS were observed in our Clinic. Risk factors were homosexuality in 21 cases (42%), drug addiction in 20 (40%), homosexuality and drug addiction in 3 (6%), haemophilia in 1 (2%). In the remaining 5 cases the infection was acquired by vertical transmission in 2 (4%), by promiscuous heterosexual intercourse in 2 (4%) and by a single blood transfusion in 1 (2%).

[Transitory increase of OKT4+ lymphocytes in the peripheral blood of patients with lymphadenopathy syndrome treated with beta-interferon].

A therapeutic trial with IFN-beta (Hu. Interferon beta lyophilized, Sclavo S.p.

Epidemic of LAV/HTLV III infection in drug addicts in Milan: serological survey and clinical follow-up.

A clinico-epidemiological study is reported concerning a group of 306 parenteral drug addicts (PDAs), 71 of whom were affected with the lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS); all were followed-up between 1981 and 1984. Although full-blown acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) was observed only in one case, none of the other patients examined have undergone complete recovery so far. The results of our study point to a wide circulation of LAV/HTLV III among our group of PDAs, starting at least as early as 1981 and preceding by a few months the development of clinical signs and symptoms of LAS.

Attempt to treat acute type B hepatitis with an orally administered thymic extract (thymomodulin): preliminary results.

A double-blind trial with thymomodulin (TM) was performed in a consecutive series of 50 inpatients affected with acute type B hepatitis. Twenty-six randomly selected patients received TM (Leucotrofina, Ellem), 1 ampoule b.i.