A Randomized, Double Blind, Comparative Study of Dideoxycytidine (ddC) Alone or ddC/AZT Combination Versus Zidovudine (ZDV) Alone in Patients With HIV Infection Who Have Received Prior ZDV Therapy

Summary

To evaluate the safety of zalcitabine (dideoxycytidine; ddC) alone and in combination with zidovudine (AZT) versus AZT alone when administered to asymptomatic patients with a CD4 count = or \< 200 cells/mm3 and symptomatic patients with a CD4 count = or \< 300 cells/mm3. To compare the effectiveness of ddC alone and in combination with AZT versus AZT alone. ddC has been shown to demonstrate an antiviral effect. AZT has been shown to significantly decrease mortality and reduce the frequency of opportunistic infections in patients with AIDS or advanced ARC. After 1 year of AZT therapy, the effectiveness tends to diminish and patients progress with more opportunistic infections and higher mortality rates. Because of the demonstrated antiviral activity, absence of hematologic toxicity, and lack of cross tolerance in laboratory studies of ddC, a study to investigate the long-term effectiveness of ddC in patients with HIV infection who have received AZT therapy is warranted.

Timeline

Start

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Primary completion

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Completion

1993-05

Publications

• Background Blum AS, Dal Pan GJ, Feinberg J, Raines C, Mayjo K, Cornblath DR, McArthur JC. Low-dose zalcitabine-related toxic neuropathy: frequency, natural history, and risk factors. Neurology. 1996 Apr;46(4):999-1003. doi: 10.1212/wnl.46.4.999.
• Background Fichtenbaum CJ, Clifford DB, Powderly WG. Risk factors for dideoxynucleoside-induced toxic neuropathy in patients with the human immunodeficiency virus infection. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1995 Oct 1;10(2):169-74. doi: 10.1097/00042560-199510020-00009.
• Background Fischl M, Collier A, Stanley K, Ardunio JM, Kazial K, Stein D. The safety and efficacy of zidovudine (ZDV) and zalcitabine (ddC) or ddC alone versus ZDV. ACTG 155 Team of the NIAID. Int Conf AIDS. 1993 Jun 6-11;9(1):68 (abstract no WS-B25-1)
• Background Keruly J, Kendig N, Feinberg J, Cotton S, Biggs M, Benjamin Y, Francis H, Wade W, Coplin M, Bartlett J. A model for conducting AIDS clinical trials in a state correctional system. Int Conf AIDS. 1992 Jul 19-24;8(2):B236 (abstract no PoB 3873)
• Background Johnson VA. Combination therapy: more effective control of HIV type 1? AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses. 1994 Aug;10(8):907-12. doi: 10.1089/aid.1994.10.907.
• Background Fischl MA, Stanley K, Collier AC, Arduino JM, Stein DS, Feinberg JE, Allan JD, Goldsmith JC, Powderly WG. Combination and monotherapy with zidovudine and zalcitabine in patients with advanced HIV disease. The NIAID AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Ann Intern Med. 1995 Jan 1;122(1):24-32. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-122-1-199501010-00004.
• Background Spino C, Kahn JO, Dolin R, Phair JP. Predictors of survival in HIV-infected persons with 50 or fewer CD4 cells/mm3. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr Hum Retrovirol. 1997 Aug 15;15(5):346-55. doi: 10.1097/00042560-199708150-00004.
• Background Zackin RA, Clark RA, Currier JS, Mildvan D. Predictive markers of HIV-related weight loss and determination of differences between populations with weight loss stratified by opportunistic processes. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 1999 Oct 1;22(2):189-93. doi: 10.1097/00126334-199910010-00012.

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