acyclovir and Leukoencephalopathy--Progressive-Multifocal

To determine the efficacy of recombinant interferon alpha in the treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy associated with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).. Open label, uncontrolled study.. Neurological unit and clinical AIDS program, Boston City Hospital, Boston, MA.. Four consecutive AIDS patients with pathologically confirmed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy.. Each patient received alpha interferon for 4-12 weeks in a dose of 5-10 million units daily, administered subcutaneously. In addition, two of the four were taking acyclovir 2400 mg/day orally over the same period.. None of the patients showed any clinical response to the therapy; the mean survival was 14 weeks. No adverse effects of the treatment were encountered.. Despite anecdotal evidence that alpha interferon is effective in the treatment of progressive multifocal leukoencephalo pathy in non-AIDS patients, the experience of these patients suggests that the drug is of no benefit in AIDS-related PML.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Acyclovir; AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections; Humans; Interferon-alpha; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal

Topics: Acyclovir; Adolescent; Brain; Herpes Zoster; Herpesvirus 3, Human; Humans; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Microscopy, Electron; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma; Tomography, X-Ray Computed