Zidovudine improves psoriasis in human immunodeficiency virus-positive males.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can develop severe psoriasis, which is difficult to treat using conventional therapy. Anecdotal case reports have suggested that administration of zidovudine can improve psoriasis in the HIV-infected patient. An open-label study was conducted to determine the safety and effectiveness of zidovudine therapy in 24 patients with HIV-associated psoriasis and to correlate response with laboratory and clinical variables. RESULTS Of 19 evaluable patients, 90% had either partial (58%) or complete (32%) improvement of their HIV-associated psoriasis during zidovudine therapy. Greater than 75% reduction in the body surface area involved was positively associated with antigenemia and an age younger than 30 years. CONCLUSIONS Zidovudine therapy, at a dosage of 1200 mg/d, appears to be beneficial in the treatment of HIV-associated psoriasis, although long-term relapses occurred and the associated arthritis did not improve.

[1]  S L Zeger,et al.  The effects on survival of early treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection. , 1992, The New England journal of medicine.

[2]  E. Tschachler,et al.  UV activation of human immunodeficiency virus gene expression in transgenic mice , 1992, Journal of virology.

[3]  B. Bonnekoh,et al.  Antiproliferative potential of zidovudine in human keratinocyte cultures. , 1991, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[4]  C. Rosen,et al.  In vivo activation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat by UV type A (UV-A) light plus psoralen and UV-B light in the skin of transgenic mice , 1991, Journal of virology.

[5]  L. Smith,et al.  Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transcripts identified in HIV-related psoriasis and Kaposi's sarcoma lesions. , 1991, The Journal of clinical investigation.

[6]  B. Zmudzka,et al.  ACTIVATION OF HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS BY ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION , 1990, Photochemistry and photobiology.

[7]  M. Duvic,et al.  Immunology of AIDS related to psoriasis. , 1990, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[8]  J. Reveille,et al.  Human immunodeficiency virus-associated psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and Reiter's syndrome: a disease continuum? , 1990, Arthritis and rheumatism.

[9]  James T. Elder,et al.  UM4D4+ (CDw60) T cells are compartmentalized into psoriatic skin and release lymphokines that induce a keratinocyte phenotype expressed in psoriatic lesions. , 1990, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[10]  K. Wolff,et al.  Langerhans cells in HIV-1 infection. , 1990, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[11]  S W Lagakos,et al.  Zidovudine in Asymptomatic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection , 1990 .

[12]  J. Voorhees,et al.  Psoriatic epidermal cells demonstrate increased numbers and function of non-Langerhans antigen-presenting cells. , 1989, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[13]  J. Leonard,et al.  Development of disease and virus recovery in transgenic mice containing HIV proviral DNA. , 1988, Science.

[14]  C. Debouck,et al.  Activation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by DNA damage in human cells , 1988, Nature.

[15]  J. Burry.  Placebos and psoriasis , 1988, The Medical journal of Australia.

[16]  I. Frazer,et al.  AIDS‐associated psoriasis responds to azidothymidine , 1988, The Medical journal of Australia.

[17]  Ulrich Hohenleutner,et al.  TREATMENT OF HIV-INDUCED RETINOID-RESISTANT PSORIASIS WITH ZIDOVUDINE , 1987, The Lancet.

[18]  M. Duvic,et al.  Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-associated psoriasis and Reiter's syndrome. , 1987, Archives of dermatology.

[19]  M. Duvic,et al.  REMISSION OF AIDS-ASSOCIATED PSORIASIS WITH ZIDOVUDINE , 1987, The Lancet.

[20]  M A Fischl,et al.  The efficacy of azidothymidine (AZT) in the treatment of patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. , 1987, The New England journal of medicine.

[21]  M A Fischl,et al.  The toxicity of azidothymidine (AZT) in the treatment of patients with AIDS and AIDS-related complex. A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. , 1987, The New England journal of medicine.

[22]  Roenigk Hh,et al.  AIDS and psoriasis. , 1987 .

[23]  K. Wolff,et al.  Epidermal Langerhans cells--a target for HTLV-III/LAV infection. , 1987, The Journal of investigative dermatology.

[24]  J. Billings,et al.  Cyclosporine improves psoriasis in a double-blind study. , 1986, JAMA.

[25]  M. Duvic,et al.  AIDS exacerbates psoriasis. , 1985, The New England journal of medicine.

[26]  D W Barry,et al.  3'-Azido-3'-deoxythymidine (BW A509U): an antiviral agent that inhibits the infectivity and cytopathic effect of human T-lymphotropic virus type III/lymphadenopathy-associated virus in vitro. , 1985, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[27]  T. Waldmann,et al.  Qualitative analysis of immune function in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Evidence for a selective defect in soluble antigen recognition. , 1985, The New England journal of medicine.

[28]  L. Espinoza,et al.  Possible involvement of group A streptococci in the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis. , 1982, The Journal of rheumatology.

[29]  N. Breslow,et al.  Statistical methods in cancer research: volume 1- The analysis of case-control studies , 1980 .

[30]  R. Baughman,et al.  ACUTE GUTTATE PSORIASIS AND STREPTOCOCCAL INFECTION. , 1964, Archives of dermatology.

[31]  A. Fauci,et al.  Immunopathogenic mechanisms of HIV infection: cytokine induction of HIV expression. , 1990, Immunology today.

[32]  F. Díez,et al.  Zidovudine treatment of psoriasis associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. , 1990, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[33]  N. Sadick,et al.  Antipsoriatic effects of zidovudine in human immunodeficiency virus-associated psoriasis. , 1989, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[34]  H. Roenigk,et al.  Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) can exacerbate psoriasis. , 1988, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[35]  R. Winchester,et al.  Implications from the occurrence of Reiter's syndrome and related disorders in association with advanced HIV infection. , 1988, Scandinavian journal of rheumatology. Supplement.

[36]  R. Winchester,et al.  The co-occurrence of Reiter's syndrome and acquired immunodeficiency. , 1987, Annals of internal medicine.