Zidovudine Trial Adds Nothing New

The use of Wellcome's Retrovir (zidovudine) at 500mg/day caused a significant delay in progression to AIDS or death in asymptomatic HIV-infected patients, according to an analysis of the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG) 019 study presented at the 10th International AIDS conference in Yokohama, Japan.

However, the researchers note that "the durability of this benefit has not been determined," given that the analysis also also indicated a decreasing plac-ebo/zidovudine relative risk with duration of use, suggesting a nonpermanent effect.

Paul Volberding of the University of California comments that although a significant benefit can be observed, it does not appear to last longer than one or two years in most subjects. He adds that the results do not directly conflict with those of other clinical trials of zidovudine in asymptomatic or mildly-symptomatic HIV infection (such as the Concorde trial; Marketletters passim).