Effect of treatment with zidovudine on subsequent incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma.

Abstract

Despite much investigation of zidovudine, little has been reported regarding its effect on the development of most individual AIDS-defining illnesses, including Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). We used observational data from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS) to estimate the effect of zidovudine use on the subsequent incidence of KS. To do this, we examined and adjusted for predictors of zidovudine use. CD4 lymphocyte counts, the development of HIV-related symptoms and AIDS, and changes in these factors were important predictors of zidovudine use. We used these associations to control for confounding by these and other factors with the G-estimation approach. We found no evidence that zidovudine use affected the time to KS in the MACS; the point estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]) for increase in time to KS was zero (-28%-68%). The relative risk was 1.0 (95% CI, 0.54-1.84). Randomized trials suggest that zidovudine may prevent KS. We discuss possible explanations for differences between results.

• Authors: M M Joffe, D R Hoover, L P Jacobson, L Kingsley, J S Chmiel, B R Visscher
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 25 Issue 5 Pg. 1125-33 (Nov 1997) ISSN: 1058-4838 [Print] United States
• PMID: 9402370 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Anti-HIV Agents
• Zidovudine

Topics

• AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections (epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Anti-HIV Agents (therapeutic use)
• Cohort Studies
• Follow-Up Studies
• Humans
• Incidence
• Male
• Predictive Value of Tests
• Sarcoma, Kaposi (epidemiology, prevention & control)
• Zidovudine (therapeutic use)