Augmenting the Magnitude of HAART-Induced Immune Restoration With the Use of Cyclosporine

The availability of HAART has substantially decreased the morbidity and mortality caused by HIV-1 infection. There is clinical and laboratory evidence suggesting that treatment of HIV-1 infection not only arrests the progressive immune deterioration caused by HIV-1, but also is associated with at least partial immune reconstitution. After starting HAART, most patients with chronic HIV-1 infection experience an increase in CD4 T-cells, but the magnitude of CD4 lymphocyte rise is highly variable. Patients who do not experience a substantial rise in circulating CD4 lymphocytes remain at risk for opportunistic infections. Strategies to enhance immune restoration in HIV-1 disease are needed. Studies have shown that immune restoration after HAART in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection is incomplete. There are, however, several potential methods that can be used that possibly may enhance the magnitude of CD4 lymphocyte rise induced by HAART. It is proposed that the lymphoid tissues, in which lymphocytes are trapped and activated to die, are a major site of immunopathology and cellular losses in HIV-infection. Interference with lymphocyte trapping and death in lymphoid tissues when cyclosporine, an immunosuppressant, is administered at the time of initiation of HAART may result in an enhancement of the magnitude of cellular restoration in patients who initiate HAART.

Patients are randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms:

Arm A: Weeks 1 to 2: abacavir (ABC)/lamivudine (3TC)/zidovudine (ZDV). Weeks 3 to 48: ABC/3TC/ZDV and efavirenz (EFV).

Arm B: Weeks 1 to 2: ABC/3TC/ZDV and cyclosporine. Weeks 3 to 48: ABC/3TC/ZDV and EFV.

Patients in both arms receive the following immunizations: Weeks 8 and 12: Hepatitis A vaccine inactivated and rabies vaccine.