Open trial of tacrine therapy in 70 HIV-infected patients

The purpose of this study consisted in following-up the biological and clinical parameters in HIV infected patients treated with tacrine (THA). THA (150-300 mg/d) was administrated to 70 patients (39 IVC I and 31 IVC II and III). Thirty-five were treated after discontinuation of AZT treatment and 35 as a first intention treatment. Thirty (43%) patients showed an increase in the CD4+ cell count by more than 50% relative to pretreatment levels and fifteen (21%) showed an increase of more than 25%. p24 antigenemia (Ag p24) became negative in eight of the twenty-seven patients who were initially positive, and decreased by 25 and 50% in nine and six patients, respectively. Ag p24 was therefore decreased in 80% of the patients. From a clinical point of view, there were two deaths (3%) and five opportunistic infections (7%). The treatment with THA was stopped in five patients because of side effects (nausea, rash). Neither hepatotoxicity, hematotoxicity, nor pancreatitis was observed during the THA treatment. In group II and III only two patients (6%) developed an opportunistic infection.