Harry W. Haverkos

Assessment of therapy for pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. PCP Therapy Project Group.

Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia has been recognized in about 60 percent of patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). The Centers for Disease Control, in collaboration with 19 medical centers, retrospectively studied 282 biopsy-confirmed cases of P. carinii pneumonia to determine the efficacy and safety of anti-Pneumocystis therapy. Adult patients with P. carinii pneumonia secondary to AIDS and to other known causes of immune deficiency were enrolled. AIDS patients experienced a longer time from onset to diagnosis. All patients received the standard treatments for their infections. There was no difference in survival rates through 90 days of follow-up between AIDS patients and adults with known causes of immune deficiency. However, AIDS patients required a longer duration of therapy and experienced a higher rate of relapse. Failure of therapy with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole was found to be a poor prognostic sign. After failure of trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, measures of patient outcome were similarly affected by adding or substituting pentamidine isethionate.

Acupuncture treatment for drug abuse: A technical review

Conflicting opinions exist regarding the efficacy of acupuncture for the treatment of substance abuse. On October 23, 1991, the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) sponsored a technical review to discuss this issue. The purpose of the meeting was to review the current status of research regarding acupuncture treatment for drug abuse and to propose directions for future studies. This report represents a summary of the meeting which consisted of presentations by individuals currently involved in acupuncture treatment and discussions by a panel of experts in the field of substance abuse treatment research.

The changing incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma among patients with AIDS

Kaposis sarcoma (KS), the most common cancer in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), occurs predominantly in homosexual men. However, the percentage of homosexual AIDS patients with KS has declined during the past 6 years. This and other findings suggest that one or more cofactors associated with the homosexual lifestyle, rather than a special viral strain, probably influence the development of KS in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Possible reasons for the decline include changes in homosexual behaviors, leading to the practice of safer sexual techniques, and a decrease in use of nitrite inhalants. Identification of the KS-AIDS cofactor(s) could be invaluable to developing prevention and treatment strategies.

Epidemiologic Studies of HIV/AIDS and Drugs Abuse

The HIV and drug abuse epidemics are intertwined, and drug abusers make up a significant proportion of reported AIDS patients. For a variety of reasons, it is difficult to collect and interpret data about each epidemic. It is even more difficult to determine the relationships between the two. In this paper, various epidemiologic studies in both fields are reviewed. Some strengths and limitations of those studies are discussed, and possible methods for improvement are identified.

AIDS Update: Prevalence, Prevention, and Medical Management

This article summarizes the epidemiology of AIDS and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among intravenous drug abusers (IVDAs) in the United States and discusses the status of approaches to prevent HIV infection and to treat AIDS patients. Finally, the status of research of selected community-based prevention programs, such as needle-exchange programs and programs distributing bleach to IVDAs for needle and syringe cleaning, will be reviewed.