The Role of Drugs in AIDS

1/10/93 Ms. No. T1867

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alternative proposal that HIV-induced immunodeficiency was responsible for
the lymphomas (67) is unlikely, since cancers do not reflect a defective
immune system (2, 69).
(vi) Ten out of 11 HIV-positive AZT-treated AIDS patients recovered
cellular immunity after discontinuing AZT in favor of an experimental HIV
vaccine (70).
(vii) Four out of 5 AZT-treated patients recovered from myopahty 2
weeks after discontinuing AZT; two redeveloped myopathy on renewed AZT
treatment (71).
Drug use sufficient for AIDS indicator diseases in the absence of HIV.
(i) Among intravenous drug users in New York representing a
"spectrum of HIV-related diseases," HIV was only observed in 22 out of 50
pneumonia deaths, 7 out of 22 endocarditis deaths, and 11 out of 16
tuberculosis deaths (72).
(ii) Among 54 prisoners with tuberculosis in New York State 47 were
street-drug users but only 24 were infected with HIV (73).
(iii) In a group of 21 heroin addicts the ratio of helper to suppressor Tcells declined within 13 years from a normal of 2 to less than 1, which is
typical of AIDS (5, 6), but only 2 were infected by HIV (74).
(iv) Thrombocytopenia and immunodeficiency were diagnosed in 15
intravenous drug users on average 10 years after they became addicted, but 2
were not infected with HIV (75).
(v) Lymphocyte reactivity and abundance was depressed by long-term
injection of drugs not only in 111 HIV-positive but also in 210 HIV-free
intravenous drug users from Holland (76).
(vi) The same lymphadenopathy, weight loss, fever, night sweats,
diarrhea, and mouth infections were observed in 49 out of 82 HIV-free and in