Survival and quality of life in HIV-positive patients treated with a polyantigenic immunomodulator.

A polyantigenic immunomodulator (PAI), previously known as polyantigenic vaccine, which consists of a mixture of antigens of inactivated bacteria with antigens of influenza virus in a peanut-oil-arlacel-A-aluminium monoesterate emulsion, increased tumor resistance and induced tumor regression in tumor bearing mice. This report presents clinical and laboratory data that demonstrate the effect of PAI in long term prolongation of disease free state in HIV positive patients. A total of 40 patients, 35 males and 5 females, with a mean age of 41.1 +/- 10.5 years, ranging from 28 to 68 years, HIV positive by (ELISA and Western Blot), with no restriction on the CD4 + T lymphocytes counts, were included in this open study. The PAI regimen was one subcutaneous injection per week for patients with < 400 CD4 + lymphocytes and one monthly injection for patients with CD4 + count > 400. All patients were monitored at different intervals for lymphocyte counts, clinical condition and treatment toxicity. After a follow up of eight years 81% of the patients were alive and 47% were free of disease. In patients without AIDS, the weight was 153.9 +/- 28 pounds pre-PAI and 164.6 +/- 27 (P = 1.2 x 10(-4); the CD4 + lymphocyte count was 795 +/- 421 pre-PAI and 585 +/- 279 post PAI (P = 0.08). In patients alive with AIDS, the weight was 159.5 +/- 32 pre-PAI and 163.9 +/- 32 pounds post-PAI (P = 0.8); the CD4 + lymphocyte counts was 491 +/- 255 pre-PAI and 298 +/- 142 post-PAI (P = 0.08); and five AIDS-related infections occurred in five patients. In patients who died the weight was 157.7 +/- 23 pre and 146.8 +/- 30 post (P = 0.10); and the CD4 count was 340.7 +/- 149 pre and 103.4 +/- 88 post (P = 0.0057). All died with infection. No toxicity with the use of PAI was reported. PAI improves disease free survival and quality of life in HIV + patients.