The purpose of this study is to see if there are any changes in sugar and fat levels in the blood when patients take anti-HIV therapy for many years. Another goal is to test memory and mental concentrations to determine if anti-HIV drugs protect the brain from damage caused by HIV. (The purpose of this study has been changed from the original version.) HIV-infected patients with low CD4 cell counts are at risk for getting opportunistic (AIDS-related) infections. CD4 cells are cells of the immune system that help fight infection. Anti-HIV therapy may increase CD4 counts, which may lead to a decrease in AIDS-related infections. Problems that anti-HIV therapy is associated with include metabolic problems, neurologic problems, abnormal opportunistic infections, and cancer. Patients in ACTG 362 have been exposed to anti-HIV therapy longer than any other large group in the ACTG. These patients appear to benefit from their therapy, but also suffer problems from it. Observation of these patients should provide more information about long-term anti-HIV treatment and may detect unexpected problems. (This study as been changed. More information about the reasons for conducting this study has been added.)

Condition	Treatment or Intervention
Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection HIV Infections	Drug: Azithromycin

Further Study Details: 

Expected Total Enrollment:  636

The currently available data on clinical events in patients receiving potent antiretroviral therapy suggest that an alteration in the presentation of MAC disease may be seen and that rates of MAC disease may be reduced when patients respond to antiretroviral therapy. However, the extent of the protection and the timing of protection after initiation of therapy remain unknown. The current study should provide validated measures of immune restoration and clinical data to guide prophylaxis decisions for the many patients who are now responding to therapy after years of immune depletion. [AS PER AMENDMENT 11/16/99: The low rate of MAC in ACTG 362 patients after an average of 1 year of follow-up suggests that prophylaxis specifically for MAC disease with azithromycin is not necessary for patients who have experienced immune reconstitution. Prolonged follow-up will define durability of the antiretroviral response and the experience with opportunistic conditions, neurologic diseases, and survival, especially in those whose CD4 counts drop below 50 cells/mm3. It will also allow assessment of the levels of CD4 cell number at which vulnerability to opportunistic infection recur.] [AS PER AMENDMENT 03/18/03: During the extension of ACTG 362, serious complications of HAART have become better defined, including metabolic complications, neurologic problems, atypical opportunistic infections, and malignancies. Patients in ACTG 362 have been exposed to HAART longer than any other large group in the ACTG, and appear to benefit from and suffer complications of their therapy. Continued observation should provide estimates of expected complications and durability of long-term potent antiretroviral treatment, and may detect unanticipated problems.]

Patients are stratified at baseline for prior use of MAC into 3 groups: no prophylaxis, prior azithromycin prophylaxis, and other MAC prophylaxis. Patients are randomized to receive azithromycin (Arm I) or matching placebo (Arm II) once weekly and are followed every 8 weeks until study closure or for 18 months (72 weeks) after the last patient is enrolled. Patients who develop a drop in CD4 count below 50 cells/mm3 on 2 measurements at least 4 weeks apart are offered open-label azithromycin. [AS PER AMENDMENT 06/24/98: Patients remain on open-label azithromycin regardless of subsequent CD4 counts.] [AS PER AMENDMENT 11/16/99: The phase of Version 1.0 or Version 2.0 in which patients receive blinded-study medication is now referred to as Step I. The phase of Version 1.0 or Version 2.0 in which patients receive open-label azithromycin is now referred to as Step 2. Patients not currently on open-label azithromycin provided by the study enter Step 3 and discontinue study drugs, but remain blinded to the original treatment and are followed at 16-week intervals until study closure which will occur in April 2002 (3 years following enrollment of the last study participant). Any patient who develops a drop in CD4 count below 50 cells/mm3 on 2 measurements at least 4 weeks apart is offered open-label azithromycin. Patients currently receiving open-label azithromycin and patients from Step 3 who are initiating open-label azithromycin enter Step 4.] Patients undergo regular clinical and laboratory evaluations that include physical examinations, CD4 counts, and viral load. [AS PER AMENDMENT 11/16/99: Patients undergo clinical and laboratory evaluations every 16 weeks for 160 weeks that include physical examinations, CD4 counts, and viral load as well as neuropsychologic and cardiovascular assessments.] [AS PER AMENDMENT 01/18/01: All patients enrolled in the study are followed until April 2002.] [AS PER AMENDMENT 03/18/02: All patients currently participating in ACTG 362 are invited to continue follow up for an additional 5 years. Patients not currently receiving open-label azithromycin enter Step 5. Patients currently receiving open-label azithromycin enter Step 6, and continue to receive open-label treatment throughout the study. Any patient who enters on Step 5 and develops a drop in CD4 below 50 cells/mm3 on 2 consecutive measurements at least 4 weeks apart is offered open-label azithromycin and enters Step 6. Patients are assessed for metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurologic complications and are evaluated for opportunistic infections, CD4 counts, and viral load. Study visits occur at 32-week intervals until study closure.]

Ages Eligible for Study:  13 Years and above,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

Patients may be eligible for this study if they:

• Are HIV-positive.
• Are at least 13 years old (need consent of parent or guardian if under 18).
• Have had an increase in CD4 cell count from less than or equal to 50 cells/mm3 to over 100 cells/mm3 on 2 separate occasions, at least 4 weeks apart. (This reflects a change in the CD4 cell count requirement.)
• Are on anti-HIV therapy.
• Are currently enrolled in Version 4.0 of the study.
• (This study has been changed to include the enrollment of patients into Version 4.0 of the study.)

Exclusion Criteria

Patients will not be eligible for this study if they:

• Are allergic to azithromycin.
• Have had MAC disease.
• Have a history of tuberculosis (unless successfully treated and off anti-tuberculosis drugs for over 6 months) or other mycobacterial infection requiring chemotherapy.
• Have taken interleukin-2 (IL-2) in the past. (This study has been changed. Patients can now take IL-2 during the study.)
• Are taking certain medications.

Alabama
      Univ of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham,  Alabama,  35294,  United States
California
      Univ of California / San Diego Treatment Ctr, San Diego,  California,  921036325,  United States
      Stanford at Kaiser / Kaiser Permanente Med Ctr, San Francisco,  California,  94115,  United States
      San Francisco Gen Hosp, San Francisco,  California,  941102859,  United States
      Stanford Univ Med Ctr, Stanford,  California,  943055107,  United States
      Univ of Southern California / LA County USC Med Ctr, Los Angeles,  California,  900331079,  United States
      Harbor UCLA Med Ctr, Torrance,  California,  90502,  United States
      San Mateo AIDS Program / Stanford Univ, Stanford,  California,  943055107,  United States
      Santa Clara Valley Med Ctr / AIDS Community Rsch Consortium, San Jose,  California,  951282699,  United States
      Willow Clinic, Menlo Park,  California,  94025,  United States
Colorado
      Univ of Colorado Health Sciences Ctr, Denver,  Colorado,  80262,  United States
District of Columbia
      Howard Univ, Washington,  District of Columbia,  20059,  United States
Georgia
      Emory Univ, Atlanta,  Georgia,  30308,  United States
      Emory Hemo Comp Evaluation Clinic / East TN Comp Hemo Ctr, Atlanta,  Georgia,  303652225,  United States
Hawaii
      Queens Med Ctr, Honolulu,  Hawaii,  96816,  United States
      Univ of Hawaii, Honolulu,  Hawaii,  96816,  United States
Illinois
      Northwestern Univ Med School, Chicago,  Illinois,  60611,  United States
      Rush Presbyterian - Saint Luke's Med Ctr, Chicago,  Illinois,  60612,  United States
      Cook County Hosp, Chicago,  Illinois,  60612,  United States
      Louis A Weiss Memorial Hosp, Chicago,  Illinois,  60640,  United States
Indiana
      Indiana Univ Hosp, Indianapolis,  Indiana,  462025250,  United States
      Methodist Hosp of Indiana / Life Care Clinic, Indianapolis,  Indiana,  46202,  United States
      Division of Inf Diseases/ Indiana Univ Hosp, Indianapolis,  Indiana,  46202,  United States
Louisiana
      Charity Hosp / Tulane Univ Med School, New Orleans,  Louisiana,  70112,  United States
Maryland
      Johns Hopkins Hosp, Baltimore,  Maryland,  21287,  United States
Massachusetts
      Harvard (Massachusetts Gen Hosp), Boston,  Massachusetts,  02114,  United States
      Beth Israel Deaconess Med Ctr, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02215,  United States
      Beth Israel Deaconess - West Campus, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02215,  United States
      Boston Med Ctr, Boston,  Massachusetts,  02118,  United States
Minnesota
      Univ of Minnesota, Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  55455,  United States
Missouri
      St Louis Regional Hosp / St Louis Regional Med Ctr, St. Louis,  Missouri,  63112,  United States
Nebraska
      Univ of Nebraska Med Ctr, Omaha,  Nebraska,  681985130,  United States
New York
      Univ of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester,  New York,  14642,  United States
      Mem Sloan - Kettering Cancer Ctr, New York,  New York,  10021,  United States
      Bellevue Hosp / New York Univ Med Ctr, New York,  New York,  10016,  United States
      Mount Sinai Med Ctr, New York,  New York,  10029,  United States
      Cornell Univ Med Ctr, New York,  New York,  10021,  United States
      SUNY / Erie County Med Ctr at Buffalo, Buffalo,  New York,  14215,  United States
      Beth Israel Med Ctr, New York,  New York,  10003,  United States
      Community Health Network Inc, Rochester,  New York,  14642,  United States
North Carolina
      Univ of North Carolina, Chapel Hill,  North Carolina,  275997215,  United States
      Duke Univ Med Ctr, Durham,  North Carolina,  27710,  United States
Ohio
      Case Western Reserve Univ, Cleveland,  Ohio,  44106,  United States
      Univ of Cincinnati, Cincinnati,  Ohio,  452670405,  United States
      Ohio State Univ Hosp Clinic, Columbus,  Ohio,  432101228,  United States
Pennsylvania
      Univ of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania,  19104,  United States
      Univ of Pittsburgh Med Ctr, Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  15213,  United States
South Carolina
      Julio Arroyo, West Columbia,  South Carolina,  29169,  United States
Tennessee
      Univ of Tennessee / E Tennessee Comprehensive Hemophilia Ctr, Knoxville,  Tennessee,  37920,  United States
Texas
      Univ of Texas Galveston, Galveston,  Texas,  775550435,  United States
Washington
      Univ of Washington, Seattle,  Washington,  981224304,  United States

Study chairs or principal investigators

Judith Currier,  Study Chair
Allen McCutchan,  Study Chair
Susan Koletar,  Study Chair

Study ID Numbers:  ACTG 362
Record last reviewed:  August 2004
Last Updated:  April 7, 2005
Record first received:  November 2, 1999
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00000883
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2005-04-08