Zidovudine for the treatment of HIV-negative patients with psoriasis: a pilot study.

Abstract

Zidovudine, an inhibitor of HIV replication, has been reported to improve psoriasis in HIV-positive patients. Our purpose was to evaluate the safety, tolerance, and effectiveness of oral zidovudine for treating psoriasis in HIV-negative patients in a small, open-label study. Each subject received 200 mg of zidovudine every 4 hours during waking hours, for a total of 1000 mg/day. Treatment was continued for 8 weeks, at which time the patient's response to therapy was evaluated. If a response was evident, treatment was continued for an additional 8 weeks. Clinical response was correlated with histologic changes in skin lesions at 0 and 4 weeks. Thirty-three percent of HIV-negative patients with psoriasis showed improvement by up to 80% after 16 weeks of therapy; decreased elevation and scaling of the psoriasis plaques were the most notable changes. No complete remissions occurred. This is the first report of the use of zidovudine to treat HIV-negative patients with psoriasis. Although zidovudine was well tolerated, it may be more effective in HIV-positive patients with psoriasis.