Serum 2-Microglobulin Decreases in Patients with AIDS or ARC Treated with Azidothymidine

Abstract

Abnormally elevated serum β₂-microglobulin has been associated with progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease and could reflect in vivo HIV activity. We prospectively studied the effect of azidothymidine therapy on serum β₂-microglobulin concentration in 41patients with AIDS or AIDS-related complex. Median β₂-microglobulin concentration decreased from 4.02 mg/L before therapy to 3.73 mg/L at week 24 of therapy (P = .016). Individual changes in β₂-microglobulin during azidothymidine therapy correlated with changes in serum HIV p24 antigen (Spearman, r = .42, P = .007). Also, in a randomized placebo-controlled study, median β₂-microglobulin concentration decreased after 16w of therapy in 5 azidothymidine-treated patients compared with levels in 7 placebo-treated controls (P = .05). Serum β₂-microglobulin appears to be a sensitive marker for in vivo antiretroviral drug activity and may be a better marker than serum p24 antigen for early intervention trials involving antiretroviral agents.