Troy Stokes 512-472-3784 (CS_STOKES@SWTEXAS) (06/30/89)
[Via AIDSNEWS => SCI.MED.AIDS gateway.] I need to know if any commercial labs in the United States do concentration assays of AZT(Retrovir) from blood specimens. Ditto for viral cultures of HIV (by detection of R. Transcriptase). These are urgent questions for me as I have been taking AZT at high dose (200 mg very 4hrs) since October 1, 1988. I am still P-24 antigen positive with T-4 counts around 60. If the AZT concentrations are too low, a stratagem would be to increase the dose. If not, adding Zovirax might be the way to go. Currently I show no signs of AZT toxicity. The problem is that the only way my doc knows to order these tests is to send them to some bigwig at Burroughs-Wellcome. It has been a week since I saw my doc and we still don't know which bigwig. I shudder to contemplate the turn time. I believe that social factors might have caused the typical subject in the AZT trials to weigh about 140lbs, on the average. I weigh 190. Any interesting articles out there about body weight and AZT dosage? Thanks---Troy Stokes