11th International AIDS Conference Vancouver, British Columbia — July 7-12, 1996

Int Conf AIDS 1996 Jul 7-12; 11:31 (abstract no. LB.B.6045)
Nabulsi AA, Revicki D, Conway D, Maurath C, Leonard J; Abbott Park, IL. Fax: (847) 937-1992. E-mail: Azmi.Nabulsi@Abbott.com.

The EuroQol is a multidimensional preference scale with a total summary score on global quality of life. The EuroQol is a generic instrument that is self-administered. It is comprised of five dimensions of health status (mobility, self care, pain, role function, anxiety and depression). The EuroQol questionnaire was administered to two patient populations as part of Abbott phase III trials on the protease inhibitor ritonavir. One trial included patients who were asymptomatic with CD4 counts greater than 200 cells/microliter (n=352). Patients were treated either with ritonavir alone, zidovudine alone, or the combination of both. The other trial included symptomatic patients with CD4 counts less than or equal to 100 cells/microliter (n=1086). Patients were treated with either ritonavir or placebo as an add-on to their existing therapy. At baseline mean EuroQol score for the asymptomatic patients was 87 (SD=12.1), and for the symptomatic patients the mean EuroQol score was 77 (SD=17.4). Mean EuroQol score declined for eight days after the initiation of active therapy for patients in both studies. By week 8, the EuroQol score was back to baseline level. By week 12, the three treatment arms for the asymptomatic patients had comparable EuroQol scores. After the first week of therapy, the symptomatic patients on the usual care arm showed a gradual decline in QoL while the ritonavir arm showed a gradual increase. At week 20, the usual care group reported a 1.8 point decline from baseline as compared to a 1.8 point increase to the ritonavir arm. The difference between groups is 3.6 points (p is less than 0.05) The EuroQol scale seems to be able to differentiate between symptomatic and asymptomatic AIDS patients. In addition, the scale was responsive to health related quality of life changes associated with the initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

960707
LBB6045

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