New combination antiretroviral therapy may well offer considerable improvement in terms of CD4 responses and suppression of HIV replication. These benefits may be short lived, however, largely because of damage to the immune system induced by HIV in cells in lymph nodes and other centers of the immune system. The poor responsiveness of late stage HIV-infected patients to rhIL-2 is thought to occur because of low T cell regenertive capacity and high viral burden. If virus replications were effectively suppressed, the indigenous immune restorative responses of the host may be further stimulated and enhanced by rhIL-2. The use of protease inhibitors with nucleoside analog combination regimens appear to be most effective in controlling virus replications. High dose intermittent rhIL-2 has been shown to be effective in inducing CD4 responses. This trial will evaluate the effects of high dose intermittent rhIL-2 administered with a highly active antiretroviral regimen compared to the antiretrovial regimen alone.
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