The aims of this study are to: 1) Identify and describe the frequency, severity, duration, and impact of fatigue reported by HIV-infected individuals during and between cycles of investigational IL-2 therapy; 2) Evaluate selected physiologic and psychosocial correlates of fatigue in HIV-infected subjects receiving IL-2 therapy; and 3) Identify self-care strategies used by HIV-infected persons to minimize fatigue. Both concurrent and longitudinal measurement of study variables at specified time points are collected. A 1995 amendment added additional subjects to evaluate symptom burden in subjects receiving both IL-2 and TNF-alpha inhibitor. Data has been collected on 62 subjects: 28 on IL-2, 22 controls and 12 on IL-2 plus a TNF-inhibitor. Fatigue scores are significantly higher immediately after a course of IL-2, remain high one week later, and return to baseline by one month. Although fatigue is influenced by the dose of IL-2, there is no evidence of either a cumulative effect or tolerance with repeated courses of IL-2.
