Thalidomide data

A report in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that four weeks of the drug completely healed aphthous ulcers in 55 percent of patients with HIV, compared to 7 percent healing for patients on placebo. More comfort while eating also was reported by patients.

A small but statistically significant increase in HIV RNA was found in the blood. The clinical significance of this change is not known. Increased markers of activity of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) activity were found, and TNF can exacerbate HIV infection. ...