Objective: treatment of HIV-related vasculitis, avoiding prolonged immunosuppressive therapy.
Design: prospective pilot study of HIV-related neurological vasculitis.
Patients: two HIV-infected patients with histologically proven vasculitis.
Intervention: short-term corticosteroid followed by zidovudine combined with plasmapheresis.
Main outcome measures: clinical, biological, immunological and electromyographic evaluation.
Results: complete neurological recovery.
Conclusion: excellent tolerance and efficacy of combined zidovudine and plasmapheresis therapy in peripheral neurological HIV-related vasculitis.