Alopecia Associated With Zidovudine Therapy

The document described a case where a 33-year-old HIV-infected man developed alopecia areata after beginning treatment with zidovudine, a medication for HIV. The alopecia persisted despite a reduced dosage of zidovudine, but hair regrowth occurred after the drug was stopped, even though the patient's CD4+ count was zero. This case was notable because alopecia had not been previously reported as a side effect of zidovudine, and the patient's refusal to restart the medication prevented further investigation to definitively establish zidovudine as the cause. The authors noted that while zidovudine might promote hair growth in HIV patients with higher CD4+ counts, it could cause hair loss in those with advanced-stage infection, although the exact mechanism was unclear.