Effectiveness of Armodafinil for Treating Fatigue in Adults With HIV/AIDS

Fatigue is a common problem for many people with HIV/AIDS, interfering with daily activities and serving as a significant barrier to working among those whose health is otherwise stable or restored by antiretroviral (ARV) medication. Fatigue in HIV is associated with disability and diminished quality of life. It may be caused by ARVs or by the virus itself. A related study tested whether modafinil, of which armodafinil is an r-isomer, could reduce fatigue in HIV/AIDS patients. Armodafinil, believed to have a longer duration and greater effect than modafinil, will be tested on the same criteria. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either armodafinil or a placebo daily for 4 weeks. Participants randomized to active medication and who show improvements in symptoms will be offered armodafinil for an additional 12 weeks. For them, the study duration is 16 weeks. Participants who did not receive armodafinil will be offered armodafinil for 16 weeks. For these participants, the study duration is 20 weeks. Participants who did not benefit from armodafinil will receive alternate treatment options. All participants will have weekly study visits for the first 4 weeks of the study and biweekly visits for the remainder of the study. At each visit, participants will complete various tasks to determine cognitive function, and self-report scales will be used to determine symptoms of depression and fatigue. After completion of 16 weeks, participants responding to armodafinil will be transitioned to the publicly available modafinil over the course of 2 weeks.