Relation between CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels at onset of opportunistic infections

Article Abstract:

The amount of HIV RNA in the blood of HIV patients may determine which opportunistic infection they will develop, according to a study of 216 patients. Kaposi's sarcoma, oral Candida infection, and Mycobacterium avium complex infection occurred in patients with above-average HIV RNA levels, and varicella virus infection occurred in patients with below-average HIV RNA levels.

Health aspects, Risk factors, Viremia, Opportunistic infections, Complications

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Reduced frequency of HIV-induced brain lesions in AIDS patients treated with zidovudine

Article Abstract:

The drug zidovudine appears to significantly reduce the incidence of HIV-induced brain lesions and of severe dementia in AIDS patients. Of 202 people who died of AIDS, 82 were treated with zidovudine and 120 were not. The frequency of multinucleated giant cells (MGC), a sign of HIV infection of the brain, was 30.4% in treated patients compared with 48.3% in untreated patients. The combined frequency of HIV leukoencephalopathy and HIV encephalitis, both diseases of the brain, was 3.6% in treated patients and 8.3% in untreated patients. The greatest reduction in MGC frequency occurred six to 12 months after treatment with zidovudine was started, with no further benefits observed after longer periods of treatment. Among patients with HIV-induced brain lesions but no other brain diseases, 33.3% of zidovudine-treated patients had severe dementia compared with 73% of untreated patients.

Evaluation, Complications and side effects, Dementia, AIDS (Disease), Zidovudine, Brain diseases

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The 118I reverse transcriptase mutation is the only independent genotypic predictor of virologic failure to a stavudine-containing salvage therapy in HIV- 1- infected patients

Article Abstract:

The largely unknown determinants of virologic response to stavudine in patients infected with HIV- 1 failing on any antiretroviral regimen and starting a stavudine-containing regimen in the context of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is identified. The multivariable analysis shows that the 118I mutation (P= 0.04) is the only independent genotypic predictor of failing on a stavudine- containing HAART.Gianotti, Nicola

United States, Science & research, Research, Patient outcomes, Stavudine, Highly active antiretroviral therapy, Reverse transcriptase inhibitors

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