title: Antiviral effect of double and triple drug combinations amongst HIV-infected adults: lessons from the implementation of viral load-driven antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the antiviral effect and predictors of response to two- and three-drug regimens amongst antiretroviral-naive individuals using an intent-to-treat analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Suppression of plasma viral load to < 500 copies/ml.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 420 (264 double drug, 156 triple drug) individuals in a province-wide treatment programme were studied.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A decrease in plasma viral load to < 500 copies/ml was documented in 197 (47%) subjects. This was independently associated with a lower baseline plasma viral load (odds ratio, 3.67; 95% confidence interval, 2.13-6.30) and initiation onto a three-drug regimen (odds ratio, 3.86; 95% confidence interval, 2.24-6.66). Median plasma viral load failed to reach < 500 copies/ml and in fact rebounded in the two-drug group. In contrast, 91 (58%) subjects receiving three drugs reached < 500 copies/ml during the study period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results support the use of powerful triple drug regimens as initial therapy in HIV-infected individuals.
authors.affiliation: British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, St Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. bobhogg@hivnet.ubc.ca
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hogg
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rhone
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sherlock
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Conway
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Schechter
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: O'Shaughnessy
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Montaner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D016049:Didanosine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D018119:Stavudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019562:Viral Load; D016047:Zalcitabine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine; D016047:Zalcitabine; D018119:Stavudine; D016049:Didanosine