title: Pronounced anti-HIV-1 activity of foscarnet in patients without cytomegalovirus infection.
abstract: Combined therapy using reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease inhibitors is the current established treatment for HIV-1 infection. Foscarnet is an RT inhibitor that is a product analogue, in contrast to the widely used nucleoside analogues. In this study, the anti-HIV-1 effect of foscarnet, 50 mg three times per day administered intravenously for 4 weeks, was evaluated in 10 patients with minor or no symptoms. Serious adverse events developed in 2 patients, although most patients experienced some side effects. The levels of HIV-1 RNA decreased from a median value of 4.7 to 2.6 10log copies/ml. The effect was sustained through 4 weeks. One week after cessation of treatment, HIV-1 RNA levels increased to baseline. In contrast, no increase in the number of CD4+ cells was observed. The anti-HIV-1 effect was considered to be a direct effect on HIV-1 replication because no patient had concomitant cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Sweden.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bergdahl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jacobsson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Moberg
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sönnerborg
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017245:Foscarnet / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D017245:Foscarnet; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase