title: Safety and antiretroviral effects of combined didanosine and stavudine therapy in HIV-infected individuals with CD4 counts of 200 to 500 cells/mm3.
abstract: The safety and antiretroviral effects of didanosine and stavudine in combination were evaluated in 86 people infected with HIV with CD4 counts between 200 and 500 cells/mm3 who had received <7 days of prior nucleoside analogue antiretroviral treatment. Patients were randomized to receive blinded treatments with one of five weight-adjusted, twice-daily regimens of didanosine and stavudine (100 + 10 mg, 100 + 20 mg, 100 + 40 mg, 200 + 20 mg, and 200 + 40 mg) for up to 1 year. Dosages were adjusted appropriately for patients weighing <60 kg and reduced in response to adverse effects. No clear dose-related differences among treatment groups were detected with regard to suppression of plasma HIV RNA level or reduction in infectious titers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), improvement in CD4 count, or adverse effects. However, trends toward greater decreases in viral load and increases in CD4 count were detected when treatment groups containing the full recommended dosage of one or both agents (high-dose subgroup; arms 3, 4, and 5) were compared with the groups receiving lower dosages. At 28 weeks the mean log 10 HIV RNA decrease was 1.12 (n = 52) and at 52 weeks it was 0.97 (n = 32). Combination therapy was well tolerated, with no apparent dose-related adverse effects. Peripheral neuropathy occurred in 2 of 86 (2.3%) of patients. Didanosine and stavudine together appear to be a good nucleoside analogue foundation for aggressive triple- or quadruple-drug therapy. Full therapeutic doses of each of these two agents should be used to achieve optimal suppression of HIV replication.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 77555, USA.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Pollard
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hardy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pottage
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gathe
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Beall
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rutkievicz
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dunkle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016049:Didanosine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006678:HIV / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018119:Stavudine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019562:Viral Load; D014779:Virus Replication / Q000187:drug effects; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018119:Stavudine; D016049:Didanosine