Long-term safety and antiretroviral activity of hydroxyurea and didanosine in HIV-infected patients.
Long-term safety, immunologic effects, and antiretroviral activity of hydroxyurea and didanosine were evaluated in this retrospective study. Some 65 HIV-1-infected patients (39 of whom were antiretroviral naive) were studied (mean baseline CD4 count, 362 cells/mm3; mean plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load, 4.8 log10 copies/ml). The mean treatment duration was 20 months. Overall tolerance was good: 15 patients interrupted treatment because of clinical or biologic side effects. Four patients experienced a category B event. Patients had a mean increase of 27 CD4 cell counts after 12 months, of 112 after 24 months and of 59 after 36 months. They had a mean 1. 03 log10 fall in HIV-1 RNA after 12 months, 1.59 log10 after 24 months, and 1.27 log10 after 36 months. After 12 months, 35% developed an HIV-1 RNA viral load <200 copies/ml, 53% after 24 months, and 36% after 36 months. Those whose viral load became undetectable after 12 months have significantly lower baseline RNA values (p =.03). Fourteen patients had a viral load <3.4 log10 copies/ml after 24 months of the double therapy. A prolonged viral load suppression can be achieved using a simple combination of two drugs that are inexpensive and well tolerated.
Biron
F
F
Croix-Rousse Hospital Medical Centre/University, Lyon, France. francois.biron@chu-lyon.fr
Ponceau
B
B
Bouhour
D
D
Boibieux
A
A
Verrier
B
B
Peyramond
D
D
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016049:Didanosine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000592:standards* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D006454:Hemoglobins; D012367:RNA, Viral; D016049:Didanosine; D006918:Hydroxyurea