Effectiveness and tolerability of nevirapine, stavudine, and lamivudine in clinical practice.
BACKGROUND
Recent studies reveal patients on protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens achieve viral suppression less often in clinical practice than in clinical trials. Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) can provide an equally effective and more convenient alternative.


OBJECTIVE
This retrospective chart review examines the effectiveness, tolerability, and convenience of a nevirapine (NVP), stavudine (d4T), and lamivudine (3TC)-containing regimen in an urban HIV clinical practice.


METHODS
Chart review of patients from September 1996 to April 2000 yielded 73 patients on NVP+d4T+3TC; 83.6% were treatment experienced.


RESULTS
By 16 weeks, 86.4% (57/66) had viral loads (VL) <400 in an as-treated (AT) analysis, while 78.1% (57/73) had VL <400 in an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis. By 24 weeks, 84.6% (33/39) had VL <50 (AT). Beyond 48 weeks, 88.9% (16/18) had VL <50. The mean CD4 increase was 170 cells/mm(3). Rash was the most common adverse event (13.7%) in this review.


CONCLUSIONS
Consistent with other studies, this NVP+d4T+3TC regimen appears effective in both treatment-experienced and -naive patients, regardless of baseline viral loads, in a clinical practice setting.
Yozviak
J L
JL
Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Doerfler
R E
RE
Woodward
W C
WC
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D019829:Nevirapine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018119:Stavudine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D019829:Nevirapine; D018119:Stavudine