title: Therapeutic responses to AZT + 3TC + EFV in advanced antiretroviral naive HIV type 1-infected Ugandan patients.
abstract: Convenient, non-food-dependent dosing, low tablet volume, and relatively low cost have made nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors a first choice for both clinicians and patients in Uganda. Concerns exist as to their efficacy in patients with viral loads (VL) above 100,000 copies/ml, a feature common to about 75% of HIV-1-infected patients presenting at the Joint Clinical Research Center (JCRC) in Uganda. Furthermore, there are few data on the response to such therapy of non-B subtypes, A and D, predominant in Uganda. Presented here is a retrospective analysis of therapeutic responses in 11 antiretroviral (ARV) naïve HIV-1-infected Ugandan patients who had been initiated on zidovudine (AZT), lamivudine (3TC), and efavirenz (EFV). Laboratory assessments subsequent to initiation of ARV therapy, done at 11.6 +/- 3.9 weeks and 30.6 +/- 5.9 weeks, showed 88.9 and 71.4% patients achieved undetectable viral load, respectively. Virological suppression to below detection occurred in 85.7% of patients at 11.6 weeks despite baseline VL >or= 100,000 copies/ml. At 31 weeks there was a median increment of +183 cells/mm(3) in CD4(+) T lymphocytes. These findings reflect significant efficacy in the use of AZT + 3TC + EFV in advanced ARV naive non-B subtype HIV-1-infected patients. The therapeutic responses were comparable to those previously described in the western world.
authors.affiliation: Joint Clinical Research Center, Kampala, Uganda. AKEBBA@excite.com
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kebba
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Atwine
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mwebaze
authors.forename: Cissy
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kityo
authors.forename: Rose
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nakityo
authors.forename: Mulenyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000480:Alkynes; D048588:Benzoxazines; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010078:Oxazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014454:Uganda; D019562:Viral Load; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D048588:Benzoxazines; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D010078:Oxazines; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine; C098320:efavirenz