[First evaluations of LPV/RTV (Kaletra) efficacy on HIV-positive patients treated with multiple drugs].
At the current epidemic stage, characterized by the rise of antiretroviral drug resistance, it is necessary to administer to HIV-positive patients increasingly effective treatments. This is possible only by means of powerful drugs. In a retrospective study, the authors evaluate 78 patients: 76 pre-treated with multiple drugs and 2 na ves. The 78 patients received LPV/RTV, starting from the fourth 3-month period of 2000 until the first 3-month period of 2002. The average treatment duration was 6.5 (  5.5) months; the median value 6 months. The efficacy of the LPV/RTV therapeutic regimen was evaluated by a cytofluorimetric count of CD4+ and determination of the HIV viral load. There were 14 drop-out patients (17.9%): 5 because of auto-suspension, 1 due to absence of clinical and virological efficacy, 5 due to side effects (3 hepatopathy, 1 allergy and 1 nausea); three patients were lost on follow-up. There were 64 (82.1%) patients on treatment. Forty patients responded (51.3%) and 13 (16.7%) had uncontrolled viraemia (over than 200 copies/ml). However, the treatment with LPV/RTV was not interrupted for these patients, because in the follow-up they showed an increase in CD4+ values. The authors conclude that the LPV/RTV combination confirms previous findings: it is a drug with a relatively low incidence of side effects, capable of powerful results even in the treatment of patients receiving multiple drugs and thus subjected to the risk of developing antiretroviral drug resistance.
Istituto di Malattie Infettive del Policlinico S. Orsola di Bologna, Italy.
Sergio
S
Sabbatani
Giorgio
G
Legnani
Ciro
C
Fulgaro
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D061466:Lopinavir; D008297:Male; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D061466:Lopinavir