Simplicity and efficacy of a once-daily antiretroviral regimen with didanosine, lamivudine, and efavirenz in naïve patients: the VESD study.
OBJECTIVE
Our aim was to analyze the efficacy and safety of didanosine-lamivudine-efavirenz in a cohort of HIV patients starting antiretroviral therapy between January and September 2003.


METHODS
We undertook a prospective, open-label, observational, multicenter study.


RESULTS
163 patients were enrolled. Over a 48-week period, plasma HIV RNA levels declined sharply, with a median decrease at the end of the observation time of >4.62 log copies/mL. The proportion of patients achieving a plasma HIV RNA level below 50 copies/mL was 62.9% (intention-to-treat analysis) at the end of the study period. The mean CD4 cell count increased steadily over time by 199 cells/microL. Antiviral efficacy was similar in patients with a baseline HIV RNA level above or below 100,000 copies/mL. Overall, 57 (34.1%) patients interrupted therapy; 9 due to lack of treatment response, 18 due to adverse side-effects, and 30 patients lost to follow-up or who withdrew their consent. Adherence was very high (90%-95%) and quality of life was good or very good in 69%.


CONCLUSIONS
The once-daily combination of didanosine-lamivudine-efavirenz resulted in sustained viral suppression and was well-accepted by patients under real-life conditions, even immunosuppressed patients and those with a high viral load. Associated adverse events and virological failures were few.
Santos
J
J
Infectious Diseases Unit, Hospital Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga, Spain. med000854@saludalia.com
Palacios
R
R
López
M
M
Gálvez
M C
MC
Lozano
F
F
de la Torre
J
J
Ríos
M J
MJ
López-Cortés
L F
LF
Rivero
A
A
Torres-Tortosa
M
M
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000480:Alkynes; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D048588:Benzoxazines; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D016049:Didanosine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000254:growth & development*; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D010078:Oxazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000480:Alkynes; D048588:Benzoxazines; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D010078:Oxazines; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019259:Lamivudine; C098320:efavirenz; D016049:Didanosine