[Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on CD4 + T cell counts and HIV viral loads during structured treatment interruption in highly active antiretroviral therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the impacts of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on CD4 + T cell counts and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral loads during the course of structured treatment interruption (STI) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).


METHODS
Nineteen HIV/ADIS patients were treated for 14 months as follows: initiated with zidovudine/lamivudine + efavirdine for 6 months, then discontinued the therapy and treated with TCM instead for 2 months. HAART was then reinitiated for another 3 months, and then discontinued and replaced with TCM for another 3 months. The changes of CD4 + T cell counts and HIV viral loads were measured.


RESULTS
During the first STI of HAART, 43.8% of patients had no viral rebounds one month later, and 62.6% had stable or increased immune functions; 18.8% had no viral rebounds two months later, and 43.8% had stable or increased immune functions. Changes of viral loads were not significantly different between these two months (P = 0.097), while CD4 + T cell counts significantly decreased two months later compared with one month later (P = 0.043). During the second STI of HAART, 33.3% of patients had no viral rebounds one month later, and 64.3% had stable or increased immune functions; 13.3% had no viral rebounds 3 months later and 46.6% had stable or increased immune functions. Changes of viral loads had significant difference (P = 0. 017), while CD4 + T cell counts at month 12 elevated significantly compared with the baseline (P = 0.014).


CONCLUSIONS
TCM can suppress the viral rebounds during STI-HAART, maintain immune functions. However, this effect may decrease along with the prolongation of STI-HAART.
Zhao
Hong-xin
HX
The Second Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Beijing 100011, China.
Zhang
Fu-jie
FJ
Han
Ning
N
Lan
Meng-dong
MD
Yao
Jun
J
Liu
Zhi-ying
ZY
Lu
Lian-he
LH
Wei
Hong-shan
HS
D000328:Adult; D000480:Alkynes; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D048588:Benzoxazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D019259:Lamivudine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000480:Alkynes; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D048588:Benzoxazines; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D019259:Lamivudine; D015215:Zidovudine; C098320:efavirenz