Managing antiretroviral therapy: changing regimens, resistance testing, and the risks from structured treatment interruptions.
The management of patients receiving therapy for human immunodeficiency virus infection has improved in recent years owing to factors such as new classes of antiretroviral drugs, new agents in existing classes, and reduced resistance rates when chronically infected patients begin treatment with preferred regimens. Transmitted resistance variants in approximately 10% of treatment-naive patients underline the need for pretreatment resistance testing, to improve rates of virologic efficacy. Structured treatment interruptions to reduce drug exposure and toxicity should not be used outside well-controlled research studies, since this practice has been associated with increased rates of death and disease progression.
Eron
Joseph J
JJ
Department of Internal Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, 130 Mason Farm Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. jeron@med.unc.edu
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003657:Decision Making; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D024921:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents