A color Doppler ultrasound-based comparative study between stavudine and non-stavudine regimens in the onset of vascular lesions in HIV-1-positive patients.
BACKGROUND
The present study aimed to investigate the role of stavudine in the onset of premature vascular lesions using an ultrasound color Doppler evaluation of the carotid vessels.


METHODS
A total of 266 patients were evaluated: 149 were treated with stavudine (group I) and 117 without stavudine (group II).


RESULTS
Of the patients in group I, 41% exhibited vascular lesions vs. 26% in group II (p=0.0103). The two groups were further divided into subgroups Ia (stavudine and proteinase inhibitor, PI), Ib (stavudine and non-nucleotidic reverse transcriptase inhibitor, NNRTI), IIa (PI, without stavudine) and IIb (NNRTI without stavudine). A higher prevalence of lesions emerged in group Ia, while group IIa were at higher risk of developing vascular lesions than groups Ib and IIb.


CONCLUSIONS
Although stavudine per se does not seem to determine damage of the epiaortic vessels, the association of a PI with stavudine is related to a significantly higher rate of lesions.
Maggi
Paolo
P
Clinica delle Malattie Infettive, Università di Bari, Italy. p_maggi@yahoo.com
Chirianni
Antonio
A
Lillo
Antonio
A
Perilli
Francesco
F
Gargiulo
Miriam
M
Esposito
Vincenzo
V
Bellacosa
Chiara
C
Pastore
Giuseppe
G
Regina
Guido
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018119:Stavudine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy*
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D018119:Stavudine