Articles tagged with Antiretrovirals
A multi-institutional study found that adding interleukin-2 to antiretroviral therapy increases CD4 cell counts and decreases detectable virus levels in HIV-infected patients. The study showed significant improvements in immunologic function, with 67% of patients achieving low viral loads.
Researchers found that adding IL-2 to antiretroviral therapy significantly increases CD4+ T-cell counts in HIV-infected patients. The study's results suggest that IL-2 may be used as a means of maintaining quality of life and decreasing AIDS-defining events.
A randomized controlled trial found that a new anti-inflammatory drug decreased kidney function at the same rate as an older medication. Prompt treatment with three powerful antiretroviral drugs after HIV exposure prevented infection in a young girl, according to researchers.
A new study by Dr. Wafaa M. El-Sadr found that HIV-infected patients with restored immunity can safely defer taking prophylactic antibiotics due to low infection rates. The study showed that antiretroviral therapy reconstitutes protective immunity, reducing the risk of opportunistic infections.
The updated Guidelines recommend using recently developed tests to determine virus resistance, guiding the selection of new drug regimens. The Panel emphasizes goals of therapy, including suppression of plasma viral load, restoration of immunologic function, and improvement of quality of life.
The new guidelines take into account the availability of new anti-retroviral drugs and expanded therapy choices. Recommendations include initiating therapy based on viral load and CD4 cell count, choosing individualized regimens, and monitoring treatment response with CD4 and HIV RNA levels.
The new guidelines take into account the availability of new antiretroviral drugs and expanded therapy choices, recommending individualized treatment plans with a focus on convenience and adherence. Most patients with HIV infection can now live fully active lives with carefully monitored therapy and regimen changes.
A clinical study found that adefovir reduced viral load by an average of 60% in patients, but also caused kidney problems in about 60% of those taking the drug beyond 24 weeks. The drug is useful as an additional medication for building effective treatment combinations, but should be used with close monitoring.
A novel combination of efavirenz and nelfinavir demonstrates strong, sustained results in controlling HIV infection in children. The treatment achieves undetectable virus levels in more than half of the children studied, with fewer side effects and a simplified daily regimen.
Researchers found that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) helped patients with CMV retinitis stop taking standard anti-CMV medications without progression. HAART also partially restored the immune system, allowing it to fight other serious infections.
Researchers found that even after highly sensitive tests detected no viable HIV, the virus quickly rebounded to substantial levels when therapy was stopped. The study suggests that eradicating HIV with current therapies is unlikely due to the presence of latent reservoirs that drugs cannot access.
A new model of HIV decline during treatment suggests that antiretroviral therapy drives HIV down to stable levels, varying with drug efficacy. The model proposes that significant numbers of CD4+ T cells become infected with HIV after treatment initiation, leading to a gradual decline in viral load.
Researchers found that six HIV-infected patients who stopped taking antiviral drugs yet continued to suppress HIV replication had strong immune responses. The study suggests that temporarily discontinuing drugs may help maintain the virus at a low level, paving the way for vaccine development.
Researchers found that current anti-HIV drug combinations are effective in suppressing the virus, but may not be enough to eradicate it. Studies show that residual infection persists, with some patients still showing signs of viral replication after years of treatment.
A study published in Nature Medicine found that silent HIV infections can persist for decades, making long-term medication necessary. Researchers discovered that patients taking strict anti-HIV regimens could keep the virus suppressed and experience no symptoms of AIDS, highlighting the importance of adherence to therapy.
A nationwide study found a significant decline in HIV-related deaths and opportunistic infections from 1994 to mid-1997, largely due to the use of combination antiretroviral therapy including protease inhibitors. Prescription rates for combination therapy increased dramatically during this period.
Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers found that a 'transporter molecule' called P-glyco protein may prevent protease inhibitors from reaching the virus, raising hope for boosting treatment effectiveness and reducing costs. The discovery could provide new strategies for treating HIV by targeting the protein's action.
Despite prolonged treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy, HIV persists and can replicate in patients with no detectable virus in their blood. Researchers found that resting CD4+ T cells serve as a stable 'reservoir' of virus, allowing it to continue replicating even when undetectable.