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K Hertogs

Publications and source records attributed to K Hertogs.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Virological and immunological effects of treatment interruptions in HIV-1 infected patients with treatment failure.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the immunological and virological effects of treatment interruptions in HIV-1-infected patients with treatment failure and multidrug-resistant virus. METHODS: Drug susceptibility was assessed using Antivirogram and genotypic analysis was based on population and clonal sequencing for 48 patients who had interrupted treatment (> or = 2 months). RESULTS: Treatment interruption resulted in viral load increases (mean 0.7 log 10 copies/ ml; P = 0.0001) and CD4 cell count decreases (mean 89 x 10(6) cells/l; P = 0.0001). A complete shift to wild-type virus at the phenotypic, genotypic and clonal level was observed in 28/45 patients. These patients differed from those that did not show a shift to wild type in baseline CD4 cell counts (192 versus 59 x 10(6) cells/l; P= 0.007) and in the relationship between baseline viral load and CD4 cell count (no correlation versus a significant negative correlation; P= 0.008). Response to re-initiation of treatment fell with increasing viral load [relative hazard (RH) 0.33; P= 0.001] and with increasing total number of drugs with reduced susceptibility (RH 0.51; P = 0.0003); it improved with the number of new drugs received (RH 2.12; P = 0.0002) and a shift to wild type (RH 5.22, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Changes in surrogate markers suggest that treatment provided benefit in spite of virological failure and resistant virus. Although patients with a shift to wildtype virus responded better in the short term to treatment re-initiation, the long-term effects are not known and the risk of immune deterioration needs to be carefully considered.

Adult↗

Despite high concordance, distinct mutational and phenotypic drug resistance profiles in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA are observed in gastrointestinal mucosal biopsy specimens and peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with plasma.

The gastrointestinal mucosa is a major lymphoid tissue reservoir for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication. Genotypic and phenotypic resistance patterns of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) RNA isolated from colonic mucosa were compared with those from the plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of 7 patients. Genotyping was performed using full-sequence analysis, and phenotyping was performed using a recombinant virus assay. Mutations in the reverse-transcriptase (kappa=.84) and protease (kappa=.73) genes were highly concordant among compartments. Similarly, phenotypic resistance patterns were highly concordant among compartments (intraclass correlation coefficient,.91). In 5 instances among 3 patients, a different genotypic result was observed between plasma and the other tissue compartments. Mixtures of wild-type and mutated HIV-1 RNA were present in the mucosa and PBMC but not in the plasma. Despite significant concordance among compartments, mucosal- and PBMC-derived viral RNA showed instances of discordance with plasma-derived virus that may suggest compartmentalization of virus.

Adult↗

Drug-resistant reverse transcriptase genotyping and phenotyping of B and non-B subtypes (F and A) of human immunodeficiency virus type I found in Brazilian patients failing HAART.

Development of drug resistance is the inevitable consequence of incomplete suppression of virus plasma levels in HIV-1-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy. Resistance mutations previously characterized have been found in B subtype viruses of developed countries. Moreover, mutation profiles for non-B and more divergent B subtype viruses found in developing countries shall be analyzed together with their ex vivo phenotyping in order to establish an exact correlation between the genotyping data and the clinical management counseling for those uncommon virus subtypes. In the present study, we evaluated the mutation profile for individuals infected with B subtype and non-B subtype viruses. Viral DNA fragments corresponding to the RT gene were amplified, sequenced, and subtyped. Phenotyping analysis for reverse transcriptase nucleoside (NRTI) and nonnucleoside inhibitor susceptibility was performed using the recombinant virus assay technology. Brazilian non-B subtypes (subtype F, n = 4, and subtype A, n = 1) isolates showed essentially the same B subtype mutation profile, presenting an NRTI drug resistance with similar MIC50% and MIC90% values for all drugs analyzed regardless of their subtypes. A strong cross-resistance phenotype among AZT, 3TC, and abacavir could be seen in all isolates analyzed. A novel result was that some RT sequences not only revealed the presence of G333D/E mutations but also correlated to the presence of mutation T386I that could abrogate the M184V-surpassing effect of L210W or L210W plus G333D/E. These findings suggest that Brazilian non-B subtype HIV-1 strains use an identical RT drug resistance mutation pattern when compared to B isolates and will contribute to the validation of the genotypic and phenotypic tests in these predominant worldwide-spread viral variants.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Tipranavir inhibits broadly protease inhibitor-resistant HIV-1 clinical samples.

OBJECTIVE: Although the use of HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PI) has substantially benefited HIV-1-infected individuals, new PI are urgently needed, as broad PI resistance and therapy failure is common. METHODS: The antiviral activity of tipranavir (TPV), a non-peptidic PI, was assessed in in vitro culture for 134 clinical isolates with a wide range of resistance to currently available peptidomimetic PI. The susceptibility of all 134 variants was then re-tested with the four PI simultaneously with TPV, using the Antivirogram assay. RESULTS: Of 105 viruses with more than tenfold resistance to three or four PI and an average of 6.1 PI mutations per sample, 95 (90%) were susceptible to TPV; eight (8%) had four- to tenfold resistance to TPV and only two (2%) had more than tenfold resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The substantial lack of PI cross-resistance to TPV shown by highly PI-resistant clinical isolates makes TPV an attractive new-generation HIV inhibitor.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗

Phenotypic and genotypic analysis of clinical HIV-1 isolates reveals extensive protease inhibitor cross-resistance: a survey of over 6000 samples.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in HIV-1 the extent of phenotypic and genotypic antiretroviral drug resistance and cross-resistance towards the protease inhibitors (PIs) saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir and nelfinavir among a set of patient samples originating from European and US routine clinical practice and submitted for phenotypic drug resistance testing and/or genotypic analysis. The mutational pattern(s) underlying both resistance and cross-resistance to PIs was investigated. METHOD: Over 6000 patient isolates with plasma viral load greater than 1000 copies/ml plasma were analysed. Phenotypic resistance was evaluated by a recombinant virus assay. Phenotypic resistance is expressed as the fold-increase of the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of a compound for a patient-derived recombinant virus isolate compared with that for a wild-type laboratory virus. Genotypic analysis is reported as amino acid changes at positions in the HIV-1 protease compared to a wild-type reference. RESULTS: Phenotypic resistance to any single PI was observed in 17 to 25% of the clinical isolates investigated. Phenotypic cross-resistance among PIs (> 10-fold increase in IC50 value) was detected in 59 to 80% of the samples resistant (> 10-fold increase in IC50 value) to at least one PI. The prevalent mutations in PI-resistant isolates involved substitutions at codons 10, 36, 46, 54, 71, 77, 82 and 90. The most frequent mutational pattern in samples with PI cross-resistance involved combined substitutions at positions 10 and 90, extended with substitutions at positions 54, 71, 77, 82 or 84. CONCLUSIONS: Extensive use of first-generation PIs leads to the emergence of HIV-1 isolates possessing cross-resistance to all members of this class. Identification of particular mutational profiles among these isolates may assist in the design of new generation inhibitors with specific activity against protease-mutant HIV strains.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Prevalence of genotypic and phenotypic resistance to anti-retroviral drugs in a cohort of therapy-naïve HIV-1 infected US military personnel.

OBJECTIVE: While transmission of drug-resistant HIV-1 has been reported, estimates of prevalence of resistance in drug-naïve populations are incomplete. We investigated the prevalence of genotypic mutations and phenotypic antiretroviral resistance in a cohort of HIV-1 infected U.S. military personnel prior to the institution of antiretroviral therapy. DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS: Plasma was obtained from 114 recently HIV-1 infected subjects enrolled in an epidemiological study. Genotypic resistance was determined by consensus sequencing of a PCR product from the HIV-1 pol gene. Sequences were interpreted by a phenotypic-genotypic correlative database. Resistance phenotypes were determined by a recombinant virus cell culture assay. RESULTS: Genotypic mutations and phenotypic resistance were found at a higher than expected frequency. Resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors was most common, with a prevalence of 15% of 95 subjects by genotype and 26% of 91 subjects by phenotype. Genotypic and phenotypic resistance respectively were found in 4% and 8% of subjects for nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and in 10% and 1% for protease inhibitors. One subject harbored virus with resistance to all three drug classes. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial frequency of resistance to antiretroviral drugs was identified in a therapy-naïve U.S. cohort. In most cases, the genotypic and phenotypic assays yielded similar results, although the genotypic assay could detect some protease inhibitor resistance-associated mutations in the absence of phenotypic resistance. These data suggest the need for optimization of treatment guidelines based on current estimates of the prevalence of drug resistance in HIV-1 seroconverters.

Adult↗

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance among patients failing a nevirapine plus protease inhibitor-containing regimen.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of nevirapine resistance in patients failing a nevirapine plus protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimen, and whether these isolates remain susceptible to other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI). DESIGN AND SETTING: A retrospective cohort study in two tertiary university hospitals. PATIENTS: Eighty-eight HIV-infected, NNRTI-naive patients receiving nevirapine plus PI as a rescue regimen after PI treatment failure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Genotypic and phenotypic resistance data at inclusion (73 and 60 plasma samples, respectively) and after 24 weeks (53 and 42 samples). RESULTS: Baseline phenotypic susceptibility to nevirapine was found in 70% of patients, and similar data were observed for efavirenz (91%) and delavirdine (71%). NNRTI resistance-associated mutations were found in 11 patients (12.5%). At 24 weeks, resistant isolates to nevirapine were found in 92% of patients, and correlated with similar resistance to efavirenz (68%) and delavirdine (73%). In the genotypic analysis, the Y181 C mutation was observed in 76% of mutants, and the most common changes were a combination of mutations at positions Y181C/K103N (23%) and the single mutation Y181C (15%). The development of nevirapine resistance was associated with baseline resistance to PI included in the regimen (P= 0.01). For isolates containing the single amino acid substitution Y181C, 29% remained fully susceptible to efavirenz, whereas 14% showed intermediate resistance to efavirenz and delavirdine. CONCLUSION: The failure of a nevirapine plus PI-containing regimen is associated with nevirapine resistance in most patients, with the most common mutation occurring at amino acid residue 181. Although there is a high degree of cross-resistance among NNRTI, nearly one third of resistant isolates carrying the single Y181C mutation remain susceptible to efavirenz.

Adult↗

Influence of the administration of human annexin V on in vitro binding of small hepatitis B surface antigen to human and to rat hepatocytes and on in vitro hepatitis B virus infection.

Previously, we have determined that human annexin V (hAV), a Ca2+-dependent phospholipid-binding protein, and not rat AV, binds specifically to small hepatitis B surface antigen (SHBsAg), and that transfection of a rat hepatoma cell line with a construct containing the hAV gene led to hAV expression and conferred susceptibility to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this work, we have examined the effect of administration of hAV on in vitro binding of SHBsAg to human and to rat hepatocytes and on in vitro HBV infection. The results showed that hAV could bind to human as well as to rat hepatocytes. Because of this property, excess hAV was unable to prevent HBV infection in primary cultures of human hepatocytes. On the other hand, it enabled rat hepatocytes to specifically bind SHBsAg and conferred susceptibility to HBV infection. After infection of primary cultures of rat hepatocytes in the presence of hAV, HBV mRNA, covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA, replicative intermediates, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) and secreted HBV DNA were detected. After infection in the absence of hAV, no markers of HBV replication were detected. Hence, from the present study we conclude that hAV is involved in facilitating HBV entry, leading to successful HBV infection in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes, while it is not effective in preventing HBV infection in primary cultures of human hepatocytes.

Animals↗

Resistance profiles in patients with viral rebound on potent antiretroviral therapy.

The prevalence of phenotypic drug resistance was assessed in 60 patients with a viral rebound after they received a protease inhibitor (PI)- or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-containing regimen (baseline). Resistance testing was done within 36 weeks of viral rebound; no resistance testing was available at baseline. All patients had previously received zidovudine; 86.0% had received lamivudine. In total, 45.1% of the patients had strains resistant to the PI that they started and 88.9% given nevirapine had strains with reduced susceptibility to that drug. Overall, 46 patients (76.7%) harbored a strain resistant to >/=1 drug of their initial PI- or NNRTI-containing regimen. Of 53 patients who remained on treatment at the time of the study (40 had switched to a different combination from that at baseline), 6 harbored isolates susceptible to all drugs they had ever received. Thus, patients with viral rebound while on potent antiretroviral therapy usually have reduced susceptibility to >/=1 drug. Viral rebound also occurs in persons in whom resistant strains could not be detected by the assay used.

Drug Resistance↗

Evaluation of lymph node virus burden in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients receiving efavirenz-based protease inhibitor--sparing highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Although efavirenz-containing regimens effectively suppress plasma levels of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA, it is now clear that undetectable plasma viremia may not reflect a lack of viral replication. Because lymphoid tissue is an active site of HIV replication, the lymph node virus burden was analyzed in persons who received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) containing either efavirenz or a protease inhibitor (PI). Testing with in situ hybridization revealed no detectable follicular dendritic cell-associated HIV RNA in either group, and only 2 of 8 persons in the efavirenz group and 1 of 4 in the PI group had detectable RNA in lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMC) when tested by use of nucleic acid sequencebased amplification. Low levels of replication-competent HIV were identified in both groups by use of quantitative coculture assays. There was no evidence of development of resistance to either regimen in virus isolated from LNMC. These data support the use of efavirenz as an alternative to a PI in initial HAART regimens.

Alkynes↗

A novel human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase mutational pattern confers phenotypic lamivudine resistance in the absence of mutation 184V.

We describe a new human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) mutational pattern associated with phenotypic resistance to lamivudine (3TC) in the absence of the characteristic replacement of methionine by valine at position 184 (M184V) of reverse transcriptase. Combined genotypic and phenotypic analyses of clinical isolates revealed the presence of moderate levels of phenotypic resistance (between 4- and 50-fold) to 3TC in a subset of isolates that did not harbor the M184V mutation. Mutational cluster analysis and comparison with the phenotypic data revealed a significant correlation between moderate phenotypic 3TC resistance and an increased incidence of replacement of glutamic acid by aspartic acid or alanine and of valine by isoleucine at residues 44 and 118 of reverse transcriptase, respectively. This occurred predominantly in those isolates harboring zidovudine resistance-associated mutations (41L, 215Y). The requirement of the combination of mutations 41L and 215Y with mutations 44D and 44A and/or 118I for phenotypic 3TC resistance was confirmed by site-directed mutagenesis experiments. These data support the assumption that HIV-1 may have access to several different genetic pathways to escape drug pressure or that the increase in the frequency of particular mutations may affect susceptibility to drugs that have never been part of a particular regimen.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

HIV drug susceptibility and treatment response to mega-HAART regimen in patients from the Frankfurt HIV cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between viral susceptibility at baseline and virological response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients treated with multi-drug salvage regimens after multiple previous treatment failures. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 50 patients from the Frankfurt HIV cohort who had received treatment with a minimum of six drugs, and for whom a sample for baseline viral phenotyping was available. METHODS: Viral drug susceptibility was measured retrospectively from stored samples using the Antivirogram, a recombinant virus assay based method. Virological response was defined as a viral load of < 400 copies/ml at week 24. For analysis of treatment response, drop-outs were dealt with in two ways, either as failures (DAF) or censored (DAC). Several logistical regression models were applied to identify predictors of response, including baseline virus load, number of new drugs and phenotypic sensitivity scores. RESULTS: At baseline, drug resistance was extensive: 96% of patients had viruses resistant to at least one drug class and 32% had viruses resistant to all three drug classes. In the DAF analysis, 39 patients experienced virological failure. In the DAC analysis, eight were censored and 31 patients experienced virological failure. In multivariate models that adjust for baseline viral load, the number of new drugs and total phenotypic sensitivity scores, the baseline viral load and phenotypic sensitivity score remained significantly associated with virological outcome, whereas in those adjusted for baseline viral load, the number of new drugs, NRTI phenotypic sensitivity score and PI phenotypic sensitivity score, only the latter remained significantly associated with virological outcome. Both the DAF and DAC analyses produced similar results. In all models used, virological failure was shown to be significantly associated with baseline viral load and phenotypic sensitivity score. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective analysis based on a small number of patients, viral drug susceptibility at baseline was strongly associated with virological outcome at 24 weeks, independent of covariates such as baseline viral load and treatment history. Baseline viral load also maintained a significant, independent association with virological outcome in most models.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

Baseline HIV drug resistance profile predicts response to ritonavir-saquinavir protease inhibitor therapy in a community setting.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether baseline drug resistance assays could help to predict treatment failure with the protease inhibitor combination ritonavir-saquinavir. METHODS: Baseline HIV-1 drug resistance was determined for 76 consecutive patients who started treatment with the dual protease inhibitor combination ritonavir-saquinavir between September 1996 and June 1997 either alone or in combination with other antiviral agents. Resistance to 10 different antiviral agents was assessed by both phenotype (Virco Antivirogram) and genotype (Vircogen). RESULTS: Resistance inferred from viral genotype was similar to measured phenotypic resistance for both ritonavir and saquinavir (P<0.01). Baseline drug resistance phenotype was predictive of poor virological response to this dual protease inhibitor combination, despite the confounding effects of other antivirals. Patients were at least four times less likely to achieve a 0.5 log10 decrease in plasma HIV RNA viral load if their viral isolates were resistant to ritonavir or saquinavir. Patients classified as resistant to either drug using either method had median decreases in plasma viral load of 0.05 log10 HIV RNA copies/ml or less, compared to >0.8 log10 for those with sensitive virus. Patients resistant to both drugs never achieved plasma viral loads <100000 copies/ml. As little as fourfold increases in baseline resistance appeared to be sufficient to compromise even dual protease inhibitor therapy. CONCLUSION: Baseline resistance to ritonavir or saquinavir or both was associated with a poor antiviral response. Our data suggest that the measurement of drug resistance may assist in optimizing antiretroviral therapy in the clinic.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

Transfection of a rat hepatoma cell line with a construct expressing human liver annexin V confers susceptibility to hepatitis B virus infection.

Previously, we have found that human liver annexin V (hA-V; in earlier reports referred as Endonexin II) is a specific hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) binding protein. In this study, we demonstrate that transfection of rat hepatoma FTO 2B cells, a cell line that is not infectable by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and does not express hA-V, with a construct containing the hA-V gene, resulted in hA-V expressing cells susceptible to HBV infection. After in vitro infection, transfected FTO cells (assigned as FTO 9.1 cells) expressing hA-V in cultures were shown to contain HBV-precore/core, X mRNAs, and covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA as detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence of HBV ccc and replicative intermediate DNA was also demonstrated by Southern blot hybridization assay. HBV DNA secreted in the culture medium was also evident as determined by quantitative branched DNA (bDNA) assay. HBsAg and hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) could also be detected by an immunocytochemical method in 10% to 15% of the cells at day 3 and day 5 after infection. Infectivity of in vitro-propagated HBV was demonstrated by infection of the naive FTO 9.1 cells with the culture supernatant from HBV-carrier cultures. In contrast to primary cultures of human hepatocytes and FTO 9.1 cells, primary rat and mouse hepatocytes, as well as rat hepatoma cell lines that do not express hA-V, are not susceptible to HBV infection. These findings suggest that hA-V plays a key role in the initial step of HBV infection and that the species-specific susceptibility to HBV infection and replication in hepatocytes is associated with the expression of hA-V.

Animals↗

A family of insertion mutations between codons 67 and 70 of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 reverse transcriptase confer multinucleoside analog resistance.

To investigate the occurrence of multinucleoside analog resistance during therapy failure, we surveyed the drug susceptibilities and genotypes of nearly 900 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) samples. For 302 of these, the 50% inhibitory concentrations of at least four of the approved nucleoside analogs had fourfold-or-greater increases. Genotypic analysis of the reverse transcriptase (RT)-coding regions from these samples revealed complex mutational patterns, including the previously recognized codon 151 multidrug resistance cluster. Surprisingly, high-level multinucleoside resistance was associated with a diverse family of amino acid insertions in addition to "conventional" point mutations. These insertions were found between RT codons 67 and 70 and were commonly 69Ser-(Ser-Ser) or 69Ser-(Ser-Gly). Treatment history information showed that a common factor for the development of these variants was AZT (3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, zidovudine) therapy in combination with 2',3'-dideoxyinosine or 2',3'-dideoxycytidine, although treatment patterns varied considerably. Site-directed mutagenesis studies confirmed that 69Ser-(Ser-Ser) in an AZT resistance mutational background conferred simultaneous resistance to multiple nucleoside analogs. The insertions are located in the "fingers" domain of RT. Modelling the 69Ser-(Ser-Ser) insertion into the RT structure demonstrated the profound direct effect that this change is likely to have in the nucleoside triphosphate binding site of the enzyme. Our data highlight the increasing problem of HIV-1 multidrug resistance and underline the importance of continued resistance surveillance with appropriate, sufficiently versatile genotyping technology and phenotypic drug susceptibility analysis.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

The M184V mutation in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) conferring lamivudine resistance does not result in broad cross-resistance to nucleoside analogue RT inhibitors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence and magnitude of M184V-mediated changes in susceptibility to zalcitabine, didanosine, stavudine and abacavir (1592U89 succinate) in a cohort of lamivudine-treated patients. DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 255 samples from patients treated with lamivudine and zidovudine with or without other nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) were analysed for susceptibility to zidovudine, lamivudine, zalcitabine, didanosine and stavudine using a recombinant virus assay. Seventy-three samples originated from patients exposed to zidovudine and lamivudine only. A subset of 27 samples was investigated for cross-resistance to abacavir. Resistance was defined as a change in median inhibitory concentration more than fivefold compared with wild-type (high-level resistance, > 10-fold). A genotypic analysis of plasma-derived reverse transcriptase coding regions was carried out in samples with cross-resistance. RESULTS: The majority of samples displayed wild-type or greater than wild-type sensitivity to zalcitabine, didanosine and stavudine: resistance was seen in 17.2, 9 and 6.3% of the total sample population, respectively. Of these, 1.2, 2.7 and 2.4%, respectively, showed high-level resistance. The prevalence of resistance to a particular NRTI was lower in samples from patients not pretreated with that NRTI and in samples from patients exposed to zidovudine-lamivudine only. Cross-resistance was more prevalent in samples with high ZDV resistance. There was no obvious correlation between cross-resistance and genotype; all but two samples were mutant at codon 184. There were no consistent changes at positions associated with zidovudine resistance. The majority of samples from a subset (n=27) were four- to eightfold less sensitive to abacavir. There were no other genotypic changes in addition to M184V known to be associated with abacavir resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-resistance was not commonly observed in this lamivudine-treated cohort. M184V per se is not expected to compromise subsequent treatment with NRTI such as didanosine-stavudine or combinations containing abacavir.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

[Virological evaluation of treating HIV-infected patients with (combinations of) antiretroviral drugs at the Amsterdam Academic Medical Center, 1996/'97].

OBJECTIVE: First clinical virological evaluation of anti-HIV treatment with HIV reverse transcriptase (RT) and protease inhibitors. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Academic Medical Centre of the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. METHOD: From January 1, 1996, until May 1, 1997, HIV-RNA levels were determined in sequential serum or plasma samples obtained sequentially of 384 patients over a period of 3.1 years on average (minimum 0.5, maximum 10 years). Of these patients 318 had sustained treatment for at least 6 months. The effect on HIV-RNA serum or plasma levels was evaluated in this particular group, of which 224 (70.4%) had been pretreated with antiretroviral drugs (experienced patients) and 94 (29.6%) had not (naive patients). RESULTS: Of the naive patients 8.5% were treated with a combination of two, 89.4% with three and 2.1% with four anti-HIV drugs. Preceding their current treatment, an average of more than two other anti-HIV regimens had been administered to the experienced patients. From 1987 until May 1997 a total of 834 treatments were registered among the 224 patients: 202 mono, 223 double, 340 triple, 60 quadruple and 9 other combination treatments. After six months 84% of the triple combination treatments in the naive patients and 61% in the experienced patients resulted in RNA levels < or = 10(3) copies/ml (p = 0.008). Of 68 patients who failed on treatment 36 (52.9%) showed resistance associated mutations in HIV reverse transcriptase. In 6/43 (14%) of these patients resistance associated mutations in protease were found as well. Genotypic resistance could not always be confirmed phenotypically. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary results indicate that in a majority of cases triple combination treatment including at least one HIV protease inhibitor was successful. Nevertheless, in 16% of the therapy-naive and 39% of the therapy-experienced patients the anti-HIV effect of treatment was insufficient.

Antiviral Agents↗