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Biomedical subjects

P Gute

Publications and source records attributed to P Gute.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

First-line ritonavir/indinavir 100/800 mg twice daily plus nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in a German multicentre study: 48-week results.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate safety and efficacy of the protease inhibitor combination ritonavir/indinavir 100/800 mg twice daily plus 2-3 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) in antiretroviral-naive patients. METHODS: Within this open-label, uncontrolled multicentre trial, antiretroviral-naive patients (n = 57) with median baseline HIV-RNA of 308,000 copies/mL (range 170-3.01 million copies/mL) and median CD4 cell count of 50 cells/microL (range 0-853 cells/microL) were started on 2-3 NRTIs plus ritonavir/indinavir 100/800 mg twice daily. CD4 cell counts and HIV-RNA were determined at weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24 and 48. Statistical analysis was performed on treatment as well as intent-to-treat. RESULTS: Viral load decreased by a median of 3.79 log10 copies/mL (range 2.0-4.60 log10 copies/mL) until week 48. At week 48, 23/57 (40%, intent-to-treat) patients showed a viral load </= 80 copies/mL. In parallel, median CD4 cell counts increased by a median of 149 cells/microL (range -60-420 cells/microL). Median triglycerides and cholesterol increased from baseline 160 mg/dL (range 33-364 mg/dL) to 218 mg/dL (range 110-527 mg/dL) at week 48 and from 166 mg/dL (range 63-262 mg/dL) to 233 mg/dL (range 95-359 mg/dL), respectively. Twenty-seven of fifty-seven patients (47%) discontinued study medication, 19 (33%) due to nephrolithiasis. Two patients changed their antiretroviral regimen after failing virologically. CONCLUSION: Ritonavir/indinavir 100/800 mg twice daily appears to be effective up to 48 weeks despite high baseline viraemia and low CD4 cell count in antiretroviral-naive patients. However, discontinuation due to adverse events, especially nephrotoxicity, is frequent and limits treatment duration. Therefore, extra hydration appears inevitable with this combination.

Adult↗

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↗

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↗

Determinants of sustainable CD4 lymphocyte count increases in response to antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: HIV-induced CD4 lymphocyte depletion is partially reversed by antiretroviral therapy but it is unclear if the degree to which the CD4 count rises depends on viral suppression (if so, the extent of viral suppression required to achieve a maximal CD4 count rise), whether the rise is sustainable and whether it occurs in patients with CD4 count <10 x 10(6) cells/l. We aimed to address these issues. METHODS: We studied CD4 count and plasma HIV RNA values every 4 weeks for 72 weeks in 154 patients starting indinavir-containing regimens. RESULTS: Mean baseline HIV RNA and CD4 count were 4.8 log10 copies/ml and 180 x 10(6) cells/l, respectively. Overall, there was a mean increase in CD4 count of 143 x 10(6) cells/l by 72 weeks. The adjusted mean increase (adjusted for initial viral load, CD4 count and age) was strongly related to the mean viral suppression over the follow-up period (P < 0.0001). Importantly, there was a highly significant difference (P = 0.0004) in the rise in CD4 count between those with 2-3 log suppression (161 x 10(6) cells/l) and those with > 3 log suppression (314 x 10(6) cells/l; mean 3.6 log suppression in this group), suggesting that with even greater suppression the rise in CD4 lymphocytes may be still larger. We also studied whether CD4 counts were still rising after 72 weeks in patients with sustained suppression of at least 3 log in viral load. There was a significant (P = 0.004; paired t-test) rise in count of 43 x 10(6) cells/l between weeks 64 and 72 in these patients, suggesting that regeneration continues at least up to 72 weeks after therapy, provided virus replication continues to be suppressed. Patients with initial CD4 counts < 10 x 10(6) cells/l experienced no smaller rises than those at higher levels, even after adjustment for other factors. CONCLUSION: These results strongly support a direct causal relationship between HIV replication and CD4 lymphocyte count depletion. The rise in those with > 3 log suppression provides the best available indicator of the potential for natural CD4 regeneration in HIV-infected patients. However, since still greater CD4 count rises may be seen with more suppressive regimens, it may not be possible to study the intrinsic CD4 regenerative capacity until such regimens are available.

Adult↗

Nevirapine/didanosine/lamivudine once daily in HIV-1-infected intravenous drug users.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected, active intravenous drug users received once-daily therapy consisting of a combination of didanosine (2',3'-dideoxyinosine or DDI), lamivudine [(-)-beta-L-2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine or 3TC] and nevirapine. Preliminary results for the first 24 weeks show that the regimen provides potent immunological and antiviral effects.

Adult↗

Changing incidence of AIDS-defining illnesses in the era of antiretroviral combination therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections and malignancies over a 5-year period from 1992 to 1996. STUDY POPULATION: Subcohort of 1003 homosexual men with HIV infection and CD4 count less than 200 x 10(6) cells/l from the Frankfurt AIDS Cohort Study. METHODS: Data including the earliest date that a CD4 T-lymphocyte count < 200 x 10(6)/l was reached and the dates of AIDS-defining events were compiled from medical records. Incidence analyses for AIDS-defining events and death during the subsequent 5 years (1992-1996) were performed using rates per 100 person-years of exposure. RESULTS: During the observation period, the number of patients per year with CD4 T-lymphocyte counts < 200 x 10(6)/l varied between 402 and 511. In 1992, 56.7% of patients experienced at least one AIDS-defining illness, and 20.7% in 1996. The annual number of AIDS-defining events per 100 patient-years of observation declined from 143.5 in 1992 to 38.3 in 1996, and the number of AIDS-related deaths fell from 25.7 to 12.9. Analysis of the number of events confirmed this trend for malignancies and single opportunistic infections, with the exception of mycobacterial diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of AIDS-defining events in patients with advanced HIV infection at Frankfurt University Hospital has declined by more than 70% from 1992 to 1996.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗

Gamma delta-T cell-receptor-positive lymphocytes inhibit human hematopoietic progenitor cell growth in HIV type 1-infected patients.

In severe HIV infection, the majority of patients exhibit signs of hematopoietic deficiency including anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia. Besides other pathophysiological mechanisms, the disturbed helper/suppressor ratio of T-lymphocytes suggests that alterations within T cell subpopulations may have a suppressive effect on HIV-associated hematopoiesis. Since a delta TCS-1- and mostly CD-8-positive subpopulation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes expressing the gamma delta-receptor is increased in peripheral blood and bone marrow of HIV-infected persons, it was the aim of this study to investigate the role of gamma delta-positive cells in HIV-associated bone marrow deficiency. The number of bone marrow-derived pluripotent colony-forming units (CFU-GEMM), burstforming units-erythrocyte (BFU-E), and colony-forming units-granulocyte-monocyte (CFU-GM) of HIV-1-positive patients was significantly (p < 0.05) increased after depletion of CD-8-positive, gamma delta-positive, and delta TCS-1-positive T-lymphocytes. In contrast, the depletion of these subpopulations had no stimulatory effect in healthy controls. Further experiments identified direct cellular contact between effector and hematopoietic progenitor cells and the production of interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha as the mechanisms mediating the suppressive effect of the delta TCS-1-positive cells in HIV-positive patients.

Adult↗

[Pneumoperitoneum and pneumoretroperitoneum without perforation].

Asymptomatic radiologically recognised pneumoperitoneum still remains a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma, because free intraperitoneal air is not necessarily caused by alimentary tract perforation. We present two cases of nonsurgical pneumoperitoneum (caused by pneumomediastinum and pneumatosis intestinalis cystoides) and their typical radiologic findings. Other causes of pneumoperitoneum that do not necessitate laparotomy so as cited in the radiologic and surgical literature are discussed.

Adult↗

In vitro improvement of bone marrow-derived hematopoietic colony formation in HIV-positive patients by alpha-D-tocopherol and erythropoietin.

The majority of patients with progressive HIV infection develop a severe hematopoietic failure which is aggravated by the hematotoxic effect of azidothymidine (AZT) treatment. Since it was shown in a mouse model that alpha-D-tocopherol (vitamin E derivative) antagonizes the inhibitory influence of AZT on the growth of burst-forming units-erythrocyte (BFU-E), it was the aim of this study to investigate whether alpha-D-tocopherol and high dosages of erythropoietin (EPO) increase the hematopoietic colony-forming capacity of bone marrow cells from patients with progressive HIV disease and especially if they reverse the inhibitory effects of AZT. The data demonstrate that tocopherol (1-100 mumol/l) significantly increases the growth of BFU-E and colony-forming units granulocyte-monocyte (CFU-GM) from HIV-infected patients. This stimulatory effect is dose-dependent (maximum at 30-100 mumol/l) and only occurs when the agent is present from the beginning of the cultures. EPO (5-10 U/ml) also augments the numbers of BFU-E from HIV-infected patients. Tocopherol equally ameliorates the growth of BFU-E and CFU-GM from the HIV-positive cohort in the presence of AZT (10-100 mumol/l). For healthy controls, no such increase was observed, either with tocopherol or with higher dosages of EPO. In conclusion, both tocopherol and EPO partially reverse the myelosuppressive action of AZT in HIV-positive patients.

Adult↗