Quality of life and self-reported lower extremity function in adults with HIV-related distal sensory polyneuropathy.

Background: Distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is a common complication of HIV disease. Its effects on quality of life (QOL) and function have not been well described.

Objective: The study objectives were: (1) to compare QOL and lower extremity function in people with HIV-related DSP and people with HIV disease who do not have DSP, (2) to determine the extent to which function predicts QOL, (3) to evaluate the agreement of 2 function scales, and (4) to describe the use of pain management resources.

CD4 count improvement following tenofovir to abacavir switch in a patient with persistent lymphopenia despite an undetectable viral load.

Many different antiretroviral regimens can be used as initial therapy for infection with HIV. While all recommended regimens have been shown to be highly effective in suppressing HIV replication to undetectable levels, some differences may exist with regard to the level of immune reconstitution (eg, CD4+ cell population) that occurs. We report a case of a patient with profound and prolonged lymphopenia, despite undetectable HIV RNA levels, that reversed following a switch from a fixed-dose combination of tenofovir/emtricitabine to abacavir/lamivudine in the patient's regimen.

Three-class antiretroviral resistance in a patient with acute HIV-1 infection.

Antiretroviral resistance in treatment-naïve patients with HIV-1 infection is on the rise in both resource-rich and resource-poor countries. We report a case of three-class primary antiretroviral resistance detected by a genotypic assay in a 19-year-old woman with acute HIV-1 infection. Her risk factor for HIV acquisition was unprotected sexual intercourse with a HIV-positive man.