Restoration of Toxoplasma gondii-specific immune responses in patients with AIDS starting HAART.

Objective: To study the kinetics and identify factors associated with Toxoplasma-specific immune responses in patients with AIDS starting antiretroviral therapy.

Methods: A prospective study of 38 HIV-infected patients seropositive for Toxoplasma who started antiretroviral therapy with CD4 T cells less than 200 cells/microl. T-cell and B-cell phenotypes, anti-Toxoplasma antibodies titers, Th-1 and Th-2 cytokine production and lymphocyte proliferative responses (LPRs) to Toxoplasma were assessed over 12 months.

Five-year follow up of once-daily therapy with emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz (Montana ANRS 091 trial).

Background: Once-daily combination therapy with emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz has been highly effective in clinical trials but its long-term efficacy and safety has not been previously reported.

Methods: This multicentre, single-arm, open-label trial enrolled 40 antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients who received a once-daily regimen of emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz. The objective was to assess the long-term effects of this combination on plasma HIV RNA levels, CD4+ T-cell counts, safety and tolerability.

Impact of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase polymorphism at codons 211 and 228 on virological response to didanosine.

Objective: To determine the potential impact of reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations, other than those currently known to confer nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) resistance, on the virological response to didanosine (ddl).

Design And Patients: In the placebo-controlled Jaguar trial, 168 patients were randomly assigned to receive ddl (n=111) or placebo (n=57) in addition to their currently failing regimen for 4 weeks.

Methods: The virological response was a reduction of HIV-1 RNA from baseline to week 4.

[Treatment interruption in 30 HIV-infected patients with successful viral suppression under highly active antiretroviral treatment].

Objective: To evaluate clinical and laboratory results in HIV-infected patients with complete viral suppression under HAART (highly active antiretroviral treatment) for whom treatment was interrupted and to identify risk factors associated with prolonged (i.e., successful) treatment interruption.

Anal carcinomas in HIV-positive patients: high-dose chemoradiotherapy is feasible in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Anal carcinoma, a common disease in HIV-positive patients, is usually treated with chemoradiotherapy. Generally tolerance was poor before the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapies. We report our experience of treating anal carcinoma in the era of new antiviral drugs.

Tenofovir-related nephrotoxicity in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients: three cases of renal failure, Fanconi syndrome, and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

We report 3 cases of renal toxicity associated with use of the antiviral agent tenofovir. Renal failure, proximal tubular dysfunction, and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus were observed, and, in 2 cases, renal biopsy revealed severe tubular necrosis with characteristic nuclear changes. Patients receiving tenofovir must be monitored closely for early signs of tubulopathy (glycosuria, acidosis, mild increase in the plasma creatinine level, and proteinuria).