Publications by authors named "Gerald Pierone"

Background: Two-drug regimens (2DRs) have been introduced in recent years to potentially reduce antiretroviral therapy (ART) toxicities and drug-drug interactions while demonstrating comparable efficacy to three-drug regimens (3DRs) for people with HIV (PWH). The objective of this study was to compare the real-world effectiveness and durability of a single-tablet 2DR of dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC) with that of commonly prescribed 3DRs in ART-experienced, virologically suppressed PWH during the first 24 months of DTG/3TC availability in the United States.

Methods: Virologically suppressed (viral load [VL] < 200 copies/mL) adult PWH initiating DTG/3TC 2DR, bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF), or a DTG-based 3DR between 01MAY2019 and 31OCT2020 were identified in the OPERA cohort and followed through 30APR2021.

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  • Fostemsavir is a new drug used alongside other treatments for adults with multidrug-resistant HIV-1, focusing on its real-world effects in the OPERA cohort.
  • The study analyzed immunological (CD4 T-cell counts) and virological (viral load) responses in participants starting fostemsavir, categorizing results based on their initial viral load and CD4 count.
  • Results showed that while most individuals with suppressed viral loads maintained their status, those with low CD4 counts had notable improvements in immune response with fostemsavir, despite limited virological success in those who were viraemic.
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  • The study evaluates the effectiveness of the two-drug regimen (DTG/3TC) for HIV treatment, focusing on individuals transitioning from a three-drug regimen while maintaining a viral load under 50 copies/mL.
  • It includes 787 treatment-experienced participants followed for a median of 13.6 months, finding low rates of virologic failure and loss of viral control.
  • Results indicate that DTG/3TC is a viable and generally well-tolerated option for HIV treatment across different age, sex, and racial groups.
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  • - The study compared clinical outcomes between heavily treatment-experienced (HTE) and non-HTE people living with HIV (PLWH), focusing on their ART regimens and resistance to treatments over a median follow-up of 28 months.
  • - Results indicated that HTE PLWH had lower chances of achieving undetectable viral loads and maintaining adequate CD4 cell counts compared to non-HTE PLWH, and they were also more likely to need changes in their treatment regimens.
  • - Both groups experienced non-AIDS defining morbidities, with a higher prevalence in HTE PLWH (45%) versus non-HTE (35%), though serious morbidities and deaths were relatively rare.
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  • The study aimed to evaluate diet quality among people living with HIV (PWH) globally, highlighting variations across five different regions.
  • Researchers analyzed data from 7,736 participants using a diet assessment questionnaire, revealing that nearly half had suboptimal or poor diet quality, with significant differences between regions.
  • South Asia showed the highest diet quality scores, with 61% reporting optimal diets, while sub-Saharan Africa had the lowest scores, reflecting a concerning link between diet quality and cardiovascular risk among PWH.
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The consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnancy have not been well defined. However, there have been a number of reports of poor maternal and fetal outcomes worldwide. This report presents a case of stillbirth with associated placental pathology during week 35 in an otherwise healthy pregnant woman with SARS-CoV-2 infection.

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Introduction: Two-drug regimens (2-DR) have the potential to be a viable solution to the challenges of treatment complexity, cost, adverse effects and contraindications. We sought to describe the real-world use and effectiveness of 2-DR among persons living with HIV (PLHIV) in the United States.

Methods: We analysed data for 10,190 treatment-experienced patients from the OPERA® Observational Database initiating a new 2-DR or three-drug regimen (3-DR) between 1 January 2010 and 30 June 2016.

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Background And Objectives: The standard of care for HIV treatment is a three-drug regimen consisting of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) and either a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, a protease inhibitor (PI) or an integrase strand transfer inhibitor. Darunavir boosted with ritonavir (DRV/r) is the only preferred PI in the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) HIV treatment guidelines for antiretroviral-naïve patients, recommended in combination with tenofovir/emtricitabine for antiretroviral-naïve patients. For treatment-experienced and certain antiretroviral-naïve patients, abacavir and lamivudine (ABC/3TC) in combination with DRV/r is considered an effective and tolerable alternative, despite limited research on the effectiveness of this particular combination.

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Background: Studies of injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated facial lipoatrophy have predominantly included male Caucasians.

Objective: To report cumulative year 2 interim study results examining the safety and efficacy of injectable PLLA in subjects with HIV categorized according to Fitzpatrick skin type and sex.

Materials And Methods: This is an ongoing open-label, multicenter, 5-year study of 290 treated subjects.

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Background: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a deadly demyelinating disease of the brain, caused by reactivation of the polyomavirus JC (JCV). PML has classically been described in individuals with profound cellular immunosuppression such as patients with AIDS, haematological malignancies, organ transplant recipients or those treated with immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory medications for autoimmune diseases. METHODS AND CASE REPORTS: The authors describe five HIV seronegative patients with minimal or occult immunosuppression who developed PML including two patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, one with untreated dermatomyositis and two with idiopathic CD4(+) T cell lymphocytopenia.

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Previous studies of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) monotherapy have shown that over 70% of patients achieved HIV RNA levels <500 copies/mL over a follow-up period of 48 to 96 weeks, but the long-term durability is undetermined. Herein, the authors report 2 patients that started LPV/r monotherapy after virologic failure on an NNRTIbased regimen and have been successfully treated for greater than 7 years. Both patients demonstrated long-term control of viral replication over the course of treatment, although the first patient had 3 viral load blips and the second had 1 blip under 400 copies/mL.

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Background: Given the limited treatment options for patients with high-level resistance, antiretroviral (ARV) regimens based on concomitant use of 2 ritonavir (RTV)-boosted protease inhibitors (PIs) were considered a therapeutic option.

Methods: Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) study 1182.51 examined the pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and efficacy of RTV-boosted tipranavir (TPV/r), alone and in combination with comparator PIs (CPIs) in 315 triple-class-experienced, HIV-infected patients.

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Background: Agents for the treatment of HIV-1-infected patients with resistance to current antiretroviral (ART) drugs are needed.

Methods: TMC114-C202 was a randomized, partially blinded, dose-finding study in treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected patients with one or more primary protease inhibitor (PI) mutations and HIV-1 RNA > 1000 copies/ml. Patients were randomized to receive one of four TMC114 doses given with ritonavir (TMC114/r) or investigator-selected control PI drug(s) (CPI); all received an optimized background regimen.

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The efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of three doses of tipranavir/ritonavir (TPV/r) in highly treatment-experienced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected patients with protease inhibitor (PI)-resistant isolates were evaluated. A 24-week multicenter, double-blind, randomized, dose-finding trial was conducted. All patients were three-drug class experienced and had taken at least two PI-based regimens.

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Purpose: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of switching HIV-infected patients with stable viral suppression on nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor/nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI/NRTI) therapy to lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) monotherapy.

Method: Eligible patients discontinued NNRTI and started LPV/r. Two weeks later NRTIs were stopped and LPV/r monotherapy was continued.

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Background: Improved treatment options are needed for patients infected with multidrug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). The nonpeptidic protease inhibitor tipranavir has demonstrated antiviral activity against many protease inhibitor-resistant HIV-1 isolates. The Randomized Evaluation of Strategic Intervention in multi-drug reSistant patients with Tipranavir (RESIST-1) trial is an ongoing, open-label study comparing the efficacy and safety of ritonavir-boosted tipranavir (TPV/r) with an investigator-selected ritonavir-boosted comparator protease inhibitor (CPI/r) in treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected patients.

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Z-100 is an extract of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain Aoyama B, which contains various polysaccharides. Aoyama B has previously been shown to induce a T helper 1-type cytokine response in various murine oncological models and has also demonstrated inhibitory activity against HIV-1 in vitro. This multicentre study primarily determined the safety of Z-100 in early HIV-1-infected patients who were treatment naive; were treatment experienced, but had elected to discontinue highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) 8 weeks or longer before the study; or were stable on their first or second HAART regimen for at least 12 weeks before the study.

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Objective: Clinicians are increasingly challenged by presentation of morphologic and metabolic complications in HIV-infected patients. These complications are associated with HIV infection and/or combination antiretroviral therapy. This Consensus Statement is intended to offer guidance to clinicians actively involved in HIV/AIDS care.

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Background: Resistance to antiretroviral agents remains a leading cause of treatment failure for patients infected with HIV-1.

Objective: To describe the efficacy and safety of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (tenofovir DF) compared with placebo in patients with detectable viral replication despite current antiretroviral therapy.

Design: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study through 24 weeks.

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Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether a triple therapy regimen incorporating twice-daily saquinavir is as effective as a three-times daily regimen.

Methods: This was an open-label, Phase III, multicentre, 48-week study involving 837 HIV-1-infected patients randomised to one of the following: saquinavir soft gel capsule (SGC) 1200 mg three-times daily, plus two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (arm A); saquinavir SGC 1,600 mg twice-daily, plus two NRTIs (arm B); saquinavir SGC 1,200 mg twice-daily and nelfinavir 1,250 mg twice-daily, plus a single NRTI (arm C). The primary outcome measure was the virological response in arm A versus B and in arm A versus C with respect to the percentage of patients whose plasma HIV-1 RNA levels fell below the level of quantification for the Amplicor assay (<400 copies/ml) at weeks 24 and 48.

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