Protease inhibitor-associated bone mineral density loss is related to hypothyroidism and related bone turnover acceleration.

Background: Clinical and experiments evidence indicate that protease inhibitors (PI) can cause bone mineral density (BMD) loss. However, the mechanism of such loss remains obscure.

Methods: This single-center, cross-sectional study included 184 HIV-infected patients treated with PI who underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan.

Incidence and Risk Factors for Incident Syphilis among HIV-1-Infected Men Who Have Sex with Men in a Large Urban HIV Clinic in Tokyo, 2008-2015.

Background: The epidemiology of incident syphilis infection among HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) largely remains unknown.

Methods: The incidence and risk factors for incident syphilis (positive TPHA and RPR> = 1:8) among HIV-1-infected MSM who visited a large HIV clinic in Tokyo for the first time between 2008 and 2013 were determined, using clinical data and stored blood samples taken every three months for screening and determination of the date of incident syphilis. Poisson regression compared the incidence of syphilis at different observation periods.

Long-term use of protease inhibitors is associated with bone mineral density loss.

HIV-infected patients are at high risk for bone mineral density (BMD) loss. The present study was designed to provide information on characteristics of BMD abnormalities in Japanese HIV-1-infected patients and risk factors involved in worsening of BMD. A total of 184 Japanese HIV-1-infected men were studied with a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scan (DXA) at the lumbar spine and femoral neck.

Effectiveness of subcutaneous growth hormone in HIV-1 patients with moderate to severe facial lipoatrophy.

Objective: To evaluate effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) among HIV-infected adults with moderate to severe facial lipoatrophy as a side effect of long-term antiretroviral treatment.

Design: A prospective open-label study

Methods: Twenty-five HIV-1 patients with moderate to severe facial lipoatrophy who had been on antiretroviral treatment for more than 18 months were enrolled. rhGH (5 mg) was given every other day for 6 months.

Simultaneous vaccination in Japanese travelers.

Background: Simultaneous vaccination is not common in Japan because there is little information available on its effects. Some people are quite concerned about the possibility of adverse reactions due to simultaneous vaccination. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the frequency and severity of adverse effects are increased by simultaneous vaccination in comparison to single vaccination.

[A case of severe falciparum malaria successfully treated with intravenous artesunate and continuous hemodiafiltration].

We report a 54-year-old Japanese man who contracted severe falciparum malaria after visiting West African countries. The patient presented with Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia of 10% on admission and was successfully treated with intravenous artesunate combined with continuous hemodiafiltration. We found that intravenous artesunate had excellent antimalarial activity with rapid parasite clearance and that few adverse effects were observed compared to those reported for intravenous quinine treatment.

Urinary beta2-microglobulin as a possible sensitive marker for renal injury caused by tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.

Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) is renally excreted by a combination of glomerular filtration and active tubular secretion, and its renal safety profiles have been reported based on a limited increase of serum creatinine (sCr) levels. However, renal tubular function has not previously been well monitored. We measured sCr and urinary beta2-microglobulin (U-beta2MG) levels cross-sectionally in 70 patients treated with TDF [TDF+] and 90 patients on other antiretroviral therapy who had never been exposed to TDF [TDF-].

Primary nelfinavir (NFV)-associated resistance mutations during a follow-up period of 108 weeks in protease inhibitor naïve patients treated with NFV-containing regimens in an HIV clinic cohort.

Background: Nelfinavir (NFV) is a widely prescribed HIV-1 specific protease inhibitor (PI). However, there are only a few reports that have described the long-term effects of NFV-containing regimens, especially with regard to the emergence of drug resistance in inner-city clinics.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and virologic responses to treatment with NFV-containing regimens for up to 108 weeks and determine the timing and rate of emergence of primary NFV-resistance associated mutations in daily clinical practice.

[Comparison of pharmacokinetics of saquinavir soft-gel capsule (SQV-SGC) combined with ritonavir (RTV), SQV hard-gel capsule with RTV, and SQV-SGC alone].

Saquinavir (SQV) is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) specific protease inhibitor. When combined with ritonavir (RTV), plasma concentration of SQV is increased. In this study, we examined pharmacokinetics of SQV soft-gel capsule (SQV-SGC) 400 mg twice daily (BID) combined with RTV in HIV-1-infected patients (n = 4) and compared with those of SQV hard-gel capsule (SQV-HGC) 400 mg BID combined with RTV (n = 12).

Serious bradyarrhythmia that was possibly induced by lopinavir-ritonavir in 2 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

We describe 2 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome who had potentially fatal bradyarrhythmia that occurred shortly after commencement of antiretroviral therapy. Lopinavir-ritonavir was the only drug that both patients were using.