Changes in the peripheral blood mtDNA levels in naive patients treated by different nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor combinations and their association with subsequent lipodystrophy.

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) differ in the type and severity of adverse effects resulting from mitochondrial abnormalities. mtDNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured during the first 12 months of different NRTIs combinations and its association with clinical lipodystrophy was estimated. Extended follow-up of a randomized trial, ALBI-ANRS 070, including antiretroviral naive patients was conducted.

Virological and pharmacological factors associated with virological response to salvage therapy after an 8-week of treatment interruption in a context of very advanced HIV disease (GigHAART ANRS 097).

Both highly potent antiretroviral drug rescue multi therapy and treatment interruption (TI) have been suggested to be effective in HIV-1 infected-patients with multiple treatment failure. GigHAART-ANRS 097 was the only randomized trial during which an 8-week TI was beneficial in heavily pre-treated patients with multi-drug resistant virus on resuming a multiple-drug salvage regimen. The aim of this study was to analyze virological and pharmacological factors associated with a virological response.

Therapeutic immunization with a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1-recombinant canarypox vaccine in chronically HIV-infected patients: The Vacciter Study (ANRS 094).

This open single-arm study evaluated whether the administration of an HIV-recombinant canarypox vaccine (vCP1433) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-treated patients chronically infected with HIV was safe, immunogenic and associated with prolongation of treatment discontinuation: 48 patients received four monthly vCP1433 injections and stopped HAART. Immunization was safe. HIV-p24-specific lymphoproliferative responses (LPR), significantly increased in the whole group after two injections but decreased thereafter, HIV-gag-specific CD8 T cells were boosted in 55% patients tested.

Dynamic range of hepatitis C virus RNA quantification with the Cobas Ampliprep-Cobas Amplicor HCV Monitor v2.0 assay.

Accurate quantification of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA is needed in clinical practice to decide whether to continue or stop pegylated interferon-alpha-ribavirin combination therapy at week 12 of treatment for patients with chronic hepatitis C. Currently the HCV RNA quantification assay most widely used worldwide is the Amplicor HCV Monitor v2.0 assay (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, Calif.

Mitochondrial DNA depletion in adipose tissue of HIV-infected patients with peripheral lipoatrophy.

Background: NRTI-induced host toxicity is proposed to involve cellular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion. Determinants of cellular mtDNA copy number from HIV-infected patients receiving HAART and HIV-seronegative controls were investigated from subcutaneous fat samples, and relation with antiretroviral regimen was studied.

Study Design: HIV-infected patients receiving HAART (n = 50), HIV-infected patients not currently under HAART regimen (n = 2) and HIV-seronegative controls (n = 9) of similar age and BMI were enrolled prospectively when undergoing Coleman's lipostructure for correction of facial lipoatrophy or plastic surgery, respectively.