CYSTOID MACULAR EDEMA IN BIRDSHOT RETINOCHOROÏDITIS: Long-Term Treatment Study in 142 Patients.

Purpose: To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of treatments for cystoid macular edema in birdshot retinochoroïditis.

Methods: Observational retrospective study of 142 HLA-A29-positive patients with cystoid macular edema; the main outcome was the optical coherence tomography intraretinal cysts resolution.

Results: During the mean follow-up of 75 months (12-178), 61.

HIV infection and COVID-19: risk factors for severe disease.

: We performed an observational prospective monocentric study in patients living with HIV (PLWH) diagnosed with COVID-19. Fifty-four PLWH developed COVID-19 with 14 severe (25.9%) and five critical cases (9.

"Real life" use of raltegravir during pregnancy in France: The Coferal-IMEA048 cohort study.

Introduction: Limited "real life" data on raltegravir (RAL) use during pregnancy are available. Thus, we aimed at describing effectiveness and safety of RAL-based combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) in this setting.

Methods: HIV-1-infected women receiving RAL during pregnancy between 2008 and 2014 in ten French centers were retrospectively analysed for: (1) proportion of women receiving RAL anytime during pregnancy who achieved a plasma HIV-RNA (pVL) < 50 copies/mL at delivery, and (2) description of demographics, immuno-virological parameters and safety in women and new-borns.

A New Mechanism of Resistance of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 to Integrase Inhibitors: A 5-Amino-Acid Insertion in the Integrase C-Terminal Domain.

Background: Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are crucial for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 2 infection, due to limited available therapeutic options. Recently, bictegravir has been approved for HIV-1, but no data are currently available for HIV-2.

Methods: We assessed the phenotypic susceptibility of 12 HIV-2 clinical isolates, obtained from 2 antiretroviral-naive and 10 antiretroviral-experienced patients, to 5 INSTIs (bictegravir, cabotegravir, dolutegravir, elvitegravir, and raltegravir) at the virological failure of an INSTI-based regimen.

Minority resistant variants are also present in HIV-2-infected antiretroviral-naive patients.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of minority resistant variants (MRV) and X4-tropic minority variants in ART-naive HIV-2-infected patients.

Patients And Methods: ART-naive HIV-2-infected patients with detectable plasma viral load (>100 copies/mL) included in the ANRS HIV-2 CO5 Cohort were assessed. We performed ultra-deep sequencing (UDS) of protease, RT, integrase and gp105 regions.

Neutropenia in Patients with Common Variable Immunodeficiency: a Rare Event Associated with Severe Outcome.

Background: Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is characterized by infections and hypogammaglobulinemia. Neutropenia is rare during CVID.

Methods: The French DEFI study enrolled patients with primary hypogammaglobulinemia.

Dolutegravir in HIV-2-Infected Patients With Resistant Virus to First-line Integrase Inhibitors From the French Named Patient Program.

Background: Dolutegravir has shown in vitro activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2). We report safety and efficacy data of regimens containing dolutegravir (50 mg twice daily) in antiretroviral-experienced, HIV-2-infected patients.

Methods: HIV-2-infected patients experiencing virological failure to raltegravir received dolutegravir with optimized background antiretroviral combinations within the French Named Patient Program (NPP).

Phenotype alterations in regulatory T-cell subsets in primary HIV infection and identification of Tr1-like cells as the main interleukin 10-producing CD4+ T cells.

Background: Conventional regulatory T cells (Tregs) can suppress human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-specific immune responses but cannot control immune activation in primary HIV infection. Here, we characterized Treg subsets, using recently defined phenotypic delineation, and analyzed the relative contribution of cell subsets to the production of immunosuppressive cytokines in primary HIV infection.

Methods: In a longitudinal prospective study, ex vivo phenotyping of fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with primary HIV infection was performed at baseline and month 6 of follow-up to characterize Treg subsets, immune activation, and cytokine production in isolated CD4(+) T cells.

Nasal polyposis and immunoglobulin-G subclass deficiency.

Objective: Study of the association between immunoglobulin-G (IgG) subclass deficiency and nasal polyposis.

Material And Methods: Longitudinal study (5 years) in a prospective cohort of 161 nasal polyposis patients. Analysis of the association between humoral immunodeficiency, rhinologic symptoms, endoscopy score and prescribed doses of local and systemic corticosteroids.

[Sinonasal polyposis associated with a deficiency subclass immunoglobulin G: Place of substitution immunoglobulins].

Purpose: To study the effect of the introduction of a substitution by intravenous Immunoglobulins (Ig IV) at patients with immunoglobulins G (IgG) subclasses deficiency and nasal polyposis.

Material And Methods: Prospective study concerning five patients with IgG subclasses deficiency and nasal polyposis treated by Ig IV. Rhinologic, otologic and pulmonary symptoms, exacerbations of nasal polyposis, chronic otitis and asthma as well as the number of antibiotics and corticoids treatments were counted during the Ig IV substitution.

Contraceptive failure of etonogestrel implant in patients treated with antiretrovirals including efavirenz.

Contraception for HIV-positive women is a complex issue. Although the use of condoms is recommended, complementary methods of contraception are often prescribed. Antiretroviral therapy can lead to drug interactions and modify the efficacy of hormonal contraception.

Dynamics of enfuvirtide resistance mutations in enfuvirtide-experienced patients remaining in virological failure under salvage therapy.

Background: Evaluation of the dynamics of enfuvirtide (ENF) resistance mutations after ENF withdrawal in patients with virological failure under salvage therapy may be helpful to optimize the management of ENF in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients.

Methods: Seven patients with a failing ENF-containing regimen, initiated for at least 3 months (median 6.4 months, range 3-14), were included and followed up prospectively at the time of virological failure.

Hot spots of integrase genotypic changes leading to HIV-2 resistance to raltegravir.

We studied seven heavily pretreated HIV-2-infected patients exhibiting a virological failure while receiving a salvage raltegravir-containing regimen. At the time of virological failure, different resistance genetic pathways were observed: T97A-Y143C, Q148K, Q148R, G140S-Q148R, E92Q-Y143R-N155H, and T97A-N155H. Thus, despite a 40% difference in integrase genes between HIV-1 and HIV-2, the genetic pathways leading to raltegravir resistance are similar.

High frequency of integrase Q148R minority variants in HIV-infected patients naive of integrase inhibitors.

Background: Integrase positions 148 and 155 represent main determinants of resistance to integrase inhibitors. We assessed the prevalence of minority variants harboring such mutations in integrase-naive HIV-infected patients.

Methods: Two groups of patients were studied: 40 heavily antiretroviral-experienced patients, initiating a raltegravir-based therapy and 51 antiretroviral-naive patients.

Foscarnet as salvage therapy in HIV-2-infected patient with antiretroviral treatment failure.

Previous studies have suggested the efficacy of foscarnet combined with thymidine analogues as salvage therapy in late-stage HIV-1 infection. Here, we report on the first case of foscarnet therapy in a patient infected with HIV-2 exhibiting virologic failure. The patient was known to be HIV-2-infected since 1992 and had received 11 sequential lines of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) with almost all the available antiretroviral agents including raltegravir.

Longitudinal analysis of raltegravir susceptibility and integrase replication capacity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 during virologic failure.

We characterized the raltegravir (RAL) susceptibility and the integrase (IN)-mediated replication capacity (RC) of RAL-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1 from two patients experiencing virologic failure during continuous RAL salvage therapy. The following two distinct outcomes were observed: (i) the selective outgrowth of virus with high-level RAL resistance and high IN-mediated RC leading to significant viral load rebound and (ii) the selection of virus with a slight reduction in RAL susceptibility and low IN-mediated RC resulting in sustained low-level viremia.

Liver-related deaths in HIV-infected patients between 1995 and 2005 in the French GERMIVIC Joint Study Group Network (Mortavic 2005 study in collaboration with the Mortalité 2005 survey, ANRS EN19).

Background: More than 10 years after the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), we examined the trend in the proportion of deaths caused by end-stage liver disease (ESLD) in HIV-infected adults in France between 1995 and 2005.

Design And Methods: In 2005, 34 departments prospectively recorded all deaths in HIV-infected patients who were followed in those departments (around 24 000).

Results: were compared with those of four previous cross-sectional surveys conducted since 1995 using the same methodology.

Foscarnet salvage therapy efficacy is associated with the presence of thymidine-associated mutations (TAMs) in HIV-infected patients.

Background: Salvage therapy based on foscarnet plus a thymidine analog is effective in patients with advanced-stage HIV disease and viruses harbouring multiple drug-resistance mutations.

Objective: To identify viral genetic determinants associated with the virological efficacy of foscarnet salvage therapy.

Study Design: Thirteen patients received foscarnet at a fixed dose of 80 mg/kg twice daily for 14 days, in combination with zidovudine or stavudine.

Drug resistance profiles for the HIV integrase gene in patients failing raltegravir salvage therapy.

Objectives: Recent data showed the selection of mutations in the integrase gene, mainly involving position 148 or 155, in patients displaying virological failure (VF) on raltegravir (RAL) therapy. Here, we describe the development of RAL resistance, in both plasmatic and cellular compartments, in three heavily pretreated HIV-infected patients failing RAL-containing regimens.

Methods: Three of 17 patients receiving RAL displayed VF.

A case-control study of risk factors for hepatitis C infection in patients with unexplained routes of infection.

Twenty to 40% of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients do not have a recognized parenteral risk factor, suggesting that still-unidentified modes of transmission exist. In order to investigate potential routes of HCV transmission for patients with no recognized parenteral risk factor, we conducted a multicentre case-control study. A total of 450 HCV-seropositive patients with no history of transfusion or intravenous drug use and 757 controls were recruited from the general population and matched for sex, age, geographical residence and number of chronic diseases.

Alterations of self-reactive antibody repertoires in HIV disease: an insight into the role of T cells in the selection of autoreactive B cells.

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is characterized by a progressive depletion of CD4(+) T cells that parallels a dysfunction of the B cell compartment and a disturbed recognition of self-antigens. The relationship between T lymphocyte homeostasis and abnormalities in the selection of self-reactive B cells is not clear as yet. We have therefore compared repertoires of natural antibodies of healthy donors and of patients at various stages of HIV infection.

Sustained exacerbation of cryoglobulinaemia-related vasculitis following treatment of hepatitis C with peginterferon alfa.

Peginterferon is now the gold standard of therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection. Extrahepatic manifestations of HCV are usually treated with interferon alfa. Here we report on a patient with HCV-related cirrhosis and cryoglobulinaemia who presented with an acute and long-lasting exacerbation of vasculitis during treatment with peginterferon.

Intramedullary abscess resulting from disseminated cryptococcosis despite immune restoration in a patient with AIDS.

We report on a case of cryptococcal intramedullary abscess, which occurred three years after a disseminated cryptococcosis and two years after a lymph node cryptococcal recurrence in a HIV-infected patient who exhibited a long-standing immune restoration. At the time of diagnosis, CD4(+) lymphocyte-count was 640x10(6)/l and HIV viral load was undetectable. Spinal involvement is rare during cryptococcosis of the central nervous system.