Short-course Combivir after single-dose nevirapine reduces but does not eliminate the emergence of nevirapine resistance in women.

Background: In the Treatment Options Preservation Study (TOPS) trial, 4 or 7 days of Combivir (CBV; zidovudine/lamivudine) with maternal single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) significantly reduced the emergence of NVP resistance as determined by virus population genotyping. To detect NVP resistance with greater sensitivity, we analysed TOPS samples by allele-specific real-time PCR (ASP).

Methods: In a random subset of women from each arm of the trial, plasma samples from before and 6 weeks after sdNVP were analysed using ASP at codons 103, 181, 184 and 190.

Optimization of allele-specific PCR using patient-specific HIV consensus sequences for primer design.

Allele-specific PCR based on subtype consensus sequences is a powerful technique for detecting low frequency drug resistant mutants in HIV-1 infected patients. However, this approach can be limited by genetic variation in the region complementary to the primers, leading to variability in allele detection. The goals of this study were to quantify this effect and then to improve assay performance.

Percutaneous embolotherapy for life-threatening hemoptysis.

Study Objectives: The management of life-threatening hemoptysis frequently poses a therapeutic dilemma because such patients are often poor surgical risks. Less often, patients refuse surgical intervention. The value of percutaneous embolotherapy, a useful alternative in these situations, was assessed.