Lactic acidosis and symptomatic hyperlactataemia in a randomized trial of first-line therapy in HIV-infected adults in South Africa.

Background: Lactic acidosis (LA) is a potentially life-threatening complication of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. Few randomized prospective studies have compared LA between different ARV regimens.

Methods: Characterization of cases of LA (serum lactate >5 mmol/l and arterial pH<7.