ACTG-HIV symptoms changes in patients switched to RPV/FTC/TDF due to previous intolerance to CART. Interim analysis of the PRO-STR study.

Introduction: Tolerability and convenience are crucial aspects for the long-term success of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact in routine clinical practice of switching to the single tablet regimen (STR) RPV/FTC/TDF in patients with intolerance to previous cART, in terms of patients' well-being, assessed by several validated measures.

Methods: Prospective, multicenter study.

Monotherapy with darunavir/ritonavir is effective and safe in clinical practice.

Introduction: Monotherapy against HIV has undoubted theoretical advantages and has good scientific fundaments. However, it is still controversial and here we will analyze the efficacy and safety of MT with darunavir with ritonavir (DRV/r) on patients who have received this treatment in our hospitals.

Materials And Methods: Observational retrospective study that includes patients from 10 Andalusian hospitals that have received DRV/r in MT and that have been followed over a minimum of 12 months.

Dyslipidaemia in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy. Analysis of 922 patients from the Spanish VACH cohort.

Background: Information concerning lipid disturbances in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is scarce. The objective of the study is to describe the lipid profile in a large cohort of HIV-infected women on contemporary ART and analyse differences between regimes and patient's characteristics.

Methods: Observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study from the Spanish VACH Cohort.

Bacterial translocation in HIV-infected patients with HCV cirrhosis: implication in hemodynamic alterations and mortality.

Objective: Analysis of the influence of portal hypertension on intestinal permeability in HIV-infected patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related cirrhosis and of the prognostic significance of consequent macrophage activation.

Methods: Twenty HIV-monoinfected patients, 70 patients with HIV-HCV coinfection, 20 of them with compensated and 50 with decompensated cirrhosis, and 20 healthy controls were evaluated for intestinal permeability [measured by lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) serum levels], macrophage activation [soluble CD14, soluble tumour necrosis factor receptor 55 Kd, and interleukin 6 (IL-6)], and activation of the rennin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. Patients with decompensated cirrhosis were monitored for a median period of 429 days to analyze the prognostic factors implicated in survival.

Tuberculin skin-test reactions are unaffected by the severity of hyperendemic intestinal helminth infections and co-infections.

The tuberculin skin test (TST) quantifies cell-mediated immunity to tuberculosis antigens. Helminths suppress cell-mediated immunity, so we studied the effect of helminth infection and deworming on the TST in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in an indigenous Amazon community (N = 195). Stool microscopy diagnosed helminths in 98% and co-infection with multiple species in 24% of study subjects.

Efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetic of once-daily boosted saquinavir (1500/100 mg) together with 2 nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors in real life: a multicentre prospective study.

Background: Ritonavir-boosted saquinavir (SQVr) is nowadays regarded as an alternative antiretroviral drug probably due to several drawbacks, such as its high pill burden, twice daily dosing and the requirement of 200 mg ritonavir when given at the current standard 1000/100 mg bid dosing. Several once-daily SQVr dosing schemes have been studied with the 200 mg SQV old formulations, trying to overcome some of these disadvantages. SQV 500 mg strength tablets became available at the end of 2005, thus facilitating a once-daily regimen with fewer pills, although there is very limited experience with this formulation yet.

Characteristics and outcome of HIV infection in gypsies in the Spanish VACH Cohort.

Objective: To study the characteristics of HIV infection in the gypsy (Roma) population in Spain, as compared with those of the Caucasian, non-gypsy majority.

Design: Cross-sectional, historical cohort study from the Spanish VACH Cohort.

Methods: Patients attending VACH clinics between 1 June 2004 and 30 November 2004 were classified according to their racial and ethnic origin as "gypsies", Caucasian non-gypsy Spanish natives (CNGN), and "other" (the last being excluded from this study).

Effectiveness and safety of didanosine, lamivudine and efavirenz versus zidovudine, lamivudine and efavirenz for the initial treatment of HIV-infected patients from the Spanish VACH cohort.

Background: Preliminary data suggest that a once-daily combination of lamivudine, didanosine and efavirenz is an effective alternative regimen for antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients. However, data from randomized trials comparing this combination versus standard first-line regimens are not available yet. In an observational study, we analyse the efficacy and tolerability of didanosine plus lamivudine and efavirenz versus zidovudine plus lamivudine and efavirenz in a cohort of therapy naive patients.

Dyslipidemia and cardiovascular disease risk factor management in HIV-1-infected subjects treated with HAART in the Spanish VACH cohort.

Background: There is increasing evidence that metabolic adverse effects associated with antiretroviral therapy may translate into an increased cardiovascular risk in HIV-1-infected patients.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among HIV-1-infected persons, and to investigate any association between them, stage of HIV-1 disease, and use of antiretroviral therapies.

Methods: Multicentric, cross-sectional analysis of CVD risk factors of treated patients in the VACH cohort.

First-line antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz or lopinavir/ritonavir plus two nucleoside analogues: the SUSKA study, a non-randomized comparison from the VACH cohort.

Background: Efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir are both recommended antiretroviral agents for combination first-line therapy, although information on direct comparisons between them is scarce. A retrospective longitudinal study from the VACH cohort comparing both regimens was performed.

Methods: Efficacy was examined comparing time to virological failure, CD4 recovery and clinical progression.

Natural history of compensated and decompensated HCV-related cirrhosis in HIV-infected patients: a prospective multicentre study.

Objective: To define the course of HIV-HCV-coinfected patients with compensated and decompensated liver cirrhosis and to investigate the survival and the risk factors for death.

Patients And Methods: Ninety-two HIV-infected patients with HCV-related cirrhosis (50 of them without and 42 with previous decompensations) were prospectively followed up during a median period of 20 months. Clinical, biochemical, virological and immunological factors were analysed.

[Changing trends in HIV epidemics: recent diagnoses in the Spanish VACH cohort (2000-2002)].

Background: Studying the changing trends of HIV epidemics is a useful means of evaluating the results of current preventive plans as well as of defining future needs and objectives.

Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of the newly-diagnosed cases of HIV infection included in the Spanish VACH cohort. New HIV cases were defined as those diagnosed between January 2001 and December 2002.

[Immunological, virological and clinical response in patients infected with HIV after highly active antiviral therapy with nelfinavir: prospective cohort study].

Introduction: To assess the long-term effectiveness, safety and response-related factors in a cohort of HIV-infected persons receiving antiretroviral therapy containing nelfinavir. Design and setting. Prospective, non-randomized multicenter study.

Hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus coinfection in Spain.

Objective And Methods: In a cross-sectional study, based on a cohort composed of HIV-infected patients of fifteen tertiary level institutions of Spain, the main data of the entire cohort are described, characteristics of patients with or without hepatitis C coinfection are compared, and the possible association of hepatitis C virus coinfection with socioeconomic, HIV-related, and hepatitis B-related variables is assessed.

Results: A total of 4,709 patients are studied. Median of age is 37 years, 78.