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Treatment of primary HIV‐1 infection with nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor‐based therapy is effective and well tolerated
Author(s) -
Portsmouth S,
Imami N,
Pires A,
Stebbing J,
Hand J,
Nelson M,
Gotch F,
Gazzard BG
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
hiv medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.53
H-Index - 79
eISSN - 1468-1293
pISSN - 1464-2662
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1293.2004.00181.x
Subject(s) - efavirenz , medicine , reverse transcriptase inhibitor , cd38 , regimen , reverse transcriptase , antiretroviral therapy , viral load , lymphocyte , immunology , cd8 , immune system , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , virology , pharmacology , gastroenterology , biology , polymerase chain reaction , biochemistry , stem cell , cd34 , gene , genetics
Objectives Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been advocated for the management of primary HIV‐1 infection. We investigated the use of a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)‐based regimen in this setting. Methods Twenty‐one antiretroviral‐naïve individuals with early HIV‐1 disease were treated with a combination of efavirenz and Combivir (GlaxoSmithKline, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UK). They were evaluated for immune and lymphocyte function by standard immunological assays. Results The median time to an undetectable HIV‐1 viral load was 12 weeks (range 4–36 weeks). CD4 and CD16/56 counts increased during treatment and CD8 counts decreased minimally. The main side‐effects observed were transient sleep disturbances (five patients). In addition, we observed a decrease in lymphocyte activation as assessed by CD38 surface expression. Conclusions This study demonstrates that primary HIV‐1 infection can be treated with NNRTI‐based HAART.