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Italian guidelines for antiretroviral therapy in children with human immunodeficiency virus‐type 1 infection
Author(s) -
Italian Register for Hiv Infection in Children
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1999.tb01088.x
Subject(s) - medicine , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , intensive care medicine , pediatrics , antiretroviral therapy , drug , sida , compliance (psychology) , viral disease , viral load , immunology , pharmacology , psychology , social psychology
Human immunodeficiency virus‐type 1 (HIV‐1) infection and its treatment are peculiar in children. Adherence and compliance must be carefully taken into account before initiating or changing therapy and in the choice of drugs. Even in the absence of paediatric‐specific trial results and notwithstanding drug‐labelling notations, all antiretroviral drugs should be used when indicated. A combined therapy is compulsory. Therapy is highly recommended in category C or category 3 and recommended in category B children. Indications in categories N1, N2, A1 or A2 are limited. A triple association is recommended in category C or category 3 children or in those with a high viral load, when compliance is guaranteed. A step‐down strategy is not advisable. Infants'treatment should be inserted into controlled studies. Therapy should be changed when serious side effects or poor tolerance (choose drugs with a different toxicity and greater tolerance), poor compliance (individualize the motives) or treatment failure (evaluate progression and adherence) occurs.