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Higher viral load during early pregnancy, poor adherence, associated with increased risk of HIV infection for infants

Michael Carter — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

A higher viral load during the earlier stages of pregnancy is an important risk factor for mother-to-child transmission of HIV, even when a woman’s viral load is below 500 copies/ml at the time of delivery, French investigators report in the February 15^th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

HIV treatment responses in everyday care matching clinical trial levels

Michael Carter — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Patients receiving routine HIV care through a large US hospital had treatment responses that matched responses rates seen in recent clinical trials, indicating that very high rates of undetectable viral load are achievable in everyday clinical care, US investigators report in the February 15^th edition of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Less resistance with FTC than 3TC when combined with tenofovir

Michael Carter — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Amongst patients experiencing a rebound in viral load, those taking 3TC (lamivudine, Epivir) in combination with tenofovir (Viread) were more likely than those taking FTC (emtricitabine, Emtriva) and tenofovir to develop a number of key resistance mutations, report investigators in the online edition of AIDS.

Vision loss affecting one in ten Ugandan people with HIV

Carole Leach-Lemens — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

The lack of routine eye care was the likely cause of the unrecognised but significant and preventable vision loss and eye disease among 11% of HIV-infected adults attending an HIV treatment site in Kampala, Uganda, report Juliet Otiti-Sengeri and colleagues in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

Tesamorelin safe and effective for fat accumulation in patients taking HIV treatment

Michael Carter — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Treatment with tesamorelin significantly improves visceral fat accumulation in patients with HIV, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

New heat-stable ritonavir tablet approved in Europe

Keith Alcorn — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

The new heat-stable formulation of ritonavir (Norvir) has been approved in the European Union, manufacturer Abbott announced this week.

Danes find more evidence linking abacavir treatment with increased risk of heart attack

Michael Carter — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Researchers have found further evidence suggesting that treatment with abacavir increases the risk of heart attack. In a study published in the February edition of HIV Medicine investigators from Denmark report that patients who took the drug doubled their risk of heart attack.

Adherence: study shows protease inhibitors more forgiving of missed doses, even when treatment out of date

Michael Carter — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Less than perfect adherence to HIV treatment regimens significantly increases the risk of resistance developing to drugs in the NNRTI and NRTI classes, investigators report in the January 28^th edition of AIDS.

FDA revises ddI product label to warn of serious liver side-effect

Michael Carter — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

Medicine regulatory authorities in the US have updated the product information for ddI (didanosine, Videx) to warn that treatment with the drug can cause a serious liver problem.

Second-line ART in South Africa shows good results

Carole Leach-Lemens — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 01:00:00 GMT

High rates of increased CD4 cell counts and viral suppression, together with low mortality were seen in adults at a large HIV public-sector urban clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa after one year on second-line antiretroviral therapy, Matthew P. Fox and colleagues report in a study published online ahead of print in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.