Single HIV Pill Not Always Best (CME/CE)

Single HIV Pill Not Always Best (CME/CE)

HIV patients taking single pills containing three drugs are thought to be less likely to stop taking their medications than those on more complicated regimens, but that may not be completely accurate, researchers said here.
In a retrospective, observational study, people taking the most widely used single pill were just as likely to switch therapies as were those on multipill regimens, according to Benoit Trottier, MD, of Clinique Medicale L'Actuel in Montreal, and colleagues at the AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention.

Quad Pill Works Over 2 Years (CME/CE)

Quad Pill Works Over 2 Years (CME/CE)

In pooled results from two randomized clinical trials, treatment with the four-drug, once-daily single tablet (Stribild) continued to show efficacy comparable with other anti-HIV regimens out to 96 weeks, researchers said here.

After 96 weeks, 84% of patients on the 'quad' achieved undetectable suppression of HIV using the 50 copies/mm3 assay compared with viral suppression in 82% of patients on the combination of efavirenz-emtricitabine-tenofovir (Atripla), said David Cooper, MD, professor of medicine at the Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Lab Notes: Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Lab Notes: Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Innervation of prostate tumors appears to be related to their aggressiveness, and may prove to be a viable treatment target. Also this week: unhealthy gut flora go with HIV infection.

Prostate Cancer Takes Nerve

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves appear to boost development and spread of prostate tumors, researchers reported in Science
.
In a mouse model, disabling sympathetic nerves controlling the "fight or flight" reflex cut down on the early stages of tumor growth in the prostate. The parasympathetic nerve fibers infiltrating the tumor were linked to dissemination of cancer cells.

Prezista Extends HIV Suppression in Children (CME/CE)

Prezista Extends HIV Suppression in Children (CME/CE)

Children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) maintain viral control for 48 weeks when treated with the protease inhibitor darunavir/ritonavir (Prezista) along with an optimized background regimen, researchers reported here.

In the Darunavir in Treatment Experienced Pediatric Population (ARIEL) study, 81% of the 21 children ages 3 to 5 years were able to achieve viral suppression to undetectable limits using the 50 copies/ml assay, an increase from the 57% viral suppression rate at 24 weeks, said Avy Violari, MD, deputy executive director of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit at Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital, Soweto, South Africa.

Etravirine Good Tx Switch Option in HIV (CME/CE)

Etravirine Good Tx Switch Option in HIV (CME/CE)
The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor etravirine (Intelence) is a good option for HIV patients who can't or don't want to tolerate their current drug regimen, a researcher said here.

In a retrospective cohort analysis, patients switching with an undetectable HIV viral load -- usually because of adverse effects -- were able to maintain viral suppression, according to Lauren Bull, MD, of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London.

Investigational HIV Treatment Promising (CME/CE)

Investigational HIV Treatment Promising (CME/CE)
The investigational anti-HIV drug dolutegravir outperformed raltegravir (Isentress) in a randomized trial among patients needing salvage therapy, a researcher said here.

After 48 weeks of therapy, HIV patients who had failed earlier regimens were significantly more likely to control their virus if they were taking dolutegravir, according to Pedro Cahn, MD, of Fundación Huesped in Buenos Aires.

Low-Dose Drug Combo Safe in Kids with HIV (CME/CE)

Low-Dose Drug Combo Safe in Kids with HIV (CME/CE)
A low-dose treatment regimen with lopinavir/ritonavir antiretroviral therapy appears to have similar efficacy with fewer adverse events than standard dosing in HIV-infected children, researchers said here.

In the intention-to-treat analysis, 89 of 101 children (88.1%) on the low-dose regimen achieved undetectable viral loads using the 50 copies/ml assay (P
=0.38) compared with 90 of 98 children treated with the standard dose of lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), said Thanyawee Puthanakit, MD, from Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, and colleagues.
"This study demonstrated non-inferiority in virologic efficacy of low dose compared to standard dose lopinavir/ritonavir tablets as maintenance therapy," she reported at the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention.