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7th Annual Conference Of The British HIV Association [BHIVA]27 – 29 April 2001, The Hove Centre, Brighton |
[AUTHOR(S):] AA Obi, BG Gazzard, SM Mitchell
Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK
BHIVA Conf 2001 Apr 27-29;7:O30
OBJECTIVE: To determine the long-term effects of discontinuation of anti-cytomegalovirus maintenance therapy in patients with cytomegalovirus retinitis (CMVR) receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
METHODS: In a prospective 3-year study, 44 patients with AIDS on HAART, with CD4 counts >50 cells/μl and quiescent CMVR for ≥3 months elected to discontinue anti-CMV maintenance therapy.
RESULTS: The median follow-up was 119 weeks (range 12–152). No patient showed reactivation of CMVR or an extraocular CMV infection. Median CD4 and CD8 counts and viral load at entry were 295 cells/μl (range 63–853), 998 cells/μl (range 284–3611) and <1.70 log10 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml (range <1.70–5.38), respectively. The CMV viral load was positive in only one patient shortly before death. Ocular complications secondary to CMVR occurred in 68% of patients.
CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this is the longest and largest study of discontinuation of anti-CMV maintenance therapy and supports previous reports suggesting that therapy can be safely stopped in selected patients responding to HAART. However, ophthalmic intervention remains important in view of the vision-threatening complications of previous CMVR.
PRESENTING AUTHOR: AA Obi
010427
O30
Copyright © 2001, 2011 - British HIV Association (BHIVA) Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the BHIVA Organising Secretariat 1 Mountview Court, 310 Friern Barnet Lane, London N20 0LD