AIDS Treatment Update, No. 44, August 1996 Edward King
Last month AIDS Treatment Update reported on the US approval of nevirapine, based on a trial which had followed patients for 26 weeks. In Vancouver researchers presented almost one year's follow-up on this study. Participants who received the triple combination of AZT, ddI and nevirapine still had an average viral load 1.5 logs below baseline after one year of treatment. Fifty percent of patients on this combination still had virus load that was undetectable using the common Amplicor test (below 200 copies/ml) after one year, and using a more sensitive test, eight had viral load below 20 copies/ml. Those receiving the triple combination continued to show improvements in their CD4 counts as the study went on; by 52 weeks they had an average gain of 150 cells, compared with a 100 cell gain at 40 weeks. Four cases of severe rash had been reported after twelve months, and seven out of 98 patients receiving nevirapine had discontinued treatment due to rashes by the end of one year (Mo.B.294).
Nevirapine is currently available in the UK only through a trial (see last month's edition of AIDS Treatment Update for details of the trial centres).
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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 1996. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.
This information is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.