TreatmentUpdate 71, Volume 8, No 7; October 1996
Sean Hosein
Researchers in the US and Canada have enrolled at least 136 subjects with CD4+ cell counts between 100 and 500 cells who had never used protease inhibitors. Before entering this study subjects were not improving despite use of AZT and related drugs. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive one of three regimens:
* ritonavir 800 mg/day and saquinavir 800 mg/day
* ritonavir 1200 mg/day and saquinavir 800 mg/day
* ritonavir 1200 mg/day and saquinavir 1200 mg/day
Results
After 3 months in the study, levels of HIV in the blood fell by over 99% in half the subjects and CD4+ cell counts rose by more than 100 cells. Nine subjects have left the study, 7 in the first dose group. Side effects included "diarrhea, fatigue, nausea and tingling around the mouth." No information on the effect of the combination on the development of infections or survival has been released.
REFERENCES:
1. Cohen C, Sun E, Cameron W, et al . Ritonavir-saquinavir combination treatment in HIV-infected patients. Abstract LB 07B.
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