Once-a-Day Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy: A Systematic Review

• Published in: Clinical infectious diseases Vol. 36; no. 9; pp. 1186 - 1190
• Main Authors: Ena, Javier, Pasquau, Francisco
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL The University of Chicago Press 01.05.2003; University of Chicago Press
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-HIV Agents - administration & dosage; Anti-HIV Agents - adverse effects; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antibiotics. Antiinfectious agents. Antiparasitic agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Antiretrovirals; Antiviral agents; Antivirals; Biological and medical sciences; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Clinical trials; Clinical Trials as Topic; Drug Therapy, Combination; Drug Tolerance; Female; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; HIV; HIV - physiology; HIV 1; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV/AIDS; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Medication administration; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; RNA; RNA, Viral - analysis; Treatment Outcome; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Viral Load; Virology; Human; Immunopathology; Treatment efficiency; Single dose; AIDS; Immune deficiency; Infection; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Viral disease; Antiviral; Single daily dose; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 1058-4838; 1537-6591
• DOI: 10.1086/374602

We analyzed the available evidence about the efficacy and tolerability of once-a-day highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), searching databases, conference proceedings, and journals. Two reviewers independently selected 6 uncontrolled and 2 randomized clinical trials of at least 24 weeks duration and with 80% participant follow-up. Regimens included didanosine (ddI), emtricitabine (FTC), and efavirenz (EFV) (2 studies, 326 patients); ddI, lamivudine (3TC), and EFV (3 studies, 147 patients); ddI, 3TC, EFV, and adefovir dipivoxil (1 study, 11 patients); ddI, nevirapine, and EFV (1 study, 15 patients); and ddI, 3TC, indinavir, and ritonavir (1 study, 10 patients). Virological efficacy ranged between 70% and 91%. Preliminary randomized clinical trials showed that once-a-day regimens (ddI, 3TC, and EFV or ddI, FTC, and EFV) had a virological efficacy at least similar to that of conventional HAART. The overall CD4 cell increase was at least 114 lymphocytes/μL. Tolerability was good, with a low discontinuation rate.