No abstract

Background: Newer antiretroviral (ARV) agents have improved pharmacokinetics, potency, and tolerability and have enabled the design of regimens with improved virologic outcomes. Successful antiretroviral therapy is dependent on patient adherence. In previous research, we validated a subset of items from the ACTG adherence battery as prognostic of virologic suppression at 6 months and correlated with adherence estimates from the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS). The objective of the current study was to validate the longitudinal use of the Owen Clinic adherence index in analyses of time to initial virologic suppression and maintenance of suppression.

In a multicentre trial, 120 patients with endoscopically diagnosed duodenal ulcer were randomly allocated to treatment with either 35 pg enprostil b.d. or 400 mg cimetidine b.d. for up to 6 weeks on a doubleblind basis. After 6 weeks, 82% (42/51) of enprostil-treated patients and 92 % (44/48) of cimetidine-treated patients were healed. Corresponding healing figures on an intention-to-treat basis were 70% and 76%. No significant dfierences were detected between treatments with respect to healing rates or symptom control at any time. Side-effects were reported by 14 patients talung enprostil and 17 patients taking cimetidine; none were serious but they resulted in withdrawal of one and two patients respectively. Enprostil was found to be similar in efficacy and tolerance to cimetidine.Other investigators: R. A. Mountford (Bristol Royal Infirmary).