Effect of Stavudine on Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Virus Load as Measured by Quantitative Mononuclear Cell Culture, Plasma RNA, and Immune Complex-Dissociated Antigenemia

Abstract

The antiviral effect of stavudine (2', 3'-didehydro-3'-deoxythymidine) against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 was measured in 15 HIV-infected patients at baseline and at weeks 4, 10, 22, 34, and 52 of therapy. Patients received 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg/kg/day of stavudine. At all time points examined during the 52 weeks of therapy, the median virus titers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were decreased 1-2 logs, and median immune complex-dissociated antigen levels were reduced 37%-67% compared with baseline values. Plasma RNA content measured by polymerase chain reaction was reduced approximately 0.5 log from baseline median values at both time points examined (weeks 10 and 52). These data demonstrate that stavudine has a substantial and durable antiviral effect.

Virologic and CD4+ Cell Responses to New Nucleoside Regimens: Switching to Stavudine or Adding Lamivudine after Prolonged Zidovudine Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

“…11,12 Stavudine has also been shown to increase CD4 1 cell numbers, decrease plasm a HIV RNA, and reduce the rate of clinical progression among zidovudine-experi enced subjects. [13][14][15][16] To develop a strategy for the continued treatment of patients with long-term zidovudine exposure, 92 subjects from the zidovudine limb of ACTG 175 were enrolled in a blinded, random ized controlled trial of new nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor regimens, stavudine (d4T) alone, or the addition of lamivudine (3TC) to zidovudine. The prim ary objectives of the study were to compare short-and long-term changes (at 4 or 8 weeks, and at 40 and 48 weeks, respectively) in HIV plasma RNA and CD4 1 cell numbers for the two regimens.…”

Wertigkeit des Biomarkers BNP bei HIV-infizierten Patienten

“…Insbesondere die CD4-Zellzahl und die Viruslast stellen zwei zentrale Biomarker zur Beurteilung des Krankheitsverlaufs dar. Darüber hinaus werden beide Biomarker auch zur Therapiekontrolle antiretroviraler Substanzen routinemäßig eingesetzt [11]. Aufgrund des engen Zusammenhangs der Biomarker CD4-Zellzahl und Viruslast mit dem Krankheitsverlauf und der Prognose finden diese Marker als Surrogatparameter für die Letalität bei der Beurteilung von Substanzen und Therapiekonzepten Anwendung [12].…”

Anti-HIV Therapy: Current and Future Directions

“…Stavudine has been described as a potent antiviral activity when used alone in asymptomatic or advanced HIV-1 infection [29]. The drug showed potent antiviral and immunologic efficacy when used with ddI [30] or in combination with ddI and indivavir [31].…”