The annual European HIV-AIDS meeting is held under the auspices of the European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS). The conference provides a unique opportunity for dialogue between all those involved in AIDS care. The conference concentrated on antiretroviral treatment based on clinical, immunological and virological research.

Other topics covered include:

• Recent developments in antiretroviral therapy
• The impact of protease inhibitors
• Clinical advances in the treatment of HIV diseases
• Next steps in HIV clinical care
• The role of HCV and HHV-8 in HIV-infection
• The epidemiology of HCV-HIV-co-infection and AIDS-associated Kaposi?s Sarcoma
• HIV management: coordinating diagnosis, monitoring and treatment
• Management of co-infection in the era of HAART: CMV and HCV
• Possible predictors for durable responses to antiretroviral drugs -- including genotypic and phenotypic assays for drug resistance
• Issues in the long-term treatment of HIV

The following selected conference summaries are reported exclusively for The Body by:

• Cal Cohen, MD, research director of the Community Research Initiative of New England, teacher at Harvard Medical School and HIV clinical management consultant and internist at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Boston, MA.

Funding for this conference coverage at The Body is provided, in part, by an unrestricted educational grant by Bristol-Myers Squibb Immunology.

Conference Summaries:

Sunday, October 24, 1999

• Satellite Symposium: Clinical Advances in the Treatment of HIV Disease
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD
  • Introduction
  • Convergent versus Divergent Treatment Strategies: Is One Better Than the Other?
    1. Convergent Treatment Strategies
    2. Divergent Treatment Strategies
    3. 1999: The Science of Resistance Comes of Age
  • Identifying and Managing Toxicities: Disease or Therapy Related?
    1. Metabolic Toxicities
    2. Diagnosing and Treating Peripheral Neuropathy

Monday, October 25, 1999

• Oral Session 128: Efavirenz (EFV) in Combination with Stavudine (D4T) and Didanosine (DDI) or Lamivudine (3TC) Is Well-Tolerated and Efficacious in the Majority of Patients Treated
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD

Tuesday, October 26, 1999

• Abstract 205: A Comparison of the Long-Term Antiviral Efficacy of BID and TID Dosing of Nelfinavir in Combination with Stavudine and Lamivudine Beyond 48 Weeks
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD
• Abstract 206: Durability of Abacavir/Amprenavir/Efavirenz Combination Salvage Therapy -- Preliminary 48-Week Response
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD
• Abstract 248: Anti-Protease Inhibitor Therapy Decreases the Liver Fibrosis Progression Rate in HIV-HCV Co-Infected Patients
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD

Posters

• Abstract 503: Improved Tolerability and Adherence with Reduced Mass Didanosine Tablets in HIV-1 Infected Adults Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
  Coverage provided by Calvin Cohen, MD