What's New at The Body

HIV/AIDS News You Can Use

July 16, 2003

• The Body Covers IAS 2003
• Disspelling the Myths of Global AIDS
• AIDS Researcher Talks About Complementary Therapies
• Could Disabled People Have a Higher HIV Risk?
• The Latest in ADAP, Medicaid, Medicare and Other AIDS Policy Issues
• Atazanavir Side Effects, Interactions
• Web Highlights

The Body Covers IAS 2003

Boosted Atazanavir Stands Up to Kaletra
"These study results were a topic of discussion for many, since all previous studies of atazanavir (Reyataz) were done with it as an unboosted drug, and no one had anticipated its effectiveness being similar to Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) as a result of boosting." Cal Cohen, M.D., reports.

FTC Compares Well to d4T When Combined With ddI
The newest antiretroviral on the block, emtricitabine (FTC, Emtriva), looks good in comparison to d4T (stavudine, Zerit) when either is taken in combination with both ddI (didanosine, Videx) and efavirenz (Sustiva). However, more comparisons are needed to really show the strengths and weaknesses of this newly approved medication, reports Paul Sax, M.D.

Africa: Oral Contraceptives Increase HIV Risk
In Kenya, a significant association was found between oral contraceptive use and infection with HIV, a rate 50 percent higher than that of women using no contraceptive or surgical sterilization.

Switching Out d4T Helps Some Reverse Lipoatrophy
Lipoatrophy (also known as wasting) has been associated with many HIV medications. In this study, a significant number of people with lipoatrophy reported improvement when the d4T (stavudine, Zerit) in their regimens was replaced with either AZT (zidovudine, Retrovir) or abacavir (Ziagen). Paul Sax, M.D., reports.

Rosiglitazone: Wasting Treatment?
Rosiglitazone may be effective in increasing body fat in patients with fat wasting. Mark Holodniy, M.D., reports.

Abacavir/3TC/Tenofovir Fails as Naive Therapy
In a small study, the combination of abacavir/3TC/tenofovir failed to work in the majority of treatment-naive patients -- 58 percent experienced virologic failure by week eight. Timothy Wilkin, M.D., reports.

More Evidence Ties Heart Problems to Protease Inhibitors
Evidence mounts linking cardiovascular complications to the use of protease inhibitors. Gerald Pierone, Jr., M.D., reports on this sizeable study, the latest to analyze the effect of HAART on lipid levels.

Superinfection More Common Than First Thought
HIV "superinfection" -- infection with more than one HIV strain in a single person -- may be more common than once believed, a finding that could complicate HIV/AIDS vaccine development.

Tenofovir Has Better Side-Effect Profile Than d4T
Results at 96 weeks show tenofovir (Viread) still the winner against d4T (stavudine, Zerit) in the side effect gamble -- especially in regards to mitochondrial problems like peripheral neuropathy, lipodystrophy and lactic acidosis. Paul E. Sax, M.D., reports.

Importance of Resistance Testing
Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, a prominent AIDS researcher, emphasized at IAS 2003 that resistance testing was an adjunct to -- not a replacement for -- clinical judgment when making decisions about HIV treatment. Mark Holodniy, M.D., reports.

Efavirenz-Based Regimens Generally Beat Older PI-Based Regimens
A study on switching HAART regimens shows that once-daily regimens based on efavirenz (Sustiva) were more effective and more tolerable than most older protease inhibitor-based regimens.

A Look at Twenty Years of HIV Research
The quest for knowledge about HIV has been an "extraordinary journey," NIAID director Dr. Anthony Fauci told scientists Monday.

Remember to visit The Body's IAS 2003 page for the latest developments from the conference, including links to Webcasts and audio/video straight from Paris!

Disspelling the Myths of Global AIDS

AIDS Researcher Talks About Complementary Therapies

Could Disabled People Have a Higher HIV Risk?

The Latest in ADAP, Medicaid, Medicare and Other AIDS Policy Issues

Atazanavir Side Effects, Interactions

Web Highlights

Paris Conference Hears More Bad News on HCV Coinfection
HIV patients with hepatitis C are more likely to get cirrhosis and liver cancer than people with HIV alone, a study finds
From aidsmap.com (July 16, 2003)

Tenth of HIV Cases in a Study in Europe Are Resistant to Drugs
A large study supports evidence that a growing number of newly infected HIVers are already resistant to some antiretrovirals
From The New York Times (free registration required) (July 16, 2003)

AIDS Deaths in the HAART Era Examined at Paris Conference
HIVers are dying less and less from HIV, but more and more from other complications -- like hepatitis C and injection drug use -- often related to the factors that put them at risk for HIV infection
From aidsmap.com (July 16, 2003) (July 15, 2003)

Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents (PDF)
Newly updated U.S. rules geared toward helping HIVers and their doctors make the most informed treatment decisions they can
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (July 14, 2003)