Rouleau D, Conway B, Raboud J, Rae S, Fransen S, Shillington A, Zala C, O'Shaughnessy M V, Montaner J S
British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, and Canadian HIV Trials Network, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, Vancouver.
J Infect Dis. 1997 Nov;176(5):1156-60. doi: 10.1086/514107.
The short-term effects of stavudine (d4T) plus lamivudine (3TC) were evaluated among 48 human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients for whom zidovudine therapy had failed or who could not tolerate zidovudine. Patients were followed for 8 weeks after initiation of open-label d4T plus 3TC. Four patients discontinued therapy, because of neutropenia (1), hepatitis (1), or neuropathy (2). Reduction in virus load was -0.86 (+0.3 to -3.4) log10 copies/mL and CD4 cell increase was 30 (-100 to +290) cells/mm3. Virologic response was associated with a higher CD4 cell count, no prior exposure to d4T and 3TC, and no previous AIDS-defining illness. Virus load reduction for patients naive to 3TC and d4T was -1.47 (-0.14 to -3.37) log10 copies/mL. Short-term use of d4T plus 3TC is safe, well-tolerated, and associated with virologic and substantial immunologic benefits. Further evaluation of d4T and 3TC in combination is warranted.
