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Sci Tech
Page 6
THE BATTALION
Wednesday, NovemW:
Researchers: Delaying HIV
drugs may be OK for many
CHICAGO (AP)
Symptom-free HIV patients can
safely hold off taking AIDS drugs
longer than previously thought,
two new studies suggest.
When antiretroviral drugs
first became available in the
mid-1990s, their dramatic
effects prompted many doctors
to recommend immediate treat
ment for all HIV patients to
keep the virus in check.
The drugs are costly, must be
switched often to remain effective
and can cause serious side effects,
u
It could be com
forting to people to
realize that watchful
waiting won't harm
you.
— Dr. Jeffrey Laurence
AIDS researcher
so doctors have sought to delay
treatment whenever possible.
Recently revised guidelines
indicated the drugs could be
started when levels of disease
fighting CD4 white blood cells
dropped to 350 per cubic mil
limeter instead of the previously
recommended 500.
The new studies suggest the
drugs can still be effective if
started when the patient’s CD4
count is even lower — at least
200 — and even if there are
high levels of virus circulating
in the blood. The studies found
that for many patients, delaying
treatment does no harm.
Dr. Jeffrey Laurence, senior
scientist at the American
Foundation for AIDS Research,
called the studies good news. “It
could be comforting to people
to realize that watchful waiting
won’t harm you,” he said.
The studies were published
in Wednesday’s Journal of the
American Medical Association.
In one study, researcher
Andrew Phillips of Royal Free
and University Medical College
Medical School in London and
colleagues analyzed data from
3,226 patients treated in
European HIV clinics from
1996 to 2000.
Patients began treatment
with at least three HIV drugs
and were followed for an aver
age of more than two years..
Eighty-five percent reached
undetectable virus levels by 32
weeks. Those who started out
with CD4 counts between 200
and 349 fared just as well as
those with initial counts of 350
or higher.
The second study, led by
researchers Robert Hogg and
Dr. Julio Montaner at the
University of British Columbia,
involved 1,219 HIV patients
who started triple-drug treat
ment between 1996 and 1999.
By September 2000, 82 had
died of AIDS-related causes.
Most deaths were in patients
whose initial CD4 counts were
less than 200 — the bulk in
those with counts less than 50.
Those whose initial counts were
around 200 fared just as well as
those with higher levels.
Dr. Roger Pomerantz, chief
of infectious diseases at Thomas
Jefferson University in
Philadelphia, said the studies
will probably change treatment
for HIV-infected patients in
developed countries.
Pomerantz said the recom
mendations may not be appro
priate for some patients, partic
ularly women.
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Thursday, Nov 29
Koldus Room 110
7-8:30pm
cia.msc.tamu.edu
<k
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Please contact Joe Williams at (979) 845-1515 for more information.
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