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Biomedical subjects

Ignacio Santos

Publications and source records attributed to Ignacio Santos.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Effectiveness and safety of abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine in antiretroviral therapy-naive HIV-infected patients: results from a large multicenter observational cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the safety and effectiveness of abacavir, lamivudine, and zidovudine (ABC/3TC/ZDV) in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive HIV-infected patients. DESIGN: Retrospective observational cohort study. METHODS: We analyzed all consecutive ART-naive HIV-infected patients who initiated ABC/3TC/ZDV in 71 centers throughout Spain and had a clinical visit and laboratory data at least 16 weeks after initiating this regimen. We assessed safety, mortality, new AIDS-defining conditions (ADCs) and treatment failure, the latter defined by any of the following: (1) reduction in plasma HIV-1 viral load (pVL) <1 log during the first 12 weeks of ART, unless it was less than the lower limit of quantification (LOQ); (2) failure to achieve a pVL or = LOQ after achieving a pVL <LOQ. RESULTS: A total of 730 patients were included, median patient age was 37 years, prior ADCs occurred in 20%, median pVL was 4.76 log, and median CD4 count was 255 cells/mm; 109 (14.9%) patients had <100 CD4 cells/mm. After a median follow-up of 50.5 weeks (interquartile ratio: 28-78), 104 (14.25%) patients discontinued therapy because of adverse events and 36 (4.93%) had a suspected hypersensitivity reaction to ABC. The frequency of treatment failure according to an intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis of observed data was 14.4%. In a more rigorous approach considering losses to follow-up and interruptions or switches of therapy as failures, however, the frequency of treatment failure was 22.92%. Factors independently associated with treatment failure by observed data ITT analysis were adherence <90% (hazard ratio [HR] = 4.248, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.640 to 6.833), methadone use (HR = 2.116, 95% CI: 1.180 to 3.797), baseline pVL (HR = 1.651, 95% CI: 1.190 to 2.292 per log), and prior ADC (HR = 1.639, 95% CI: 1.009 to 2.662). CONCLUSION: The triple-nucleoside regimen of ABC/3TC/ZDV is a reasonable option for ART-naive patients with a pVL <100,000 copies/mL in whom, for any reason, preferred regimens are not advisable, even in patients with a baseline CD4 cell count <100 cells/mm.

Adult↗

Relationship between C-reactive protein and the electrocardiographic pattern on admission in patients with acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: In patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), the prevalence of a primary inflammatory pathogenic component of coronary instability, as detectable by elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), varies considerably. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence of inflammation in patients with ACS according to the different electrocardiographic (ECG) patterns on admission. METHODS: Hundred and thirty-six consecutive patients with the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction were divided in three groups according to the ECG pattern on admission. Group 1 included 59 patients with ST segment elevation, group 2 included 50 patients with ST depression and/or T wave inversion and group 3 included 27 patients with no ECG changes. CRP was measured on admission in all patients. For the prevalence of inflammation analysis, we used a cutoff value of 3 mg/l. RESULTS: CRP was above cutpoint significantly more often in patients with ST depression and/or T wave inversion (44.1% in group 1, 70% in group 2 and 40.7% in group 3; p=0.009). Patients with similar ECG pattern and CRP levels above the cutpoint presented a poorer outcome (coronary death, myocardial infarction and recurrence of instability) at one-year follow-up: 54 versus 27% for group 1, 74 versus 27% for group 2 and 45 versus 31% for group 3. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with ST depression and/or T wave inversion on admission exhibit a higher prevalence of elevated CRP than those with ST elevation or no ECG changes, suggesting an important heterogeneity of the role of inflammatory triggers of the clinical syndromes of coronary instability.

Aged↗

Impact of ribavirin exposure on early virological response to hepatitis C therapy in HIV-infected patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: The use of pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) plus ribavirin (RBV) is currently the recommended treatment for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Coinfection with HIV is a negative predictor of response, for reasons not well understood. METHODS: We examined the virological response at weeks 4 and 12 in 198 HCV/HIV-coinfected patients enrolled in a prospective trial in which PEG-IFN alpha 2a (180 microg per week) and RBV (1000-1200 mg daily) were provided. RESULTS: In an on-treatment analysis, 52.8% of patients achieved undetectable HCV-RNA (<600 IU/ml) at week 4, while 63% and 77.2% of patients had a decline of at least 2 and 1 log10, respectively. At week 12, 73.1% of patients reached undetectable HCV-RNA, and 83.5% and 89% achieved at least a 2- and 1-log10 drop, respectively. More than 85% of HCV genotypes 2/3 cleared HCV-RNA at week 4, a proportion significantly higher when compared with genotypes 1 (33.8%) and 4 (28.6%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified genotype 3 and RBV exposure (mg/kg of body weight) as independent predictors of virological response at week 12 of therapy. CONCLUSION: Early virological response rates to PEG-IFN plus RBV in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients seem to be similar to those reported for HCV-monoinfected subjects. The use of suboptimal doses of RBV in most earlier trials might account for the low response rates seen in coinfected patients. To our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating that RBV exerts a significant independent effect on early virological response. Therefore, strategies aimed at optimizing doses and adherence to RBV might help to improve responses to HCV therapy in coinfected patients.

Administration, Oral↗

Phenotype or virtual phenotype for choosing antiretroviral therapy after failure: a prospective, randomized study.

BACKGROUND: Resistance testing is useful in the management of virological failure patients, although the best method to be used in clinical practice has not been determined. METHODS: A prospective, randomized, double-blind, multicentre, controlled clinical trial was performed to compare the usefulness of drug resistance testing with a recombinant viral phenotype method or with a virtual phenotype, a genotyping interpretation system. Planned 300 HIV-infected adults failing their current antiretroviral therapy (HIV RNA > 1000 copies/ml) were centrally randomized 1:1 to resistance testing with a recombinant viral phenotype method or with a virtual phenotype, after stratifying according to previous drug exposure (one or two versus three drug classes). Percent of patients with HIV RNA suppression (% < 400 copies/ml) after 24 weeks was the primary outcome variable. Median HIV RNA concentration and change from baseline in HIV RNA concentration were also used to compare effectiveness. An extended analysis was performed at week 48. RESULTS: Of the 300 patients enrolled, a total of 276 patients could be analysed; 139 patients were randomized to the phenotype group and 137 patients were randomized to the virtual phenotype group. After 24 weeks of follow-up, 46.8 and 56.2% of patients had HIV RNA < 400 copies/ml (P = 0.1) in the phenotype and virtual phenotype, respectively. Mean decrease from baseline in viral load was 1.0 and 1.3 log copies/ml in the phenotype and virtual phenotype groups, respectively (P = 0.017). In a multivariate linear regression analysis, after adjusting for baseline HIV RNA and adherence to treatment, the virtual phenotype was associated with a greater mean decrease in plasma HIV RNA (P = 0.0063). The results observed at week 48 were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual phenotype is at least as effective as phenotype when used to select an optimized treatment for patients who have failed one or more antiretroviral regimens.

Adult↗