Designer Enzyme to Fight HIV Shows Promise (AIDSmeds.com)Scientists in Germany have constructed a custom enzyme that reverses the process by which HIV inserts its genetic material into a CD4 cell's DNA, suggesting that treatment with similar enzymes could potentially rid infected cells of the virus.
Polyalkylimide Injections Improve HIV Lipoatrophy (Reuters Health)Using a facial filler such as polyalkylimide gel (PAIG) injections can correct the antiretroviral-associated facial lipoatrophy that can be quite severe in HIV-infected individuals, Canadian investigators report in May 31st issue of AIDS.
June 28, 2007
Children with HIV Face Increased Heart Disease Risk (Reuters Health)Increased carotid intima media thickness (IMT) and cardiac biomarkers in HIV-infected children indicate that they are more likely than their uninfected counterparts to develop cardiovascular problems.
June 27, 2007
Neuro Problems may Persist with Treatment (Reuters Health)Neuropsychological deficits in HIV-infected patients persist despite
long-term highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), according to a
report in the June 1st Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
HIV, PIs Don't Lead to Artery Thickening (Reuters Health)Neither HIV infection nor the use of protease inhibitors (PIs) appear
to affect the rate of carotid artery intima media thickening (IMT)
progression, AIDS investigators report, despite the lipid abnormalities
that have been associated with PI therapy.
June 26, 2007
Treatment Improves Survival Among IDUs (AIDSmeds.com)Survival among HIV-infected intravenous drug users (IDUs) has improved dramatically since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, with survival rates similar to HIV-negative IDUs.
Drug-Resistant HIV in Semen Stirs Concerns (AIDSmeds.com)Drug-resistant HIV can remain detectable in the male genital tract for an extended period of time, and potentially prolong the risk to sexual partners, according to a study published in the August 1 issue of the Journal of Infectious Disease.
June 21, 2007
Hep B and HIV Baraclude Users Beware (AIDSmeds.com)Treating hepatitis B patients with the drug Baraclude® (entecavir) can cause those who are also infected with HIV to become resistant to two vital HIV drugs, according to a new report in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Panacos' Bevirimat Back on Track (AIDSmeds.com)Panacos Pharmaceuticals reports that it is back on track with the development of its maturation inhibitor bevirimat (PA-457), after hitting a dosing snag reported in December 2006.
Reyataz May Cause Kidney Stones (AIDSmeds.com)The FDA has received 30 reports of kidney stones among HIV-positive patients being treated with Reyataz, prompting the company to update the drug's package insert.
Death Rates Higher Among Rural Positive Patients - But Why? (AIDSmeds.com)A new study confirms that HIV-positive people residing in rural areas of the U.S. are more likely to die than those who live in urban areas. Unfortunately, few explanations for this disparity were apparent to the researchers.
June 15, 2007
Several Factors Raise Women's Bone Loss Risk (AIDSmeds.com)Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) is both highly prevalent and severe among underweight women with HIV and is associated with other factors like menstrual irregularities, reduced testosterone levels, lower lean body mass, and white race.
June 14, 2007
Racially and Gender Diverse Aptivus Study Underway (AIDSmeds.com)Researchers are now enrolling patients into its SPRING clinical trial, one of the largest racially and gender diverse international studies of highly treatment-experienced HIV-positive patients.
June 12, 2007
LDL Drops with Sustiva to Viramune Switch (AIDSmeds.com)
HIV-positive people taking Sustiva may be able to lower their levels of bad cholesterol by switching to Viramune (nevirapine).
Non-Nuke Shows Early Promise as Microbicide (Reuters Health)
Macaques given an investigational non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase
inhibitor (NNRTI) gel called UC781 in repeated vaginal and rectal
applications exhibited no evidence of systemic absorption, researchers
report.
June 11, 2007
Twins Pregnancy Carries Greater HIV Risk (Reuters Health)The risk of vertical transmission of HIV is increased in twin pregnancy in, according to a report in the May 11th AIDS.
June 08, 2007
People with HIV May Need Longer TB Treatment (AIDSmeds.com)HIV-positive people with active TB are more likely to experience a relapse of the disease after receiving the same treatment typically used to treat HIV-negative TB patients.
June 07, 2007
Roche's Viracept Recalled; Pfizer's U.S. Version Okay (AIDSmeds.com)Roche, the manufacturer of Viracept (nelfinavir) in all countries other than the U.S., Canada, and Japan, has recalled the drug. Pfizer's version used in the U.S. is okay.
June 06, 2007
New Drugs Possible from Discovered HIV Transport System (AIDSmeds.com)Likening HIV to “hobos on a train,” researchers at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine have found that the virus uses a pre-existing transport system to leave one infected CD4 cell and move on to infect news ones.
June 05, 2007
Early Treatment may have CD4 Advantage (AIDSmeds.com)The chances of achieving and maintaining a CD4 count of 800 or higher are best among those who start antiretroviral therapy early, according to new data from the ATHENA cohort study.
