[ 18 F]FDG Positron Emission Tomography for Initial Staging and Healing Assessment at the End of Therapy in Lymph Nodes and Bone Tuberculosis

Objective: In extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, therapeutic management is difficult in the absence of reliable tool to affirm healing at the end of treatment. In this prospective multicenter study, we evaluated [¹⁸F]FDG-PET for this purpose.

Methods: Forty-two patients out of 55 included patients could be analyzed. Additionally to usual biological, histological and morphological explorations, [¹⁸F]FDG-PET was performed at diagnosis (PET1), at the end of treatment (PET2), indeed 6 months later. Then patients were followed until 12 months after end of prescribed treatment.

Results: PET1 was positive in 97.6% of patients and discovered unknown injured sites in 52.7% of cases. PET2 was positive in 83.3% of uncured patients, and in 82.3% of cured patients. The sum and mean value of SUV_max measured in PET/CT lesions decreased between PET1 and PET2 in all patients. Mean value of SUV_max (MSUV) and sum value of SUVmax on PET2 showed the highest AUC on ROC curves for the diagnosis of healing at the end of prescribed treatment; MSUV 3.5 on PET2 had a sensitivity of 76.5% and a specificity of 80.0% to affirm healing at the end of prescribed treatment.

Conclusions: [¹⁸F]FDG-PET/CT was useful at diagnosis, discovering unknown lesions in 52.7% of cases. MSUV on PET2 was the best criteria to affirm healing at the end of prescribed treatment.

Determinants of macroscopic anal cancer and precancerous lesions in 1206 HIV-infected screened patients

AIM

Anal screening is recommended in HIV-positive patients, especially men who have sex with men (MSM), due to an increased incidence of anal cancer. The optimal screening methods are not generally agreed.

METHOD

Screening for anal lesions by anorectal examination, including anoscopy, was offered to HIV-positive outpatients in a tertiary care university hospital regardless of gender or sexual orientation.

RESULTS

Among the 1206 screened patients (701 MSM, 247 heterosexual men, 258 women), 311 (26%) had histologically proven lesions related to human papilloma virus (HPV) (34% MSM, 14% heterosexual men, 14% women); 123 (10%) had low-grade dysplasia and 70 (6%) high-grade dysplasia. Seven anal cancers were also diagnosed. Determinants of any lesion were age < 45 years [OR = 1.56 (95% CI, 1.16-2.11)], a CD4 count of < 200/mm³ [OR = 2.54 (1.71-3.78)], receptive anal intercourse [OR =3.03 (2.06-4.47)], sub-Saharan African origin [OR = 0.53 (0.33-0.85)], and history of HPV-related lesion [OR = 1.84 (1.35-2.51)]. These determinants were similar for all different grades of dysplasia. In patient subgroup analysis, receptive anal intercourse, the CD4 cell count and a history of HPV lesions were determinants of HPV-positivity in all patients, whereas age was only a determinant in men.

CONCLUSION

Anoscopy is an alternative method for anal screening in an HIV-positive population. This screening has to be compared with other tools in populations at high risk of anal cancer.

Use of PCR Signal and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring in a Switch Cohort Study to Tenofovir/Emtricitabine/Rilpivirine: A W96 Follow-Up

Objective

To assess, in a clinical cohort, the efficacy of switching treatment in virologically-suppressed patients to tenofovir/emtricitabine/rilpivirine as a single-tablet regimen (STR) using the PCR signal of the viral load (VL) assay and plasma drug determination (C24h).

Patients and methods

An observational single-centre study enrolling patients with VL<50 copies/mL initiating rilpivirine-based STR. C24h and VL were performed until W48 and W96 of STR, respectively. PCRneg was defined as an undetected PCR signal. Medians (IQR) were presented.

Results

116 patients were enrolled. At STR baseline, time since first antiretroviral therapy and time of virological suppression were 6 years (2–9) and 17 months (7–43), respectively. Before STR initiation, patients were receiving protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors-based regimen in 44% and 47% of cases, respectively. Historical genotype showed virus resistant to one drug of the STR in 6 patients (5%). At W96, 17 (15%) discontinued STR due to adverse events. The proportion of patients maintaining VL <50 copies/mL on treatment was 98%, 99%, 100%, 100%, 100% and 100% at W12, W24, W36, W48, W72 and W96, respectively. Among them, 70%, 66%, 68%, 59%, 74%, 68% and 60% were PCRneg at baseline, W12, W24, W36, W48, W72 and W96, respectively. Median rilpivirine C24h was 91 ng/mL (57–141, n = 285), with 91% of rilpivirine C24h >50 ng/mL, the target effective concentration.

Conclusions

In this clinical cohort of virologically-suppressed patients switching to a new STR, most subjects had adequate rilpivirine C24h and displayed a high level of virological suppression with no residual viremia until W96.

Four year follow-up of simplification therapy with once-daily emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz in HIV-infected patients (ALIZE ANRS 099 trial)

BACKGROUND

once-daily combinations of efavirenz and two nucleoside analogues are recommended for the treatment of HIV infection. Long-term efficacy and safety data are scarce for the combination of efavirenz, emtricitabine and didanosine.

METHODS

the ALIZE ANRS 099 trial enrolled 355 adults with plasma HIV RNA levels of <400 copies/mL under a protease inhibitor-based regimen, who were randomized to remain on this regimen or to switch to a once-daily regimen of emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz for 48 weeks. An extended 4 year follow-up was available for the 178 patients who switched to the efavirenz-containing regimen, and assessed plasma HIV RNA levels, CD4 cell counts, safety and tolerability.

RESULTS

after a median follow-up of 42 months, 121 patients (68%) remained on an efavirenz-based regimen, and 62% and 57% had plasma HIV RNA levels of <400 and <50 copies/mL, respectively, in an intent-to-continue analysis with missing data and treatment discontinuation considered as failure. There was a significant increase in CD4 cell count of 41 cells/mm(3). Drug-related adverse events were the main reason for treatment discontinuation in 26 patients (15%), and 15 were reported during the first year of therapy (58%). There was no emergence of clinically defined lipodystrophy, and lipid and glucose profiles were favourable with a significant increase from baseline of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (median increase 12 mg/dL, P < 10(-4)).

CONCLUSIONS

a once-daily regimen of emtricitabine, didanosine and efavirenz provided a durable antiretroviral response and was well tolerated through 4 years of therapy.

Resistance and virological response analyses in a three initial treatment strategy trial: a substudy of the INITIO trial

PURPOSE

To study the impact of baseline resistance mutations and HIV-1 subtypes on virological response to first-line antiretroviral therapy and to analyse the concordance of the results of two antiretroviral resistance interpretation tools in the INITIO trial.

METHOD

Genotype and virco TYPE resistance analyses were studied at baseline, Year 2, Year 3, and at first therapeutic failure on plasma specimens stored at -80 degrees C. Relations between resistance mutations at baseline, subtype, initial virological response, and virological outcome after Week 24 were studied.

RESULTS

781 participants had genotypic results available at baseline. Therapeutic failure occurred for 112 participants. Initial virological response as well as virological outcome after Week 24 were not associated with HIV subtype. Before Week 24, the proportion of participants remaining under strict initial regimen was lower in patients with resistance mutations at baseline than in those without any resistance mutations. Presenceof resistance mutations at baseline also impacted negatively long-term virological outcome. Few discrepancies were observed between genotypic and virco TYPE for resistance interpretation.

CONCLUSION

These data showed that presence of resistance mutations at baseline was associated with a poorer long-term virological outcome in the INITIO trial.

Efficacy and safety of ritonavir-boosted dual protease inhibitor therapy in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients: the 2IP ANRS 127 study

OBJECTIVES

We evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of ritonavir-boosted dual protease inhibitor as a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-sparing regimen in a prospective open-label randomized pilot trial in antiretroviral-naive patients.

METHODS

Thirty patients received fosamprenavir/atazanavir/ritonavir (Group 1) and 31 patients received saquinavir/atazanavir/ritonavir (Group 2). The primary endpoint for efficacy was the rate of early virological success, defined as plasma viral load <50 copies/mL at week 16. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00122603).

RESULTS

At baseline, median (range) viral load was 4.8 log(10) copies/mL (4.0-5.7) and the median CD4 cell count was 271/mm(3) (197-740). Viral load was <50 copies/mL in 12/30 patients [40%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 23%-58%] and 13/31 patients (42%, 95% CI 25%-59%) at week 16 in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Patients with failing regimens (viral load >or=400 copies/mL at week 16 or >or=50 copies/mL at week 24) were switched to a standard antiretroviral regimen. At week 48, by an intention-to-treat analysis, 23/30 patients (77%) and 26/31 patients (84%) had plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL in Groups 1 and 2, respectively. Four patients discontinued treatment for adverse events, all before week 4. No major changes in the protease gene were detected at treatment failure relative to baseline. Baseline viral load <50 000 copies/mL was the only predictor of virological success at week 16.

CONCLUSIONS

Ritonavir-boosted dual protease inhibitor regimens targeting only one step of viral replication were insufficient to rapidly suppress plasma HIV RNA to <50 copies/mL in antiretroviral-naive patients with high viral load at baseline.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) plasma load discrepancies between the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR HIV-1 MONITOR Version 1.5 and the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assays

We compared plasma viral load values obtained with COBAS AMPLICOR human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) MONITOR version 1.5 and with COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assays. Mean values were 4.2 and 2.9 log(10) copies/ml, respectively, showing the lack of agreement between the two assays.

Simplification Therapy with Once‐Daily Emtricitabine, Didanosine, and Efavirenz in HIV‐1–Infected Adults with Viral Suppression Receiving a Protease Inhibitor–Based Regimen: A Randomized Trial

BACKGROUND

We assessed a once-daily combination to simplify therapy in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1).

METHODS

A total of 355 adults with plasma HIV-1 RNA levels <400 copies/mL were randomly assigned to either switch to once-daily emtricitabine, didanosine, and efavirenz (n=178) or maintain their protease inhibitor (PI)-based regimens (n=177). The primary end point was sustained suppression of plasma HIV-1 RNA levels to <400 copies/mL.

RESULTS

At week 48, the proportion of patients meeting the end point was 87.6% in the PI group and 90.5% in the once-daily group, with a treatment difference of -2.9% (upper bound of the 1-tailed 95% confidence interval, 2.6%). The proportion of patients with HIV-1 RNA levels <50 copies/mL was higher in the once-daily group (87%) than in the PI group (79%) (P<.05). Resistance mutations to efavirenz and emtricitabine were detected in all patients in the once-daily group who experienced virologic failure while receiving study medication. The proportion of patients discontinuing study medication because of adverse events was similar between the once-daily group (9%) and the PI group (10%) (P=.8).

CONCLUSIONS

Substituting a convenient once-daily combination of emtricitabine, didanosine, and efavirenz for a PI-based regimen was well tolerated and associated with sustained virologic suppression.

[Non tuberculous mycobacterial diseases]

Mycobacteria species other than members of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex are called non tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) or "atypical" mycobacteria. To date, about 80 mycobacterial species have been described. They are usually opportunistic pathogens with variable degrees of virulence. Tuberculosis is the commonest mycobacterial disease in the world, followed by leprosy and Buruli ulcer. Before the AIDS epidemic, NTM diseases were confined to the lungs (M. kansasii, M. intracellulare and M. avium), the skin (M. marinum) or cervical lymph nodes (M. scrofulaceum). The outbreak of AIDS epidemic has dramatically changed the epidemiology of NTM diseases. Between 25 to 50% of AIDS patients in Europe and USA are infected with NTM. NTM infections are usually disseminated in patients with profound immunodeficiency. The inflammatory response and the prognosis of NTM diseases depend on the immunological status and the NTM species. Diagnosis may be difficult, especially in AIDS patients in whom numerous diseases are often associated. Diagnostic criteria involve clinical, radiological, microbiological and pathological findings. Identification of Mycobacterium species in cultures is the gold standard. Pathological examination has several interests: it may reveal an NTM disease, it provides a more rapid assessment of the infection than cultures, and helps to evaluate the virulence of NTM species identified by cultures.

Effect of zidovudine resistance mutations on virologic response to treatment with zidovudine or stavudine, each in combination with lamivudine and indinavir

The authors studied the effect of zidovudine (ZDV) resistance mutation on virologic response to treatment with ZDV or stavudine (d4T) each in combination with lamivudine and indinavir. Viral genotyping was performed on plasma HIV-1 RNA at study entry and concerned 155 patients previously treated with ZDV, didanosine, or zalcitabine and enrolled in the NOVAVIR (Agence National de Recherche sur le SIDA [ANRS] 073) trial. Three virologic responses were investigated: early response (<50 copies/mL at week 24), late response (<500 copies/mL at week 80), and virologic failure (two HIV-1 RNA >5000 copies/mL). Patients were classified as resistant or susceptible to ZDV according to the ANRS algorithm. Plasma viral RNA from 123 of 155 patients had two or more ZDV resistance mutations. The number of ZDV resistance mutations was positively correlated with the duration of prior antiviral therapy (p <.001). At week 24, 74% and 77% of patients with virus classified as resistant were responders in the d4T and ZDV arm, respectively. Similar results were found at week 80. Virologic failure was reached in 7 of 24 patients with virus classified as susceptible and in 26 of 131 patients with resistant virus (p =.29). In the ZDV arm, patients classified as resistant had longer times to virologic failure than those classified as susceptible (p =.003). In conclusion, sustained virologic response despite presence of ZDV resistance mutations implies that these mutations do not preclude an early and durable response to treatment with a potent three-drug regimen in these patients. Patients susceptible to ZDV had lower median mean corpuscular volumes and lower random indinavir levels, suggesting that adherence was the main reason for failure.

Nevirapine or lamivudine plus stavudine and indinavir: examples of 2-class versus 3-class regimens for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1

We compared use of a 3-class regimen (nevirapine [Nvp], stavudine [d4T], and indinavir [Idv; 1000 mg 3 times daily]) with use of a 2-class regimen (lamivudine [3TC], d4T, and Idv [800 mg 3 times daily]) for 145 patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). At week 72, the plasma HIV-1 RNA level was undetectable in 52% of Nvp recipients versus 79% of 3TC recipients (P<.001). Idv trough levels were 81 ng/mL in the Nvp group and 99 ng/mL in the 3TC group (P=.012). In the Nvp group, 42.5% of patients discontinued the study regimen; in the 3TC group, 22.5% of patients discontinued therapy (P=.013). The rate of resistance to nonnucleoside analogue reverse-transcriptase inhibitors among patients in the Nvp group with virological failure was not different from the rate of resistance to 3TC among patients in the 3TC group with virological failure. These results do not support the use of a 3-class regimen that includes Nvp for patients with no or limited exposure to nucleoside analogues.