HIV/AIDS Topics Some Antiretroviral Drugs Linked to Heart Attacks in D:A:D Study, but Overall Risk Remains Small
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- Category: Cardiovascular Disease
- Published on Friday, 15 January 2010 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
The latest analysis from the large European D:A:D cohort, reported in the February 1, 2010 Journal of Infectious Diseases, found that use of the antiretroviral drugs indinavir (Crixivan), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra), didanosine (ddI, Videx), and abacavir (Ziagen, also in the Epzicom and Trizivir coformulation) was associated with a significantly increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI). The overall number of heart attacks was small, however, and the researchers said the findings should be interpreted with caution given the potential for confounding and the overall benefits of HIV treatment.
Kidney Function Remains Stable among French HIV Patients on Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy
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- Category: Liver & Kidney Disease
- Published on Friday, 18 December 2009 16:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Kidney function has remained stable among patients on long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to findings from a large French study described in the December 15, 2009 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR, a common measure of kidney function) improved slightly during the first year and a half of treatment, then decreased back to the baseline level and remained steady thereafter. Indinavir (Crixivan) was linked to poorer kidney function, but not tenofovir (Viread).
HIV Positive People with Elevated C-reactive Protein Have Higher Cardiovascular Risk, but It May Not Be a Good Predictor of Heart Disease
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- Category: Cardiovascular Disease
- Published on Friday, 17 July 2009 14:13
- Written by Liz Highleyman
A widely used biomarker of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP), is associated with cardiovascular risk in people with HIV, according to a large study reported in the July 2009 Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndromes. HIV positive people with elevated CRP had more than 4 times the risk of acute myocardial infarction (MI) than HIV negative people with normal CRP. But two other recent general population studies suggest CRP may not be a causal factor or a good predictor of heart disease.
Abacavir (Ziagen) May Contribute to Impaired Endothelial Function in HIV Patients with Suppressed Viral Load
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- Category: Cardiovascular Disease
- Published on Friday, 23 October 2009 14:13
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Abacavir (Ziagen, also in the Epzicom and Trizivir combination pills) may interfere with endothelial function, or normal working of blood vessel linings, impairing blood flow and possibly contributing to the increased risk of cardiovascular events observed in some studies, according to a report in the September 24, 2009 issue of AIDS.
Antiretroviral Therapy Is Not Responsible for Unexplained Liver Disease in HIV Patients without Viral Hepatitis Coinfection
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- Category: Liver & Kidney Disease
- Published on Tuesday, 02 June 2009 14:12
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Since illness and deaths due to opportunistic infections have fallen dramatically in the era of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), liver disease has become a major cause of morbidity and mortality in people with HIV. In many cases, this is associated with chronic hepatitis B or C virus (HBV, HCV) coinfection or heavy alcohol consumption, but some individuals have unexplained, or "cryptogenic," liver disease. Another potential cause of liver problems in people with HIV is hepatotoxic side effects of antiretroviral treatment. But a recent study by researchers at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in the U.K. did not observe this association, according to a letter to the editor in the April 2009 Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
HIV Positive People Are at Higher Risk for Cancer, especially Malignancies Linked to Infectious Pathogens or Smoking
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- Category: Cancer/Malignancies
- Published on Friday, 09 October 2009 00:00
- Written by Liz Highleyman
People with HIV have an increased risk of developing non-AIDS-defining cancers, especially malignancies with infectious causes (such as anal and liver cancer) and those associated with tobacco smoking, according to a meta-analysis of 18 studies published in the September 17, 2009 advance online issue of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.
Acute Hepatitis C Affects Neurocognitive Functioning in People with HIV
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- Category: Neurocognitive Problems
- Published on Friday, 22 May 2009 13:47
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Acute coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) can contribute to neurocognitive impairment in people with HIV, according to a British study presented at the 44th Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL 2009) last month in Copenhagen.
IAS 2009: Vitamin D Deficiency is Common among HIV Positive People and Is Associated with NNRTI Use, Black Race, and Smoking
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- Category: HIV-Related Conditions
- Published on Tuesday, 01 September 2009 13:49
- Written by Liz Highleyman
Two research teams presented study findings at the recent 5th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment, and Prevention (IAS 2009) in Cape Town, South Africa, showing that inadequate vitamin D levels are highly prevalent among people with HIV, and individuals taking efavirenz (Sustiva) are at particularly high risk
Protease Inhibitor Regimens Associated with Greater Decrease in Bone Mineral Density than NNRTI Regimens in Treatment-naive HIV Patients
- Details
- Category: Bone Loss
- Published on Tuesday, 14 April 2009 14:12
- Written by HIVandHepatitis.com
HIV positive individuals taking combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) commonly develop reduced bone mineral density (BMD), a metabolic disorder. This high prevalence of osteopenia and the more severe osteoporosis has been linked to various factors including HIV infection itself, aging of this population, lower body weight, and smoking. Although some studies suggest that reduced BMD is associated with use of protease inhibitors (PIs), others have not confirmed these findings.
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- CROI 2009: Elevated Rate of Heart Attacks and Strokes in HIV Patients on HAART Begins to Decline at California Kaiser Permanente
- CROI 2009: Nicotine Replacement Aids Smoking Cessation in Program for HIV Positive Participants
- Atherosclerosis and Endothelial Dysfunction Associated with HIV Infection and Antiretroviral Therapy
- Longer Exposure to NRTIs, especially Stavudine, Increases the Risk of Insulin Resistance in Women with HIV
- Zoledronate Improves Bone Loss in People with HIV
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