OBJECTIVE: To characterize the antiviral effect and tolerability of higher dose (HD, 600 mg two times daily) and lower dose (LD, 400 mg two times daily) combination regimens of @entity486 and @entity485 in British Columbia (BC), Canada. DESIGN: Intent-to-treat analysis with suppression of plasma viral load to levels below 500 copies/ml as the main outcome measure. @entity1 : Adult @entity1 @entity465 virus (HIV)-positive individuals in the province of British Columbia prescribed @entity486 and @entity485 in combination between 1 September 1996 and 30 June 1997, with a minimum of two plasma viral loads, one at baseline and one after the initiation of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 84 @entity1 [27 HD (32%) and 57 LD (68%)] were prescribed @entity486 and @entity485 . There was no difference at baseline in the two groups with respect to age (P=0.466), @entity404 cell count (P=0.373) and baseline plasma viral load (P=0.656). However, LD were more likely to have had prior protease experience than HD @entity1 (65 versus 40%, P=0.037). The median follow-up time was 9 months. A total of 44 (52%) subjects demonstrated a decrease in plasma viral load to levels <500 copies/ml. After adjusting for length of follow-up, baseline @entity404 cell count and prior @entity791 diagnosis, HD @entity1 were as likely to be suppressed to <500 copies/ml as LD individuals (P=0.760). HD @entity1 did report more adverse effects (P=0.042) than LD subjects. CONCLUSION: Our results provide confirmatory evidence that lower doses of @entity486 and @entity485 in combination are better tolerated and as effective as the standard doses of these drugs. This response, however, is seriously compromised by prior exposure to protease inhibitors.

Antiretroviral effect of two different dose regimens of XXXX and @entity485 on HIV-infected adults in a population-based setting.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'human', 'PATIENTS'] @entity404 :: ('920', 'Gene') :: ['CD4'] @entity485 :: ('MESH:D019258', 'Chemical') :: ['saquinavir'] @entity465 :: ('MESH:D007153', 'Disease') :: ['immunodeficiency'] @entity486 :: ('MESH:D019438', 'Chemical') :: ['ritonavir'] @entity791 :: ('MESH:D000163', 'Disease') :: ['AIDS']
@entity486 :: (MESH:D019438,Chemical) :: ['ritonavir']
