Also, several clinical trials have shown the combination of Ziagen, AZT and Epivir to be as effective as PI-containing combinations for first line treatment. However, there was a difference among patients who entered the study with high viral loads. CNA 3104, a trial of the same combinations, was open-label, meaning that both the participants and the study personnel knew which combination the participants were taking. Adherence issues may have played a role in achieving such similar results. This preliminary finding has not been reproduced in other, more controlled settings and should be monitored as the study progresses.
Mitochondria are the powerhouse of our bodies' cells.
They serve the critical function of producing energy for a host of life-sustaining cellular activities. Nucleoside analogues can affect the DNA in mitochondria. This can harm the mitochondria and irreversibly damage the function of certain cells. Nucleoside analogue treatment can also sometimes result in life-threatening toxicities, such as severe lactic acidosis with hepatomegaly, or fatty liver. Cells that contain too many severely damaged mitochondria must resort to an abnormal type of energy production that doesn't rely on the mitochondria.