REGRESSION OF AIDS-RELATED KAPOSIS-SARCOMA FOLLOWING RITONAVIR THERAPY

This paper describes a case report of an HIV-infected patient with muc ocutaneous Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) with oral involvement, which presente d complete clinical resolution of lesions on antiretroviral treatment with ritonavir, an HIV-1 protease inhibitor. Although it has still not been demonstrated that ritonavir has a specific antiviral action agai nst HHV-8, a gamma herpesvirus probably involved in KS aetiopathogenes is, it has been proven that it reduces the HIV load significantly. Thi s affects certain growth factors of KS, such as Tat protein and cytoki nes, and favours recovery of immune function, which correlates with pr otection against AIDS-defining conditions. (C) 1998 Published by Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.