HIV highly active antiretroviral therapy: 144 patients followed up in a reference center for AIDS in western France (Nantes Hospital).

In 1996 protease inhibitors became available in France. From March 1996 to October 1996 144 HIV positive patients were included in a standardized foll ow up to assess the clinical, virological and immunological efficacy of pot ent combination therapies. All patients attended the reference center for A IDS treatment of Nantes (France). After 1 year of follow up, all regimens s howed efficacy. The best results were obtained in naive patients and in tho se who received the combination of two nucleoside analogues and indinavir o r ritonavir. For these patients reduction in viral load below the threshold of 400 copies/mL was observed in 60% (65.5% and 62.5%, respectively), and mean rise in CD4 cell count was 150 cells/mm(3) (142 cells/mm3 and 209 cell s/mm3, respectively). (C) 1999 Elsevier, Paris.