Immune response to antiretroviral treatment combining stavudine, didanosine and nevirapine

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the restoration of immune function in patients given two nucleoside-ana logs and one non-nucle oside-ana log (nevirapine). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study was carried out in 27 HIV-1 -infected patie nts, starting a treatment with d4T, ddl and nevirapine, included in the VIR GO trial and followed up to 52 weeks. RESULTS: Total CD4 T cells increased as early as the fourth week of treatme nt (+ 154/mul, p < 0.001) with a gain maintained until week 52 (+201/<mu>l at week 52). A similar pattern was seen for memory CD4 T cells (+ 80/mul at week 4, + 110/mul at week 52). The rise in naive CD4 T cells was slower, s trongly significant for week 16 (p < 0.001) and maximum at week 24 (+ 105/< mu>l). DISCUSSION: In our study, rise in T cells was not correlated with virologic al response, however increase in total and naive CD4 T cells was correlated with the CD4 count at onset of therapy (p < 0.05). Our data indicate that patients on d4T-ddI-nevirapine therapy have the same immune restoration as patients given protease inhibitor-based regimens.