Search

Maintaining high rates of CD4 cells (>500/mm3) is a main objective of the treatment of HIV infections. Maraviroc blocks the entry of CCR5-tropic viruses, which play a major role in HIV transmission and predominate throughout infection. Viruses using CXCR4 co-receptor emerge later and are associated with disease worsening. Maraviroc showed a rapid and high immune response, partly due to its capacity to diffuse in sanctuary areas. Viraltropism appears very useful to predict both disease progression and CCR5- antagonist efficacy. Based on the V3 loop of HIV-envelope gp120, genotypic tests show an acceptable concordance with plasma-derived phenotypic tests and, when performed at blood cellular levels, a slightly higher prevalence of archived X4 variants. They also seem to be predictive of the virological response to treatment. The perspective of an accurate prediction of viral tropism in blood cell reservoirs could lead to discuss the use of CCR5-antagonists in patients with undetectable viral load.

Objective: To investigate factors related to early virological response among a cohort of 224 patients who started a protease inhibitor (PI) for the first time. To determine which factors are associated with persistent response among patients with early response., Patients and Methods: Early complete response was defined as an undetectable plasma viral load 2 to 3 months after treatment onset (< 400 copies/ml, Quantiplex HIV 2.0 Chiron diagnostics), incomplete response as at least 1 log reduction of viral load. In patients with an undetectable plasma viral load at 2 or 3 months, we also assessed the persistence of the response on the same regimen. Virology failure was defined by two consecutive viral load levels above the detection limit., Results: In the total cohort, 66% of the patients had an early complete response, 11% a partial response and 23% no response. Complete virological response was significantly more frequent in naive (89%) than in pretreated (59%) patients (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis of factors predictive of early response in pretreated patients (n = 169) showed that viral load (p = 0.001), the number of nucleoside analogs previously received (p = 0.06) and a full or partial treatment switch (p = 0.10) were associated with complete response. Analysis of later response in the 45 naive patients with prolonged follow-up showed that 22% had treatment failure after 3 to 16 months. None of the baseline variables (viral load, CD4+ cell count or nature of the PI) were associated with duration of response. The only factor associated with persistent response in pretreated patients was a low number of antiretroviral drugs previously received (log-rank test, p = 0.04)., Conclusions: The absence of previous antiretroviral treatment as the main factor associated with an early complete virological response. In patients pretreated with nucleoside analogs who presented early virological success, the number of drugs previously received, often associated with full or partial switch of nucleoside analog, significantly influence the persistence of response to a given triple-drug regimen.

As many factors may be involved in therapeutic response to triple therapy with protease inhibitor (PI), the aim of this study was to determine the influence of epidemiological factors (sex, risk factors), clinical status (previous number of AIDS defining events), immunological status (baseline CD4 T cells count), virological factor (baseline viral load), previous antiretroviral therapy and duration of AZT therapy (> or < 6 months), number of prescribed reverse transcriptase inhibitors (RTI), therapeutic strategy (switch to different RTI or only addition of PI) and compliance, on early virological response (M2-M3) after initiation of triple therapy with PI. These results concerned 167 patients treated with triple therapy including PI. A viral load response was defined in three types: complete response (undetectable: < 500 copies/ml) for 100 patients; partial response (significant decrease: > 0.5 log from baseline) for 30 patients and no response for 37 patients. Only two parameters were associated of good virological response: no previous antiretroviral therapy (p < 0.001) and good compliance (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed between patients with no prior therapy and pretreated patients, in terms of median baseline CD4 count and observance. The baseline median viral load was higher in naive patients despite a better response. In pretreated patients, the type of response appeared to be dependent on the duration of AZT treatment (p = 0.06) and good compliance (p = 0.06). Among the 100 patients with initial complete response, only 23/81 were still undetectable after a median of 13 months of therapy.

Regarding the tracking down of hepatic metastases, a study was made on 58 patients presenting either digestive or genital adenocarcinoma. The determining criterion of selection was the carrying out of the three following tests within the same month (Technetium 99 Scintigraphy, Echotomography B and surgery). The global breakdown of exact answers is in favour of echography (72% against 53%), echography being more reliable than scintigraphy. Therefore echotomography B seems to be the first morphological method that should be proposed; and for improving the tracking down, scintigraphy makes the interpretation of the results more difficult, and reduces the number of correct answers.

During surgery for carcinoma of the oesophagus, the authors emphasise the need for selective intubation using a Carlens tube, of avoiding damage to the diaphragm and the phrenic nerve at all levels, and of draining the hemithorax involved in the operation by three drains: anterior and posterior thoracic and madiastino-abdominal. These precautions reduce post-operative difficulties, justifiy excision surgery for carcinoma of the oesophagus, and to a certain extent make it possible to reduce the contraindications, in particular in the presence of tracheo-bronchial spread. Amongst 107 patients undergoing surgery, in whom there was a risk of respiratory insufficiency in one quarter, surgery (sometimes with extension of the excision: one case in four) was associated with an operative and post-operative mortality of 18%.

The main indications for the Hartmann operation are cancer and sigmoiditis. It is done as an emergency in 70% of the time, more often for peritonitis, generally from diverticulitis. (45% of the time) than for occlusion usually due to cancer (30% of the time). The high mortality (33%) is due to the precarious condition of the patients, and only 25% are due to the operation, usually from disruption of the rectal stump. The reestablishment of the intestinal continuity, now facilitated by the clip forceps, was possible in 37 cases with no mortality. This represents 28.9% of the group, but only 52.1% were alive six months later. Only 6.8% of the cancer cases were benefited; however, 51% of the sigmoiditis cases and 87.5% of the cases of traumatic perforation were benefited. These results plus the advantages furnished by the autosuturing forceps justify renewal of interest in this operation first described 60 years ago.