Effects of traditional Chinese medicine on CD4 + T cell counts and HIV viral loads during structured treatment interruption in highly active antiretroviral therapy.
- Author:
Hong-xin ZHAO
1
;
Fu-jie ZHANG
;
Ning HAN
;
Meng-dong LAN
;
Jun YAO
;
Zhi-ying LIU
;
Lian-he LU
;
Hong-shan WEI
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; administration & dosage; therapeutic use; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Benzoxazines; therapeutic use; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Drug Therapy, Combination; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; therapeutic use; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections; drug therapy; immunology; virology; Humans; Lamivudine; therapeutic use; Male; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load; Zidovudine; therapeutic use
- From: Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2006;28(5):658-661
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo explore the impacts of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on CD4 + T cell counts and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral loads during the course of structured treatment interruption (STI) in highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
METHODSNineteen HIV/ADIS patients were treated for 14 months as follows: initiated with zidovudine/lamivudine + efavirdine for 6 months, then discontinued the therapy and treated with TCM instead for 2 months. HAART was then reinitiated for another 3 months, and then discontinued and replaced with TCM for another 3 months. The changes of CD4 + T cell counts and HIV viral loads were measured.
RESULTSDuring the first STI of HAART, 43.8% of patients had no viral rebounds one month later, and 62.6% had stable or increased immune functions; 18.8% had no viral rebounds two months later, and 43.8% had stable or increased immune functions. Changes of viral loads were not significantly different between these two months (P = 0.097), while CD4 + T cell counts significantly decreased two months later compared with one month later (P = 0.043). During the second STI of HAART, 33.3% of patients had no viral rebounds one month later, and 64.3% had stable or increased immune functions; 13.3% had no viral rebounds 3 months later and 46.6% had stable or increased immune functions. Changes of viral loads had significant difference (P = 0. 017), while CD4 + T cell counts at month 12 elevated significantly compared with the baseline (P = 0.014).
CONCLUSIONSTCM can suppress the viral rebounds during STI-HAART, maintain immune functions. However, this effect may decrease along with the prolongation of STI-HAART.