Neurotoxic dideoxynucleoside antiretroviral therapy is not associated with progression of painful distal polyneuropathy. Issue 1 (January 2009)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Elliott, Kathryn J; Simpson, David M
• Is Part Of: HIV therapy. Volume 3:Issue 1(2009)
• Page Start: 35
• Page End: 38
• Publication Date: 2009-01
• Subjects: d-drug neurotoxicity -- dideoxynucleoside -- HIV -- neuropathy; HIV (Viruses) -- Treatment -- Periodicals; HIV (Viruses) -- Research -- Periodicals; 616.979206
• DOI: 10.2217/17584310.3.1.35
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-4310

Abstract

Evaluation of: Hung CF, Gibson SA, Letendre SL et al. : Impact of long-term treatment with neurotoxic dideoxynucleoside antiretrovirals: implications for clinical care in resource-limited settings. HIV Med. 9, 731––737 (2008). Dideoxynucleoside antiretroviral (d-drug) use is limited by peripheral nervous system toxicity. d-drugs are generically made and are cheaper antiretrovirals then branded non-d-drugs. In the context of financial barriers to delivering HIV care in resource-limited settings, cheaper d-drugs may mean the difference between treatment and no treatment. Whether or not d-drug neurotoxicity is cumulative could determine the applicability of d-drug use in resource-limited settings. In a US cohort of HIV-infected patients, the authors evaluated the safety of continued d-drug use by measuring the risk of d-drug to worsen neuropathy signs or symptoms. A total of 252 subjects on d-drugs were compared with 250 subjects on non-d-drug antiretrovirals and followed over a median of 18 months for signs of worsening neuropathy. The authors found continued d-drug use did not produce progressive signs or symptoms of neuropathy as compared with continued non-d-drug use, in agreement with the Delta trial and other recent cohort studies.