Spontaneous recovery of hemoglobin and neutrophil levels in Japanese patients on a long-term Combivir ® containing regimen

• Published in: Journal of clinical virology 2005-07, Vol.33 (3), p.188-193
• Main Authors: Matsushita, Shuzo, Yoshimura, Kazuhisa, Kimura, Tetsuya, Kamihira, Asako, Takano, Misao, Eto, Kenichiro, Shirasaka, Takuma, Mitsuya, Hiroaki, Oka, Shinichi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Anti-HIV Agents - adverse effects; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Combivir; Drug Combinations; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hemoglobin; Hemoglobins - analysis; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - immunology; HIV Infections - virology; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Japan; Lamivudine; Lamivudine - adverse effects; Lamivudine - therapeutic use; Leukocyte Count; Long-term treatment; Male; Medical sciences; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Neutrophil; Neutrophils - cytology; Neutrophils - immunology; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors - adverse effects; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors - therapeutic use; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Viral diseases; Virology; Zidovudine; Zidovudine - adverse effects; Zidovudine - therapeutic use
• ISSN: 1386-6532; 1873-5967
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcv.2004.11.002

In order to evaluate long-term toxicity of Combivir, we retrospectively reviewed clinical records of HIV-1 infected cases under treatment with Combivir-containing regimen and we analyzed the clinical data compared to other NRTIs-containing regimens. A total of 55 patients who were on Combivir and 39 on a control regimen were examined. After starting treatment with Combivir-containing regimens viral load and CD4 + T-cell count improved as well as the control group. Rates of adverse events in Combivir group and ZDV (400 mg/day) + 3TC group were 50.9% (28/55) and 60% (12/20), respectively. Some of these Japanese patients who started Combivir regimen as a first-line HAART (primary Combivir group) showed some decrease in hemoglobin levels or neutrophil counts within 6 months. However, a significant recovery of these indices of hematological toxicities occurred in patients who continued the regimen for 18–24 months. Our findings suggest that the safety of 600 mg of ZDV is similar to 400 mg/day of ZDV and the existence of mechanisms that compensate for anemia and for the neutropenia associated with long-term use of Combivir.