ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical effect and side-effect of peg-interferon alfa-2a (PEG-IFN alfa-2a) and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for patients infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Twenty-two patients with HCV/HIV co-infection received highly active antiretroviral therapy initially; after their CD4 lymphocyte counts rose to over 0.20x10(9)/L, they were separated into two groups: one group with CD4 lymphocytes over 0.35x10(9)/L (high group) and one group with CD4 lymphocytes below 0.35x10(9)/L (low group). Both groups were given 180 microg of PEG-IFN alfa-2a every week intramuscularly. HCV RNA and HIV RNA loads, blood cell and CD4 lymphocyte counts, and liver functions were routinely examined.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After 12, 24 and 48 weeks of PEG-IFN alfa-2a therapy, mean HCV RNA loads reduced 2.0650 log10 copies/ml (t=3.8733), 2.9146 log10 copies/ml (t=7.6741) and 2.4315 log10 copies/ml (t=5.8202) from the baseline at week 0 in the 13 patients in the high group, and reduced 1.1522 log10 copies/ml (t = 2.8937), 1.4189 log10 copies/ml (t=2.4422) and 1.1167 log10 (t=1.1261) in the 8 patients of the low group. However, there was no significant difference between the early viral response rate (EVR) and the end of treatment viral response rate (ETVR) of the two groups. In the high group, the white blood cell count was lower at 24 weeks than the base line (t=2.4700), and the blood platelet count was lower both at 24 and 48 weeks than the base line (t=2.3273 and t=3.6149).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>PEG-IFN alfa-2a can effectively reduce HCV RNA loads in patients with HCV-/HIV co-infection, and the inhibition rate in patients with higher CD4 lymphocyte counts is better. The EVR and ETVR of the two groups of patients show similar results after the treatment. PEG-IFN alfa-2a can reduce the white blood cell counts and the blood platelet counts in the peripheral blood.</p>
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Young Adult , Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome , Drug Therapy , Virology , Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active , CD4 Lymphocyte Count , HIV-1 , Hepacivirus , Hepatitis C , Drug Therapy , Virology , Interferon-alpha , Therapeutic Uses , Polyethylene Glycols , Therapeutic Uses , RNA, Viral , Recombinant Proteins , Superinfection , Drug Therapy , Virology , Viral LoadABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the therapeutic effect of moxibustion on AIDS patients of spleen-kidney yang-deficiency.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Sixty-six cases of AIDS were divided into a treatment group and a control group, 33 cases in each group. All of the patients were treated with HAART, with moxibustion at Tianshu (ST 25), Shenque (CV 8), Zhongwan (CV 12), Guanyuan (CV 4) added in the treatment group for 3 months. Clinical symptoms and cell immunity were recorded before and after treatment.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>After treatment, the effective rate was 90.9% in the treatment group, which was better than 66.7% in the control group (P < 0.05). The improvement of the score for clinical symptoms in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.01). After treatment, the CD4 lymphocyte counts increased in the two groups, with no significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Additionally, increase of total lymphocyte count in the treatment group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Moxibustion can increase the therapeutic effect of HAART on AIDS patients and increase the total lymphocyte count.</p>