Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
7
pubmed:dateCreated
2006-6-15
pubmed:abstractText
Discontinuation of maintenance therapy against toxoplasma encephalitis (TE) for individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are receiving successful anti-retroviral therapy is considered safe. Nevertheless, there are few published studies concerning this issue. Within the setting of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, this report describes a prospective study of discontinuation of maintenance therapy against TE in patients with a sustained increase of CD4 counts to > 200 cells/microL and 14% of total lymphocytes, and no active lesions on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In addition to clinical evaluation, cerebral MRI was performed at baseline, and 1 and 6 months following discontinuation. Twenty-six AIDS patients with a history of TE agreed to participate, but three patients (11%) could not be enrolled because they still showed enhancing cerebral lesions without a clinical correlate. One patient refused MRI after 6 months while clinically asymptomatic. Among the remaining 22 patients who discontinued maintenance therapy, one relapsed after 3 months. During a total follow-up of 58 patient-years, there was no TE relapse among the patients who had remained clinically and radiologically free of relapse during the study. Thus, discontinuation of maintenance therapy against TE was generally safe, but may fail in a minority of patients. Patients who remain clinically and radiologically free of relapse at 6 months after discontinuation are unlikely to experience a relapse of TE.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jul
pubmed:issn
1198-743X
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
12
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
666-71
pubmed:dateRevised
2006-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed-meshheading:16774564-AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Adult, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Animals, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Anti-Retroviral Agents, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Antiprotozoal Agents, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-CD4 Lymphocyte Count, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Female, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Humans, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Magnetic Resonance Imaging, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Male, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Middle Aged, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Prospective Studies, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Recurrence, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Switzerland, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Treatment Outcome, pubmed-meshheading:16774564-Viral Load
pubmed:year
2006
pubmed:articleTitle
Discontinuation of maintenance therapy against toxoplasma encephalitis in AIDS patients with sustained response to anti-retroviral therapy.
pubmed:affiliation
Division of Infectious Diseases, University Hospital Berne, Bern, Switzerland.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Multicenter Study