Comparison of efficacy of stavudine and zidovudine on CD4 counts in triple drug therapy regimen in patients with HIV infection - a retrospective study.

Author(s): Kiran L. J.*, Gokul C. G., Santhosh Ramakrishna, Narendranath S.

Abstract

The main objective of the study is 1. To compare the effect of triple drug therapy with stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine on CD4 counts 6months and 12 months after therapy. 2. To compare the effect of triple drug therapy with zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine on CD4 counts 6months and 12 months after therapy. 3. To compare the efficacy of the above two mentioned regimens. Methods: In this retrospective study, data was collected from the antiretroviral therapy (ART) Centre where 46 subjects infected with HIV received stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine and 54 subjects infected with HIV received zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine. Baseline CD4 counts were recorded and compared with CD4 counts after 6 months and 12 months after therapy in each regimen. Changes in CD4 counts in both the regimen were also compared. Statistical analysis was done using ANOVA followed by Tukey test for group wise comparison. Results: Statistical analysis showed that there was no significant change in CD4 count after 6 months of treatment in stavudine group whereas there was significant increase in CD4 counts after 12 months after therapy with stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine. But there was a significant increase in CD4 counts after both 6 months and 12 months of treatment with zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine. But when efficacy of both the regimen was compared with each other there was no significant change in the CD4 counts. Conclusion: This nevirapine and zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine are equally efficacious but improvement of CD4 counts after initial 6 months of therapy is better with zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapine treated group than compared with stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine treated group.

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