Protease inhibitors in antiviral therapy of paediatric HIV disease

Abstract

In order to evaluate clinical efficacy and safety of combination antiretroviral therapy with protease inhibitors in children with congenital HIV disease a pilot study was performed at our department. After informed consent was obtained from parents seven children aged 8-13 y (five at disease stage A2 and two at stage C3) were treated with indinavir (four cases) at 1600-2000 mg/m2/d in three daily doses or with ritonavir (three patients) at 800-1000 mg/ m2/d in two daily doses in association with one or two reverse transcriptase inhibitors (zidovudine didanosine and zalcitabine in three cases each and zidovudine plus zalcitabine in the remaining patient). After 2-4 months stavudine plus lamivudine was introduced in all children instead of previously administered reverse transcriptase inhibitors since our patients have been receiving zidovudine and/or didanosine and/or zalcitabine for > 15 months. (excerpt)