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Patients Remain in Control of HIV Despite Weekend Holidays: Presented at IAS-HIV By Ed Susman RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL -- July 26, 2005 -- A year-long study has found that patients can maintain control of HIV viral levels despite stopping medications on weekends. "This pilot study demonstrates the potential to maintain virologic suppression on the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor regimens with a 5 days on, 2 days off (FOTO) schedule," said lead investigator Calvin Cohen, MD, director of research, Community Research Initiative of New England, Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Cohen said the 10 patients who were on an efavirenz-based regimen had no viral rebounds during the 48-week study, while one of 10 people on nevirapine had a rebound. Two of 9 people on protease inhibitors showed detectable viral loads. He suggested that the long half-life of efavirenz gives patients on that drug an advantage in maintaining virologic control during the 2-day drug holidays. "If validated, this strategy could have an enormous impact on reducing cost of treatment and improving quality of life," Dr. Cohen said on July 25th at the 3rd International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis and Treatment (IAS-HIV). If patients are able to take 2-day drug holidays each week, there would be a 28% savings in the cost of drugs, he said. In addition, patients "strongly preferred" the FOTO schedule over daily antiretroviral therapy, he said in his poster presentation. "The FOTO schedule was well tolerated with excellent adherence rates." His study is 1 of many structured treatment interruption studies that are being evaluated by a number of investigators. In Dr. Cohen's study, participants had to have their viral loads below the 50-copy detection level for at least 3 months before enrollment. In the FOTO study, patients were on a variety of regimens. Those who were taking non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase-based regimens with efavirenz or with nevirapine as the backbone drug showed consistent ability to keep the virus suppressed below the level of quantification throughout the study. However, the 2 patients taking a protease inhibitor-based regimen exhibited some viral rebound after 24 weeks and resumed their 7-day schedule, he said. Dr. Cohen said the short drug holiday regiment was easy to remember and would likely keep patients from forgetting when to take their medications. [Presentation title: The Five Days On, Two Days Off (FOTO) Study: 48 Week Results. Abstract WePe12.4C10] E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version