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To the Editor: The feasibility of induction-maintenance therapy for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV) infection has been studied as a strategy to simplify antiretroviral regimens.^1-3 In the Amsterdam Duration of Antiretroviral Medication study, maintenance dual therapy after 26 weeks of quadruple induction therapy resulted in less viral suppression than prolonged induction therapy.³ However, a prolonged quadruple regimen may have a negative impact on patients' quality of life (QOL) because of pill burden and adverse effects. We compared QOL in maintenance vs prolonged induction therapy.

Methods

Antiretroviral-naive HIV-infected patients with a CD4 cell count of at least 200 x 10⁶/L (200/µL) and 1000 HIV RNA copies/mL received 26 weeks of induction therapy comprising stavudine, lamivudine, saquinavir, and nelfinavir. If the plasma HIV RNA concentration at weeks 24 and 25 was less than 50 copies/mL, patients were randomly assigned to receive prolonged 4-drug induction or maintenance therapy (either stavudine and nelfinavir . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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