Hydroxyurea is still finding its place in HIV therapy, but recent data may help to clarify the role of this drug.
Originally explored as an agent which could boost ddI levels, hydroxyurea has
subsequently emerged as a potentially useful partner for several drugs,
including d4T, adefovir, PMPA and 3TC. A very useful review of the newest
studies appeared in a recent edition of US newsletter Treatment Issues,
highlighting a number of findings:
- hydroxyurea improves the phosphorylation of d4T in
patients who are no longer responding to long-term nucleoside therapy
- hydroxyurea also improves the phosphorylation of AZT and
3TC
- hydroxyurea partially restores sensitivity to ddI,
adefovir and PMPA when co-administered with these drugs in vitro
- despite being touted as salvage therapy, hydroxyurea seems
to have transient benefits at this stage of disease. In earlier disease its use
in combination with ddI compares favourably with more complex regimens (although
study numbers are small).
Read the full report at
face=Arial>http://www.thebody.com/gmhc/issues/julaug98/hydrox.html