Mitochondrial:nuclear DNA ratios in peripheral blood cells from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients who received selected HIV antiretroviral drug regimens.

ABSTRACT

Mitochondrialnuclear DNA (mtDNAnDNA) ratios in blood cells were investigated in relation to selected human immunodeficiency virus antiretroviral drug regimens. Patients (n = 214) continually received a regimen consisting of either (1) saquinavir (SAQ) + ritonavir (RTV) + either nevirapine (NVP) or lamivudine (3TC) (n=32) or (2) SAQ+RTV (+/- either NVP or 3TC) + either stavudine (d4T) (n=127), didanosine (ddI) (n=19), d4T+ddI (n=21), or zidovudine (ZDV) (n=15), for >/=4 months. NVP- or 3TC-only regimens were associated with median mtDNAnDNA ratios that were significantly higher than those for ddI- and d4T+ddI-containing regimens (P<.01) but that were not significantly higher than those for d4T- or ZDV-containing regimens. Patients received thymidine analogue- and/or ddI-containing regimens for a shorter time (median, 14 vs. 24 months; P<.01). Because of survivor-bias effect, these results may represent a conservative estimate of these nucleosides' effect on mtDNA.