Clinical Characteristics of Patients Hospitalized with Coronavirus Disease, Thailand.

Among 11 patients in Thailand infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, we detected viral RNA in upper respiratory specimens a median of 14 days after illness onset and 9 days after fever resolution. We identified viral co-infections and an asymptomatic person with detectable virus RNA in serial tests. We describe implications for surveillance.

Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 Viral Load Response among COVID-19 Patients Receiving Favipiravir.

We retrospectively studied nasopharyngeal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) viral load in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients who were hospitalized between January 13 and April 1, 2020. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was conducted using primers and probes targeting the ORF1ab and N genes. All patients were classified in the following groups: Group 1: received favipiravir + chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine + lopinavir/ritonavir or darunavir/ritonavir for 5-10 days, Group 2: received chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine + lopinavir/ritonavir or darunavir/ritonavir for 5-10 days, and Group 3: no antiviral medication. Among the 115 patients, 38 (33%), 54 (47%), and 23 (20%) were in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The median (IQR) baseline viral loads on day 0 of Groups 1, 2, and 3 were 7.2 (6.0-8.1), 6.9 (5.8-7.8), and 6.9 (5.8-7.6) log10 copies/mL, respectively. The reductions of mean viral loads on day 3 from baseline were 2.41, 1.38, and 2.19 log10 copies/mL in the corresponding groups (P < 0.05). There were no differences in the reduction of mean viral loads from baseline among the three groups on days 5 and 10 (P > 0.05). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that receiving favipiravir was associated with nasopharyngeal viral load reduction at three days (P = 0.001). Significant nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load reduction was achieved in COVID-19 patients who received a favipiravir-containing regimen.

Body weight cutoff for daily dosage of efavirenz and 60-week efficacy of efavirenz-based regimen in human immunodeficiency virus and tuberculosis coinfected patients receiving rifampin.

Seventy-one human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients with tuberculosis who were receiving a rifampin (rifampicin)-containing regimen were initiated on treatment with efavirenz at 600 mg/day plus stavudine-lamivudine. Fasting efavirenz concentrations at 12 h after dosing (C12) were monitored. The mean +/- standard deviation efavirenz C12 at weeks 6 and 12 and after rifampin discontinuation were 4.5 +/- 4.3, 3.8 +/- 3.5, and 3.5 +/- 2.7 mg/liter, respectively. High body weight was associated with a low efavirenz C12 at weeks 6 and 12 (P = 0.003, r = -0.255). The efavirenz C12 regression prediction line at 1 mg/liter intercepted a mean body weight of 57.5 kg.

Time to initiate antiretroviral therapy between 4 weeks and 12 weeks of tuberculosis treatment in HIV-infected patients: results from the TIME study.

BACKGROUND: Optimal timing for initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among HIV-infected patients with tuberculosis (TB) is not well established. METHODS: HIV/TB-coinfected patients were randomized to initiate tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz at 4 weeks (4-week group) or 12 weeks (12-week group) of TB treatment. The primary outcome was 1-year all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Of 156 patients, 79 were in 4-week group and 77 in 12-week group. Overall, median (interquartile range) CD4 was 43 (47-106) cells per cubic millimeter and median (interquartile range) HIV-1 RNA was 5.8 (5.4-6.3) log copies per milliliter. Eleven (7%) mortalities occurred in a total follow-up period of 137 patient-years. Seven percent (6/79, 8.76 per 100 patient-years) mortalities were in 4-week group, and 6% (5/77, 7.25 per 100 person-years) mortalities were in 12-week group [relative risk (RR) = 0.845, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.247 to 2.893]. Twenty-eight (35%) patients in 4-week group and 25 (32%) patients in 12-week group were hospitalized (RR = 1.142, 95% CI = 0.588 to 2.217). Grade 2-4 adverse events were 39% (31/79) in 4-week group and 34% (26/77) in 12-week group (RR = 1.267, 95% CI = 0.659 to 2.435). In multivariate analysis, "low albumin" (RR = 2.695, 95% CI = 1.353 to 5.475) and "low baseline CD4 count" (RR = 4.878, 95% CI = 1.019 to 23.256) were the independent predictors of mortality. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome was more frequent in 4-week group with an incidence of 8.86 versus 5.02 per 100 person-months in 12-week group over the first 6 months of ART (P = 0.069). CONCLUSIONS: In middle-income countries where ART is initiated at CD4 count of <350 cells per cubic millimeter, immediate initiation of ART in HIV-infected patients with active TB was not associated with survival advantage when compared to initiation of ART at 12 weeks.