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The article presents a study which examines the efficacy and tolerability of protease inhibitor-sparing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) among HIV-1 subtype C-infected adults in Botswana. The study found no difference in death rates, but a trend toward difference in time to treatment-modifying toxicity. Moreover, study results indicated general excellent efficacy and tolerability of nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based cART among HIV-1 subtype C-infected adults.

The article reports on a study which compared six highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimens with some of them containing efavirenz (EFV), to evaluate pregnancy and birth outcomes among females enrolled in a clinical trial in Botswana. Health and longevity were restored in HAART-treated women who also became pregnant. The sample size is insufficient to estimate the risk of congenital malformation after exposure to EFV in early pregnancy.

Individual patient care and programme evaluation are pivotal for the success of antiretroviral treatment programmes in resource-limited countries. While computer-aided documentation and data storage are indispensable for any large programme, several important issues need to be addressed including which data are to be collected, who collects it and how it is entered into an electronic database. We describe a patient-monitoring approach, which uses patient encounter forms (in hybrid paper + electronic format) based on optical character recognition, piloted at Princess Marina Hospital in Gaborone, Botswana's first public highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) outpatient clinic. Our novel data capture approach collects "key" data for tracking patient and programme outcomes. It saves physician time and does not detract from clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa are under significant pressure to open large-scale, public antiretroviral treatment clinics. Many lessons have been learned in Botswana, where the first public antiretroviral treatment clinic in Africa was established. The availability of core, well-trained medical staff will be the primary factor that limits a rapid scale-up of antiretroviral treatment programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the initial response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-1C—infected adults in a public sector treatment program in Botswana. Initiative aimed to describe the response to HAART in adult HIV-infected antiretroviral (ARV)-naive patients; Availability and accessibility of ARV therapy to people infected with HIV/AIDS; Significance of the study on the management and treatment of HIV/AIDS.

The article discusses a study which examines the prevalence of lactic acidosis in HIV-positive women treated with active antiretroviral agents in Botswana. The rates of lactic acid acidosis appear to be higher-than-expected. Some of the risk factors for the development of moderate to severe symptomatic hyperlactatemia or lactic acidosis include female gender and body mass index greater than 25.