Mitochondrial DNA and RNA increase in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HIV-1-infected patients randomized to receive stavudine-containing or stavudine-sparing combination therapy

Background. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been suggested as a potential marker of mitochondrial toxicity associated with nucleoside analogue reverse-transcriptase inhibitor - containing therapy. Methods. We quantified mtDNA and mitochondrial RNA (mtRNA) in PBMCs over the course of 48 weeks in 78 patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) who were randomly assigned to receive ritonavir-boosted indinavir and efavirenz with or without stavudine. Furthermore, we analyzed the association of mtDNA and mtRNA with clinical signs and symptoms and/or abnormalities in laboratory markers attributed to mitochondrial toxicity. Results. No statistically significant difference was found in mtDNA and mtRNA content over time between the 2 treatment arms. When arms were combined, both median mtDNA and mtRNA content showed statistically significant increases over the course of 48 weeks, from 206 to 278 copies/cell (P