#zerit

Among people with hepatitis C virus (HCV), being coinfected with HIV is no longer associated with an increased risk of decompensated cirrhosis, also known as end-stage liver disease, or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC, the most common form of liver cancer), aidsmap reports.

Stavudine (d4T), a thymidine analogue and nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), is often used in combination with other HIV drugs. A known side effect of the drug is a peripheral neuropathy (numbness, tingling or pain in the hands or feet).3 Stavudine is also associated with a spectrum of lactic acid abnormalities, from asymptomatic, mild hyperlactatemia to a potentially fatal lactic acidosis syndrome (LAS). NRTI-related lactic acidosis can be associated with myopathy (causing muscle wasting, myalgia, fatigue, weakness and elevated creatinine kinase levels), lipoatrophy, hepatic steatosis, liver dysfunction and possible fulminant liver failure, and pancreatitis.4–6 The toxic effects appear to result from mitochondria damage as a result of DNA polymerase γ inhibition, but it is unknown whether the new GBS-like symptoms are mediated similarly.