Severe CNS side-effect and persistent high efavirenz plasma levels in a patient with HIV/HCV coinfection and liver cirrhosis.
- Resource Type
- Academic Journal
- Authors
- Bickel M; HIV Treatment and Research Unit, JW Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany. markusbickel@hotmail.com; Stephan C; Rottmann C; Carlebach A; Haberl A; Kurowski M; Staszewski S
- Source
- Publisher: Informa Healthcare Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 0215333 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Print ISSN: 0036-5548 (Print) Linking ISSN: 00365548 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Scand J Infect Dis Subsets: MEDLINE
- Subject
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 0036-5548
We describe an HIV/HCV coinfected patient with liver cirrhosis, who experienced severe CNS side-effects during efavirenz-based HIV therapy. Plasma levels of efavirenz were 10 times the upper limit and remained elevated (at twice the upper limit) 4 weeks after cessation of therapy. Efavirenz resistance (K103N) developed and was probably due to 'functional' monotherapy.