Behavioral and electrophysiological abnormalities in two XXXX models of antiretroviral drug-induced neuropathy.

@entity1 @entity14027 @entity645 @entity7725 @entity7183 @entity35
Painful peripheral neuropathy due to the antiretroviral therapy used to treat @entity645 is one of the most prevalent side effects occurring in at least 30% of @entity1 living with this infection. We have evaluated the electrophysiological and behavioral effects of @entity14027 and ddC on peripheral large and small nerve fibers in male @entity35 treated with @entity14027 (Sprague-Dawley, 50 mg/kg, twice within 1 week), ddC ( @entity35 , 50 mg/kg, 3 times per week for 3 weeks), or vehicle. The effect of the interventions was assessed using behavioral measures of mechanical sensitivity, conventional nerve conduction studies, and microneurographic single nerve @entity7183 recordings. To mimic as much as possible the @entity1 clinical condition, all treated animals were included in the study. No statistically significant differences were observed in behavioral parameters of mechanical sensitivity. Nerve conduction studies did not reveal any significant change in the @entity7725 -treated group. In contrast, we observed electrophysiological evidence of significant demyelinating neuropathy 1 week after the start of @entity14027 treatment. Additionally, spontaneous activity in mechanoinsensitive C-nociceptors was observed in both drug-treated groups. No relationship could be established between measures of spontaneous activity in C-nociceptors and the results of the behavioral tests. Our results show that both models of antiretroviral-induced neuropathy differ in their effects on peripheral nerves. However, both groups present abnormal spontaneous activity in mechanoinsensitive C-nociceptors that can be used as a model for pharmacological intervention.
