title: Maternal predictors of HIV vertical transmission.
abstract: We performed a retrospective study of 57 HIV-positive pregnant women and their children to look for maternal parameters related to rates of vertical transmission of HIV. Sixteen (28%) infants were HIV-infected. There was no positive correlation between maternal risk factors for HIV and vertical transmission of HIV. Multiparity seemed to be related to a higher prevalence of vertical transmission, whereas neither preterm delivery nor cesarean section resulted in different rates of vertical transmission, although they tended to have some protective effect. Maternal beta 2-microglobulin and serum neopterin levels were not related to different rates of vertical transmission of HIV. CD4+ cell counts did so only when cut-off values of 400/mm3 were taken. All the women in CDC group IV and all the HIV p24 antigen-positive transmitted the infection to their infants, whereas only 7/48 women in CDC groups II and III (P = 0.000006) and 9/48 HIV p24 antigen negative women (P = 0.00006) gave birth to infected infants. No other maternal characteristics were associated with different rates of vertical transmission in a multivariate analysis restricted to women in CDC groups II and III and with HIV p24 antigen negativity.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Infectious Diseases, Sacco Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Monforte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ravizza
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Muggiasca
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Novati
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Musicco
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Zuccotti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cavalli
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Principi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Conti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pardi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001708:Biopterins / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005260:Female; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000635:transmission*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D019798:Neopterin; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016655:HIV Core Protein p24; D001613:beta 2-Microglobulin; D001708:Biopterins; D019798:Neopterin