Relationship of circulating CD4+ T-lymphocytes and p24 antigenemia to the risk of developing AIDS in HIV-infected subjects with oral hairy leukoplakia.
To investigate the relationship of circulating CD4+ T-lymphocytes and p24 antigenemia to the development of AIDS in HIV-infected subjects with hairy leukoplakia (HL), we have followed over eight years 173 HIV-positive patients, all asymptomatic at the start of the study, and compared those who developed HL (n=55) to those who did not (n=118). Both groups included injection drug users (IDUs), homosexual men, and hemophiliacs. At the time of their first visit, both HL+ and HL- patients had a normal value of CD4+ cells and a low frequency of p24 antigenemia. During the years of follow-up, patients in the HL+ group showed a greater reduction in CD4+ cells, a significant increase in p24 antigenemia, and a higher rate of progression to AIDS. Our study demonstrates that in HIV-positive patients, HL is associated with more compromised immunological parameters and a higher viral replication and that its appearance has a negative prognostic value in relation to AIDS progression.
Ravina
A
A
Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Polyclinic of Careggi, Florence, Italy.
Ficarra
G
G
Chiodo
M
M
Mazzetti
M
M
Romagnani
S
S
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D016655:HIV Core Protein p24 / Q000097:blood*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006467:Hemophilia A; D018451:Homosexuality, Male; D006801:Humans; D017733:Leukoplakia, Hairy / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000473:pathology; D014779:Virus Replication
D016655:HIV Core Protein p24