Short-term evolution of HIV-1 viraemia and CD4+ cell counts in patients who have a primary mutation to zidovudine.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the different responses to antiretroviral treatment including zidovudine, of patients harbouring HIV with primary resistance to zidovudine, serum viral load, and CD4+ cell counts, for 24 weeks in a group of antiretroviral-naive patients with the codon 215 mutation of the HIV pol gene and in a control group at the start of treatment.


METHODS
A case-control retrospective study (1989-1996).


METHODS
Nineteen out of 210 patients previously studied harboured the codon 215 mutation, had a self-reported compliance with treatment, a minimum follow-up of 24 weeks, and were treated with zidovudine alone or in combination with other nucleoside analogues. These patients were matched with 19 patients with wild-type strains at entry by initial CD4+ cell counts, clinical status, and antiretroviral treatment.


RESULTS
During the first 12 weeks, CD4+ cell counts increased (76+/-26 and 64+/-26 x 10(6)/l in wild-type and mutant virus-infected groups, respectively), decreasing slightly until week 24, although no significant differences were found between the two groups studied. Serum viral load decreased in both groups (change in serum viral load of 0.80+/-0.11 log10 and 0.87+/-0.26 log10 copies/ml, wild-type and mutant virus-infected, respectively), although no significant differences were found between groups.


CONCLUSIONS
No significant differences were found between patients with the primary mutation to zidovudine and control patients harbouring wild-type virus in terms of short-term response measured by serum viral load and CD4+ cell counts.
Rubio
A
A
Department of Biochemistry, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Seville, Spain.
Leal
M
M
Rey
C
C
Pineda
J A
JA
Sanchez-Quijano
A
A
Lissen
E
E
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003062:Codon; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia; D015215:Zidovudine / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D003062:Codon; D012367:RNA, Viral; D015215:Zidovudine