title: Sustained CD4+ T cell response after virologic failure of protease inhibitor-based regimens in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: The relationship between plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA levels and peripheral CD4+ T cell counts was examined in 380 HIV-infected adults receiving long-term protease inhibitor therapy. Patients experiencing virologic failure (persistent HIV RNA >500 copies RNA/mL) generally had CD4+ T cell counts that remained greater than pretherapy baseline levels, at least through 96 weeks of follow-up. The CD4+ T cell response was directly and independently related to degree of viral suppression below the pretreatment baseline. For any given HIV RNA level measured 12 weeks after virologic failure, subsequent CD4+ T cell decline was slower in patients receiving a protease inhibitor-based regimen than in a historical control group of untreated patients. These observations suggest that transient or partial declines in plasma HIV RNA levels can have sustained effects on CD4+ T cell levels.
authors.affiliation: University of California, San Francisco, AIDS Program, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA. sdeeks@php.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Deeks
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Barbour
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Grant
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D012367:RNA, Viral