The relationship between virus load response to highly active antiretroviral therapy and change in CD4 cell counts: A report from the Women's interagency HIV study.
The relationship between the pattern of virus load response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and CD4 lymphocyte response was assessed in a cohort of 249 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1-infected women at 3 times: 1 before and 2 after initiation of therapy, with follow-up of 6-12 months. Patients with a durable response to HAART (i.e., >1 log decrease in HIV-1 RNA sustained for the study periods) had a continuous and significant increase in CD4 cell counts over time, whereas those with no response (<0.5 log decrease in HIV-1 RNA) had a slight decline. Patients with a mixed response (initial decrease >1 log, followed by a subsequent decrease <0.5 log) had an increase in CD4 cell count, followed by a plateau. The trend in CD4 cell count differed significantly by response to HAART, with those patients who experienced a durable response having significantly higher CD4 cell counts than others.
DeHovitz
J A
JA
State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY 11201, USA. jdehovitz@downstate.edu
Kovacs
A
A
Feldman
J G
JG
Anastos
K
K
Young
M
M
Cohen
M
M
Gange
S J
SJ
Melnick
S
S
Greenblatt
R M
RM
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D005260:Female; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis*
D012367:RNA, Viral