title: Patterns of plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA response to highly active antiretroviral therapy in infected children.
abstract: This study examined the rate of decline in plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA levels to <400 and <50 copies/mL in children receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) consisting of efavirenz, nelfinavir, and 1 or 2 nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors. Children receiving HAART achieved a plasma HIV-1 RNA level <400 copies/mL by a median of 4 weeks after initiation of therapy and a decline to <50 copies/mL by 20 weeks. Baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA levels affected the likelihood of achieving potent and sustained virus suppression, and children whose CD4 lymphocyte counts increased >70 cells/microL by 20 weeks on therapy were more likely to achieve durable virological and immunological benefit. These data provide time frames for virus suppression after the initiation of HAART that should be useful in evaluating the potential efficacy and durability of response of newly instituted combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected children.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093-0672, USA. saspector@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Spector
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Yong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fenton
authors.forename: C V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McNamara
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Mofenson
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Starr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000480:Alkynes; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D048588:Benzoxazines; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D019888:Nelfinavir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010078:Oxazines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000480:Alkynes; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D048588:Benzoxazines; D003521:Cyclopropanes; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D010078:Oxazines; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019888:Nelfinavir; C098320:efavirenz