title: An assessment of polymorphonuclear leukocyte rigidity in HIV-infected individuals after immune recovery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) remain rigid after immune reconstitution in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals with a history of severe immunosuppression.
  
  
  METHODS
  PMN rigidity was measured in vitro in three groups: (1) HIV-infected individuals with a history of CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts of less than 50/microL, but with current counts of more than 200/microL attributable to potent antiretroviral therapy (group 1); (2) HIV-infected individuals whose CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts had always been more than 200/microL (group 2); and (3) HIV-negative control subjects. Rigidity was determined with a cell transit analyzer (containing a micropore filter with 30 identical, 8-microm diameter pores), representing a simple in vitro model of a capillary bed. A longer PMN pore transit time reflects increased PMN rigidity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PMN transit time (median) in group 1 (n = 11) was 3.34 ms, in group 2 (n = 9) was 3.19 ms, and in control subjects (n = 15) was 2.66 ms. PMN rigidity was significantly greater in groups 1 (P = 0.014) and 2 (P = 0.046) than in control subjects (Wilcoxon rank-sum test). A significant difference was not identified between groups 1 and 2 (P = 0.518).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increased PMN rigidity known to occur in severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected individuals persists after immune reconstitution. Furthermore, PMN rigidity is increased in those HIV-infected individuals who do not have a history of severe immunosuppression. Because PMN rigidity can alter microvascular blood flow, HIV-infected individuals may remain at risk for retinal vascular damage in the era of potent antiretroviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: Southern California HIV/Eye Consortium, Jules Stein Eye Institute, Los Angeles, California 90095-7003, USA.
authors.forename: David T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Goldenberg
authors.forename: Gary N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Holland
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Cumberland
authors.forename: Timothy C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Ina-Caren
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Folz
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Brian G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Ardis A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Moe
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Jennifer I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Narsing A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Herbert J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Meiselman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*; D020127:Recovery of Function