Initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy at CD4+ T lymphocyte counts of >350 cells/mm3: disease progression, treatment durability, and drug toxicity.
We compared clinical disease progression in 159 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons for whom highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was initiated when they had CD4(+) T lymphocyte counts of 350-499 cells/mm(3) with progression in 174 HIV-infected patients for whom it was not. Disease progression did not differ between the 2 groups (P=.21, log-rank test). Fifty-three percent of the 159 treated patients had HIV type 1 RNA levels of >400 copies/mL at the most recent evaluation, and 41% had experienced adverse drug reactions necessitating a change in regimen. These findings support the recommendation that HAART not be initiated for patients with CD4(+) cell counts of >350 cells/mm(3).
Sterling
Timothy R
TR
Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21231, USA. tsterls@jhmi.edu
Chaisson
Richard E
RE
Moore
Richard D
RD
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents