title: Assessment of immune reconstitution to Pneumocystis carinii in HIV-1 patients under different highly active antiretroviral therapy regimens.
abstract: The introduction of protease inhibitors (PIs) gave a dramatic drop in AIDS-related opportunistic events, mainly due to induced immune reconstitution. Discontinuation of prophylaxis against Pneumocystis carinii is considered safe when CD4 > 200 cells/mm(3). Ideally, we should have specific functional tests for HIV-1-related decisions. We examined viro-immunological profiles, clinical outcome and lymphocyte proliferation (LP) to P. carinii and other antigens in 108 subjects: 28 AIDS presenters with P. carinii pneumonia (PCP) (CD4 < 200 cells/mm(3)), 22 untreated asymptomatic HIV-1-infected patients (CD4 > 200 cells/mm(3)), 44 HIV-1-infected patients immune-reconstituted on antiretroviral regimens and 14 HIV-1-uninfected healthy controls. As regards viral load, there was no significant difference in therapy duration, nadir, or actual CD4, CD8, natural killer or B cell counts in immune-reconstituted patients receiving protease inhibitor (PI)-based versus those receiving PI-sparing antiretroviral regimens. Among subjects showing abnormally low P. carinii-specific LP, three patients receiving a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (nNRTI) developed PCP despite having CD4 > 250 cells/mm(3). P. carinii-specific LP could be considered for doubtful situations, i.e. for a safer clinical decision of discontinuing or restarting prophylaxis in patients with a low CD4 nadir or experiencing a sudden CD4 decrease under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). HIV-1 PIs, having in vitro aspecific effects against Pneumocystis, could play a clinically significant anti-opportunistic role, thus offering a further benefit in heavily immunosuppressed patients during early stages of antiretroviral therapy.
authors.affiliation: II Department of Infectious Diseases, L. Sacco Hospital, Via G.B. Grassi 74, 20157 Milan, Italy. c.aztori@hsacco.it
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Atzori
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clerici
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trabattoni
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fantoni
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valerio
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tronconi
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cargnel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016011:Normal Distribution; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000276:immunology*