Viral load and CD4+ T lymphocyte response to highly active antiretroviral therapy in human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected children: an observational study.
An observational study was performed involving 95 children with vertically transmitted human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection to assess the sustainability of undetectable viral loads (VLs) and increased CD4+ T lymphocyte percentages after 48 months of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). The median time to achieve a 10% increase in the CD4+ T lymphocyte percentage was 11.01 months. The median time to achieve an undetectable VL was 6.4 months. At the end of the study, 64.2% of the children had achieved an undetectable VL. Of the patients with an initial VL of >3.6 log10 copies/mL, 74.7% had a decrease in the VL of 1 log10 copies/mL. By contrast, of the patients who presented with an initial VL of >4.6 log10 copies/mL, 37.9% had a decrease of >2 log10 copies/mL. Higher VL at baseline, antiretroviral therapy regimens received before HAART, and multiple drug switches while receiving antiretroviral therapy were all inversely associated with an undetectable VL. A CD4+ T lymphocyte percentage of >25% was directly associated with undetectable VL during the follow-up period. In conclusion, first-line HAART induces beneficial virological and immunological outcome responses in children.
Resino
Salvador
S
Laboratory of Immuno-Molecular Biology, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, Spain.
M  Bellón
José
J
Gurbindo
Dolores
D
Tomás Ramos
José
J
Antonio León
Juan
J
Jose Mellado
M
M
Angeles Muñoz-Fernández
M
M
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D002648:Child; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019562:Viral Load
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents