Temporal change in the use of genotypic resistance testing over the years 1999--2003.
The evaluation of resistance test perception by clinicians over the years 1999--2003 was assessed in an Italian cohort. The results on 2233 samples from 1416 HIV-1 infected patients show an increase in HIV-1 drug resistance test requests over time, with a plateau reached in the last three years. CD4-cell count at the time of genotype request progressively increased. In particular, the median CD4 cell count of drug-treated patients increased from 221x10(6) cells/l [interquartile range (IQR): 109-368] in 1999 to 296x10(6) cells/l (IQR: 166-478) in 2003 (p<0.0001). At the same time, plasma HIV-RNA level progressively decreased from a median of 103,500 copies/ml (IQR: 37,250-260,000) in 1999 to 9,444 copies/ml (IQR: 2,086-41,281) in 2003 (p<0.0001). Overall, data suggest that the genotype test is increasingly considered, and requested also for patients at earlier stages of drug history and/or at less severe disease stage.
Santoro
M
M
Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy.
Ceccherini-Silberstein
F
F
Gori
C
C
Svicher
V
V
Forbici
F
F
Bellocchi
M C
MC
d'Arrigo
R
R
Bertoli
A
A
Giannella
S
S
Trotta
M P
MP
Bonfigli
S
S
Antinori
A
A
Perno
C F
CF
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D014766:Viremia
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents