Characterization of immunologic and virological parameters in HIV-infected patients with primary effusion lymphoma during antiblastic therapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy.
BACKGROUND
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) represents a peculiar lymphoma infected with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and occurs predominantly in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the immunologic and virological parameters, including HHV-8 viremia, of 5 HIV-infected patients with PEL whose disease was diagnosed and treated at our institute.


METHODS
Five patients were enrolled in the study. Biological parameters, such as latent and lytic HHV-8 antigen levels, plasma HHV-8 load, Epstein-Barr virus plasma DNA load, HIV-1 load, and CD4 cell count, were assessed before treatment, during therapy, and at follow-up.


RESULTS
Four patients were treated with chemotherapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and 1 was treated with HAART alone; 3 of 5 patients reached complete remission. HHV-8 could be detected before the initiation of therapy in plasma from all patients analyzed. HHV-8 levels decreased after therapy in 4 patients. During the whole observation period, plasma HHV-8 load showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with CD4 cell count but no significant correlation with HIV load and response to therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis demonstrates that HHV-8 can be detected in the plasma at the onset of PEL; its prognostic role needs to be explored. CD4 cell count seems to be the most important indicator of progression of PEL.
Simonelli
Cecilia
C
Division of Medical Oncology A, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy. csimonelli@cro.it
Tedeschi
Rosamaria
R
Gloghini
Annunziata
A
Bortolin
Maria Teresa
MT
Spina
Michele
M
Bidoli
Ettore
E
Cinelli
Roberta
R
De Paoli
Paolo
P
Carbone
Antonino
A
Tirelli
Umberto
U
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology*; D019288:Herpesvirus 8, Human; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000209:etiology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D019562:Viral Load; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014766:Viremia
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D014764:Viral Proteins