title: Characterization of immunologic and virological parameters in HIV-infected patients with primary effusion lymphoma during antiblastic therapy and highly active antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology A, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy. csimonelli@cro.it
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Simonelli
authors.forename: Rosamaria
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tedeschi
authors.forename: Annunziata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gloghini
authors.forename: Maria Teresa
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Bortolin
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spina
authors.forename: Ettore
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bidoli
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cinelli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Paoli
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Tirelli
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D014764:Viral Proteins