Immune reconstitution after receipt of highly active antiretroviral therapy in children with advanced or progressive HIV disease and complete or partial viral load response.
We assessed CD4 cell recovery in 175 children with advanced human immunodeficiency virus disease who had received a 4-drug antiretroviral regimen and were categorized as viral load (VL) responders (VLRs), partial VLRs, or non-VLRs. Median CD4 cell counts increased from baseline to week 48, and, among children with maximal follow-up, increases in CD4 cell counts were sustained to week 96 among VLRs and partial VLRs but not among non-VLRs. For VL rebounders still in the study, CD4 cell counts remained increased for 32 weeks after VL rebound. Sustained immunologic benefits can be achieved even with partial VL response in children with advanced disease.
Kovacs
Andrea
A
Maternal-Child and Adolescent Center for Infectious Disease and Virology, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles 90033, USA. akovacs@usc.edu
Montepiedra
Grace
G
Carey
Vincent
V
Pahwa
Savita
S
Weinberg
Adriana
A
Frenkel
Lisa
L
Capparelli
Edmund
E
Mofenson
Lynne
L
Smith
Elizabeth
E
McIntosh
Kenneth
K
Burchett
Sandra K
SK
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000293:Adolescent; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D012367:RNA, Viral