title: CD4(+) cell count increase predicts clinical benefits in patients with advanced HIV disease and persistent viremia after 1 year of combination antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: The relationship between 12-month CD4(+) cell count response and clinical outcome (AIDS-defining event or death) in a subset of 228 patients with a human immunodeficiency virus load >400 copies/mL despite receiving combination antiretroviral therapy as part of a larger randomized trial was defined by use of Cox models. The 12-month CD4(+) cell count responses were divided into 5 categories, ranging from decrease or no change (29% of patients) to a > or =100-cell/mm(3) increase (27% of patients). There was a lower risk of clinical progression for each incremental increase in CD4(+) cell count response. A 25-cell/mm(3) increase in CD4(+) cell count was associated with a 21% reduction in the risk of an AIDS-defining event or death (P<.0001).
authors.affiliation: McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Mona R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Loutfy
authors.forename: Sharon L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Walmsley
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Mullin
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Neaton
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology