Crack cocaine: effect modifier of RNA viral load and CD4 count in HIV infected African American women.
This study reports on the role of cocaine as effect modifier of the association of CD4+ cell counts and RNA viral load. HIV-1 seropositive (n = 80) and seronegative (n = 42) African American women (AAW) crack cocaine smokers were recruited. Increasing cocaine use, based on self-reports and laboratory values, significantly exacerbates the immunopathology of HIV-1 in a dose-response manner, confirmed by a non-linear drop in CD4+ cell number for a given viral load in HIV+ AAW. This report supports a view of deleterious effects due to cocaine use in humans.
Duncan
Robert
R
University of Miami School of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Miami, FL 33136, USA. rduncan@med.miami.edu
Shapshak
Paul
P
Page
J Bryan
JB
Chiappelli
Francesco
F
McCoy
Clyde B
CB
Messiah
Sarah E
SE
D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000633:toxicity*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000276:immunology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
D016578:Crack Cocaine; D012367:RNA, Viral