[Viral load in HIV-infected children on high activity antiretroviral therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether viral load (VL) prior to undetectable VL has predictive value on the re-emergence of VL (> 400 copies/ml, > 5,000 copies/ml and > 30,000 copies/ml).


METHODS
Retrospective study carried out on 81 vertically human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children on antiretroviral therapy who were distributed in 3 groups according to their median value of VL one year before reaching undetectable VL: A-group: VL < 5,000 copies/ml; B-group: VL between 5,000 and 30,000 copies/ml, and C-group: VL > 30,000 copies/ml.


RESULTS
During the whole follow-up period, 63 (77.8%) children had a rebound of VL > 400 copies/ml. Forty-two (51.8%) children had a rebound of VL > 5,000 copies/ml. Twenty-seven (33.3%) children had a rebound of VL > 30,000 copies/ml. HIV-children of B-group had values of hazard ratio (HR) statistically significant for a rebound of VL > 5,000 copies/ml. Moreover, HIV-children of C-group had values of HR greater and statistically significant for a rebound of VL > 500, > 5,000 and > 30,000 copies/ml. For a rebound of VL > 30,000 copies/ml, the C-group had values of RR > 12.


CONCLUSIONS
High VL levels prior to undetectable VL can be a useful prognostic marker of virological failure in HIV-infected children.
Resino
Salvador
S
Laboratorio de Inmunobiología Molecular, Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Madrid, España. sresino.hgugm@salud.madrid.org
Bellón
José M
JM
León
Juan Antonio
JA
Resino
Rosa
R
Muñoz-Fernández
M Angeles
MA
D000293:Adolescent; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000635:transmission / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents