title: Long-term evolution of CD4 count in patients with a plasma HIV RNA persistently <500 copies/mL during treatment with antiretroviral drugs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The increase in CD4 count may reach a plateau after some duration of virological response to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 1281 HIV-infected patients initiating HAART were enrolled in the AntiPROtease (APROCO) cohort. We investigated determinants of increase in CD4 count using longitudinal mixed models in patients who maintained a plasma HIV RNA <500 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 870 patients had a virological response at month 4. The median follow-up time was 57 months. Mean estimated increases in CD4 count in patients with persistent virological response were 29.9 cells/muL/month before month 4, 6.4 cells/microL/month between months 4 and 36, and 0.7 cells/microL/month (not significantly different from 0) after month 36. Three factors were associated with a significantly positive CD4 count slope after month 36: male gender (+0.9), no history of antiretroviral therapy at baseline (+1.7) and baseline CD4 count <100 cells/microL (+2.6). In patients who maintained a virological response after 5 years of HAART, a CD4 count >500 cells/microL was achieved in 83% of those with a baseline CD4 count >or=200 cells/microL and in 45% of those with a baseline CD4 count <200 cells/microL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in CD4 count reaches a plateau after 3 years of virological response. Even if patients initiating HAART with low CD4 counts still show a CD4 count increase after 3 years, it remains insufficient to overcome immune deficiency in all patients.
authors.affiliation: Service des Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Hôpital Gui de Chauliac, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, Montpellier, France. v-le_moing@chu-montpellier.fr
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Le Moing
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thiébaut
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chêne
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sobel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Massip
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Collin
authors.forename: Mc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyohas
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Al Kaïed
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leport
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raffi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral