title: Comparison of viro-immunological marker changes between HIV-1 and HIV-2-infected patients in France.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV-2 is known to be less pathogenic than HIV-1, although the underlying mechanisms are still debated. We compared the changes over time in viro-immunological markers in HIV-1 and HIV-2-infected patients living in France during natural history and after initiation of the first combination antiretroviral therapy (CART).
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were included in the ANRS CO3 HIV-1 cohort (N = 6707) or the ANRS CO5 HIV-2 cohort (N = 572). HIV-1-infected patients were matched to HIV-2 patients according to sex, age, HIV transmission group and period of treatment initiation. Changes in markers were estimated using linear mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses were performed for three groups of patients: those with estimated date of contamination (98 HIV-1 and 49 HIV-2-seroincident patients); untreated seroprevalent patients (320 HIV-1 and 160 HIV-2); and those initiating a first CART (59 HIV-1 and 63 HIV-2). In group 1, CD4 T-cell counts decreased less rapidly in HIV-2 than HIV-1 patients (-9 versus -49 cells/microl per year, P < 10(-4)). Results were similar in group 2. Baseline CD4 cell count at CART initiation was not different according to the type of infection. During the first 2 months of treatment, the CD4 cell count increased by +59 cells/microl per month (CI 34; 84) for HIV-1 and +24 (CI 6; 42) for HIV-2. The plasma viral load drop was threefold more important in HIV-1 patients: -1.56 log10/ml per month versus -0.62 among HIV-2 patients (P < 10(-4)).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences between the two infections during natural history are similar to those previously described in Africa. Once treatment is started, response is poorer in HIV-2 than in HIV-1 patients.
authors.affiliation: INSERM, U875 Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Bordeaux F-33076, France.
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Drylewicz
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matheron
authors.forename: Estibaliz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Damond
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonnet
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simon
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dabis
authors.forename: Françoise
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Brun-Vezinet
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chêne
authors.forename: Rodolphe
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Thiébaut
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D015498:HIV-2 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers