title: Treatment response in acute/early infection versus advanced AIDS: equivalent first and second phases of HIV RNA decline.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Compare the initial phases of virologic decay when acute/early and advanced HIV-infected adults are administered the same treatment regimen.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mathematical modeling of a previously completed prospective treatment pilot study involving treatment-naive patients with early and advanced immunosuppression.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from a treatment protocol in which 18 individuals with acute or recent HIV-1 seroconversion and six patients with advanced AIDS were administered the same four-drug antiretroviral regimen. Initial treatment responses were compared by fitting a mathematical model to frequent viral load measurements in order to calculate the first and second phase kinetics of viral clearance, and also by comparing viral load suppression over 24 weeks. Patients were also comprehensively compared in terms of protease inhibitor drug levels, HIV-specific immune responses at baseline, and the presence of drug resistance-conferring mutations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically meaningful difference in first phase clearance of comparable high-level viremia in the two groups, whether protease inhibitor levels were inserted into the model or 100% antiviral drug effectiveness was assumed. In contrast, acute/early patients had inferior sustained responses than advanced patients, reflecting erratic adherence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite many years of intervening immune destruction, the initial virologic decay on therapy appears to be the same at the extremes of the HIV disease spectrum.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases and 1917 HIV Research Clinic, University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama 35294-2050, USA. mkilby@uab.edu
authors.forename: J Michael
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kilby
authors.forename: Ha Youn
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J Darren
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Hazelwood
authors.forename: Anju
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bansal
authors.forename: R Patterson
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Bucy
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Saag
authors.forename: George M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Edward P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Acosta
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: Alan S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Perelson
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Goepfert
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D000208:Acute Disease; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral / Q000235:genetics; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D012367:RNA, Viral