Effect of early initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy on CD4 cell count and HIV-RNA viral load trends within 24 months of the onset of acute retroviral syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
The effect of starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) early after the onset of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) on CD4 and HIV-RNA trends was studied over a 2-year follow-up period.


METHODS
Four groups of HIV-infected patients stratified according to the time interval from ARS onset to HAART initiation and a control group of untreated patients were compared.


RESULTS
The results indicated that the earlier the start of HAART, the faster was the rate of CD4 increase and HIV-RNA decrease. However, this difference did not seem to persist at 24 months.


CONCLUSIONS
The optimal treatment strategy for HIV-infected patients needs to be explored further.
Voirin
N
N
University of Lyon, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, France.
Routy
J-P
JP
Smith
D
D
Baratin
D
D
Trépo
C
C
Cotte
L
L
Touraine
J-L
JL
Livrozet
J-M
JM
Cooper
D A
DA
Ritter
J
J
André
P
P
Vanhems
P
P
D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013997:Time Factors; D019562:Viral Load
D012367:RNA, Viral