[Genotypic resistance in HIV-1-infected patients with persistent low-level viremia].
BACKGROUND
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV patients is considered successful when plasma viral load (VL) reaches < 50 copies/ml. However, many patients have a persistent VL of 50 to 1000 copies/ml, and treatment guidelines do not recommend genotypic resistance testing at these levels because of poor performance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a concentration technique for HIV-1 sequencing in samples with < 1000 copies/ml, and determine the virological consequences of HAART treatment changes guided by resistance testing in this scenario.


METHODS
Observational study performed in 51 patients with plasma VL between 50 and 1000 copies/m; 27 patients had these levels for at least 12 consecutive months. Prior to RNA extraction, virions were concentrated from 3-ml plasma samples and then genotyped following standard procedures.


RESULTS
Forty-seven of the 51 samples were successfully sequenced, resulting in a sensitivity of 92%. Among these 47 patients, 27 showed a persistent viral load of 50-1000 copies/ml for 12 months, and 20 patients achieved undetectable viral load following the genotype-guided HAART change (intention-to-treat analysis: NC = F; 20 of 27 [74.1%]; on-treatment analysis: 20 of 23 [86.9%]).


CONCLUSIONS
We report a simple method for genotype sequencing in patients with persistent low-level viremia that allowed a modification of the HAART regimen leading to undetectable plasma viremia.
Parra-Ruiz
Jorge
J
Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Hospital Universitario San Cecilio, Granada, España.
Alvarez
Marta
M
Chueca
Natalia
N
Peña
Alejandro
A
Pasquau
Juan
J
López-Ruz
Miguel Angel
MA
Maroto
María Del Carmen
Mdel C
Hernández-Quero
José
J
García
Federico
F
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D024921:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016333:HIV Protease / Q000235:genetics*; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase / Q000235:genetics*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA / Q000379:methods; D019562:Viral Load; D014766:Viremia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; C514824:reverse transcriptase, Human immunodeficiency virus 1; D054303:HIV Reverse Transcriptase; D016333:HIV Protease; C514803:p16 protease, Human immunodeficiency virus 1