Predictive value of immune parameters before treatment interruption (TI) for CD4+ T-cell count change during TI in HIV infection.
BACKGROUND
Despite the contraindications, stopping treatment for HIV infection continues to be a common practice. Understanding whether T-cell proliferative capacity and phenotypic markers before treatment interruption (TI) can predict CD4+ T-cell count change and nadir during TI would be clinically useful.


METHODS
This retrospective study included 27 HIV-infected patients in the chronic phase of infection while on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) who underwent a TI. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from a baseline pre-TI time point were screened for T-cell proliferation to cytomegalovirus (CMV) lysate, an HIV Gag p55 peptide pool as well as positive and negative control stimuli. CD28 and CD57 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells were measured.


RESULTS
Baseline viral load, CD4+ T-cell count, pre-cART nadir CD4+ T-cell and percentage CD4+CD28+ T-cells were all predictive of the lowest CD4+ T-cell count during TI (Spearman's correlation P<0.05 for all analyses). In addition, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells proliferation to CMV lysate, baseline CD4+ T-cell count and percentage CD4+CD57+ T-cells correlated negatively with CD4+ T-cell decrease during TI (Spearman's correlation P<0.05 for all analyses).


CONCLUSIONS
In treated chronic HIV-infected patients, pre-TI immune parameters are potential predictors for both the nadir CD4+ T-cell count and CD4+ T-cell count decrease during TI.
Huang
Kenneth H
KH
Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Loutfy
Mona R
MR
Boulet
Salix
S
Toma
Emil
E
Tsoukas
Christos M
CM
Bernard
Nicole F
NF
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D018106:CD28 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D018959:CD57 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019562:Viral Load
D015415:Biomarkers; D018106:CD28 Antigens; D018959:CD57 Antigens