title: Cellular HIV-1 DNA quantification and short-term and long-term response to antiretroviral therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to determine whether HIV-1 DNA level before antiretroviral therapy (ART) was associated with short- and long-term virological and immunological responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients starting first-line protease inhibitor-containing regimens were enrolled in a prospective multicentre cohort in 1998-99. HIV-1 DNA was quantified using real-time PCR at baseline and after 1 year of ART. The association between HIV-1 DNA and virological and immunological responses after 1 and 7 years on ART was studied in multivariate regression models along with other biological and clinical variables. Virological failure (VF) at month 12 (M12) was defined as a plasma HIV-1 RNA >500 copies/mL. Time to death or two plasma HIV-1 RNA >500 copies/mL between M12 and M84 was studied for long-term VF.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HIV-1 DNA levels were measured in 148 patients. The median baseline peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) HIV-1 DNA was 3.7 log(10) copies/10(6) PBMCs. At M12, the median PBMC HIV-1 DNA was 2.99 log(10) copies/10(6) PBMCs. The median decrease in PBMC HIV-1 DNA between M0 and M12 was -0.7 log(10) copies/10(6) PBMCs. Higher baseline PBMC HIV-1 DNA and plasma HIV-1 RNA were independently associated with a higher risk of VF at M12. Only the baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA was independently associated with long-term virological response. The baseline CD4 cell count was the only parameter associated with short- and long-term immunological responses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HIV-1 DNA impacted the virological response in our cohort. Further research is warranted to study the impact of HIV-1 DNA with currently recommended first-line cART.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Virologie, CHU de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France. bernard.masquelier@chu-bordeaux.fr
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Masquelier
authors.forename: Audrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taieb
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reigadas
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marchou
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheneau
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Spire
authors.forename: Charlotte
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Charpentier
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leport
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Raffi
authors.forename: Geneviève
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chêne
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Descamps
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000235:genetics*; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011533:Proviruses / Q000235:genetics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D004279:DNA, Viral