title: Disease progression and antiretroviral therapy in newly seropositive HIV subjects in a tertiary care hospital in North India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In developing countries the standard methods used to monitor HIV disease progression and therapy response are clinical assessment, CD4+ T lymphocyte count measurement, and plasma viral load (PVL) quantification. These tests require expensive equipment and skilled technicians, so monitoring HIV in resource-limited countries remains challenging as few laboratories can offer these tests free of cost.
  
  
  METHODS
  Newly diagnosed HIV seropositive subjects (n = 130) were categorized into three study groups: CD4 counts < 200 cells/µl (group A, 43 subjects); 200-500 cells/µl (group B, 44 subjects); and > 500 cells/µl (group C, 43 subjects). At recruitment, PVL estimation was performed for group A subjects only, who were then initiated on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and were followed up after six months for evaluation of response to HAART by measuring the CD4 counts and PVL. Groups B and C were followed up after six months to monitor disease progression by measuring only CD4 counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among group A subjects, a rise in the median CD4 counts after six months of HAART was observed. At baseline, PVL ranged from 2636 to > 750,000 copies/ml with a median PVL at baseline of 165,000 copies/ml. At follow-up, 90% of the study subjects had undetectable levels of viraemia. Among group B and C subjects, a fall in the CD4 counts at follow-up was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD4 count is a powerful tool to determine response to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and monitor disease progression in HIV/AIDS. PVL is important to assess response to ART, especially in immunovirologic discordant responses.
authors: Department of Microbiology, Maulana Azad Medical College and Associated Hospitals, New Delhi, India.
authors: Sanjim
authors: S
authors: Chadha
authors: Preena
authors: P
authors: Bhalla
authors: Arun Kumar
authors: AK
authors: Jha
authors: Hitender
authors: H
authors: Gautam
authors: Sanjeev
authors: S
authors: Saini
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Anuradha
authors: Richa
authors: R
authors: Dewan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D018450:Disease Progression; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents