Continued Slow Decay of the Residual Plasma Viremia Level in HIV-1-Infected Adults Receiving Long-term Antiretroviral Therapy.
We measured plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA levels by means of single-copy assay in 334 participants receiving virologically suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART). A residual viremia load of ≥1 copy/mL after 4 years of ART was predicted by a higher pre-ART HIV-1 RNA level, higher CD8(+) T-cell count during treatment, and a lower ratio of CD4+ T cells to CD8+ T cells during treatment but not by initial ART regimen. In a longitudinal subset of 64 individuals, continued decay of the plasma HIV-1 RNA level was observed, with an average annual decrease of 6% and an estimated half-life of 11.5 years. In contrast to prior reports, the persistent viremia level continues to slowly decline during years 4-12 of suppressive ART.


BACKGROUND
NCT00001137.
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Sharon A
SA
Riddler
Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard School of Public Health.
Evgenia
E
Aga
Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard School of Public Health.
Ronald J
RJ
Bosch
Social and Scientific Systems, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Barbara
B
Bastow
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Margaret
M
Bedison
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
David
D
Vagratian
University of California-San Diego.
Florin
F
Vaida
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Joseph J
JJ
Eron
Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Ragon Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Rajesh T
RT
Gandhi
University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
John W
JW
Mellors
D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000379:methods*; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010949:Plasma / Q000821:virology*; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral
CD4/CD8 ratio; HIV/AIDS; residual viremia; single-copy assay; viral decay