Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To quantify HIV-RNA in plasma, in lymphoid tissue and proviral DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and to relate these to immunological markers among patients with plasma viral load counts of </= 200 HIV-RNA copies/mL.
METHODS: A prospective study of one hundred and three patients was undertaken with an inclusion criteria of plasma viral load of </= 200 copies/mL. The patients had advanced HIV infection; 25% had developed AIDS. Patients were seen every 6 months for a period of 2 years.
RESULTS: The median plasma viral load was < 20 copies/mL with no increase during follow-up. Thirty-one per cent had plasma viral load of </= 20 copies/mL at all visits, 44% had >/= 1 measurement with 21-200 and 25% had >/= 1 sample with plasma HIV-RNA > 200 copies/mL. Lymphoid tissue viral load was low at enrolment and declined further during follow-up. Baseline HIV-DNA and immunoglobulin (IgA) differed significantly between the plasma viral load rebound groups (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: In this cohort, selected solely on the basis of having a plasma viral load of </= 200 copies/mL, we found stable or declining viral loads in the measured compartments during 2 years of follow-up. Baseline HIV-DNA and IgA levels were higher among patients with less complete virological suppression relative to patients with persistently undetectable plasma HIV-RNA. Hence, a high cellular level of HIV-DNA and high plasma IgA may predict subsequent development of low-grade viraemia.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | HIV Medicine |
| Volume | 4 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Pages (from-to) | 53-61 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| ISSN | 1464-2662 |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2003 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Aged
- Anti-HIV Agents
- Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active
- CD4 Lymphocyte Count
- DNA, Viral
- Female
- Follow-Up Studies
- HIV
- HIV Infections
- Humans
- Immunoglobulin A
- Lymphoid Tissue
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Prognosis
- Prospective Studies
- Proviruses
- RNA, Viral
- Viral Load
- Viremia
- Journal Article
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
