Evaluation of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA levels in cerebrospinal fluid and viral resistance to zidovudine in children with HIV encephalopathy JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES Sei, S., Stewart, S. K., Farley, M., Mueller, B. U., LANE, J. R., ROBB, M. L., Brouwers, P., Pizzo, P. A. 1996; 174 (6): 1200-1206

Abstract

The amount of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA and the presence of a codon 215 mutation indicative of zidovudine resistance were evaluated in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma obtained from HIV-1-infected children. The level of HIV-1 RNA in CSF was highest in children with severe encephalopathy (n = 25; median, 430 copies/mL; range, 0-2.2 x 10(5) copies/mL) followed by the moderately encephalopathic (n = 7; median, 330; range, 0-1130) and nonencephalopathic groups (n = 9; median, 0; range, 0-566) (P = .007). There was no correlation between CSF and plasma HIV-1 RNA levels. Five of 7 children with the codon 215 mutation in CSF had a progression of encephalopathy, while all 8 children with wild type codon 215 had improved or stable disease during zidovudine treatment (P = .007). These findings suggest that increased viral replication and emergence of drug-resistant HIV-1 variants within the central nervous system may play a role in progression of HIV encephalopathy.

View details for Web of Science ID A1996VV27200008

View details for PubMedID 8940209