Incomplete Reconstitution of T Cell Subsets on Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in the AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 384 CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES Robbins, G. K., Spritzler, J. G., Chan, E. S., Asmuth, D. M., Gandhi, R. T., Rodriguez, B. A., Skowron, G., Skolnik, P. R., Shafer, R. W., Pollard, R. B. 2009; 48 (3): 350-361

Abstract

Initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) results in higher total CD4 cell counts, a surrogate for immune reconstitution. Whether the baseline CD4 cell count affects reconstitution of immune cell subsets has not been well characterized.Using data from 978 patients (621 with comprehensive immunological assessments) from the AIDS [Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome] Clinical Trials Group protocol 384, a randomized trial of initial ART, we compared reconstitution of CD4(+), CD4(+) naive and memory, CD4(+) activation, CD8(+), CD8(+) activation, B, and natural killer cells among patients in different baseline CD4(+) strata. Reference ranges for T cell populations in control patients negative for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were calculated using data from AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol A5113.Patients in the lower baseline CD4(+) strata did not achieve total CD4(+) cell counts similar to those of patients in the higher strata during 144 weeks of ART, although CD4(+) cell count increases were similar. Ratios of CD4(+) naive-memory cell counts and CD4(+):CD8(+) cell counts remained significantly reduced in patients with lower baseline CD4(+) cell counts ( 350 cells/mm(3) achieved or approached the reference range those of control individuals without HIV infection. In contrast, patients who began ART with

View details for DOI 10.1086/595888

View details for Web of Science ID 000262291200013

View details for PubMedID 19123865

View details for PubMedCentralID PMC2676920