Abstract
Objective: To compare the prognostic value of HIV RNA and CD4+ cell count for disease progression and survival. Methods: Patients with CD4+ < 300 cells/μl were enrolled in a strategy trial of decision making with or without plasma HIV RNA quantitation. Two HIV RNA (hDNA) and CD4+ assays were obtained at baseline for all patients and at least every four months in 66% of patients. Proportional hazards regression was used to assess the relationship of HIV RNA and CD4+ to clinical disease progression and death over a median follow-up of 12 months. Results: 1485 patients were enrolled of whom 219 had clinical events. At baseline, median HIV RNA and CD4+ counts were 40.4 Keq/ml and 155 cells/μl. A 0.5 log lower viral load at baseline was associated with a 30% lower rate of disease progression (p<0.0001) after adjustment for baseline CD4+. Relative risk (RR) estimates for each of the upper tertiles of baseline HIV RNA compared to the lower tertile were 1.5 (p=0.13) and 3.3 (p=0.0001) after adjustment for log CD4+. For baseline CD4+ cell count, RRs for each of the lower two tertiles compared to the highest were 3.3 (p=0.0004) and 10.9 (p=0.0001) after adjustment for log HIV RNA. A 0.5 log decrease in HIV RNA at 4 months was associated with a 35% lower risk of disease progression (p<0.0001), adjusted for CD4+ change. Conclusions: Baseline CD4+ was a stronger predictor of disease progression or death than baseline HIV RNA in this population. Both baseline and change in HIV RNA after 4 months were strong predictors of progression.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 458 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Journal | Clinical Infectious Diseases |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 2 |
State | Published - 1997 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Microbiology (medical)
- Infectious Diseases