HIV-1 Viremia Levels on Antiretroviral Therapy
Author Information
Author(s): Frank Maldarelli, Sarah Palmer, Martin S. King, Ann Wiegand, Michael A. Polis, JoAnn Mican, Joseph A. Kovacs, Richard T. Davey, Diane Rock-Kress, Robin Dewar, Shuying Liu, Julia A. Metcalf, Catherine Rehm, Scott C. Brun, George J. Hanna, Dale J. Kempf, John M. Coffin, John W. Mellors
Primary Institution: HIV Drug Resistance Program, National Cancer Institute
Hypothesis
What is the source of persistent HIV-1 viremia in patients on antiretroviral therapy?
Conclusion
The study found that persistent viremia in patients on antiretroviral therapy is likely derived from long-lived cells infected before therapy initiation.
Supporting Evidence
- Over 80% of patients had persistent viremia of one copy/ml or more.
- The median level of viremia was 3.1 copies/ml.
- Viremia levels correlated with pretherapy plasma HIV-1 RNA levels.
Takeaway
Even when HIV treatment works well, some virus can still be found in the blood because it hides in long-lasting cells. We need new ways to get rid of this hidden virus.
Methodology
The study used a sensitive real-time PCR-based assay to measure HIV-1 RNA levels in patients on antiretroviral therapy.
Limitations
The study only analyzed patients whose viremia remained suppressed to <50 copies/ml for 60–110 weeks.
Participant Demographics
Participants were previously antiretroviral-naïve HIV-1-infected individuals.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = 0.56
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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