Immune Activation Persists Despite Effective ART

In a cohort of HIV-positive patients, markers of immune activation remained elevated despite 6 years of effective antiretroviral therapy. Immune activation was associated with lower CD4-cell counts.

Several species of monkeys, when infected with HIV or related viruses, do not develop disease or CD4-cell decline despite high viral loads. Recent research indicates that the key to viral tolerance in these monkeys may lie in their lack of immune activation. Other studies have suggested that immune activation is also a strong driver of T-cell depletion in human infections.

In the present study, researchers evaluated markers of immune activation in stored serum samples obtained from 63 HIV-positive patients who were enrolled in a long-term study of d4T + 3TC + lopinavir/ritonavir. The samples were drawn at baseline (when all patients were treatment-naive) and at years 3 and 6. All but one patient had an undetectable viral load after 6 years o…

Reviewing Author

Helmut Albrecht, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Leadership positions in professional societiesColumbia Medical Society; South Carolina Infectious Diseases Society

Helmut Albrecht, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Leadership positions in professional societiesColumbia Medical Society; South Carolina Infectious Diseases Society

Immune Activation Persists Despite Effective ART

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Reviewing Author