Excess Mortality in Patients with Untreated HIV and High CD4 Counts

Even in patients with robust CD4-cell counts, HIV infection confers 1-year mortality risk.

In patients with HIV infections, mortality is related inversely to CD4-cell count, even when CD4 counts are relatively high. This observation has contributed to the current practice of starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) at higher CD4 thresholds. But how does mortality among untreated patients with high CD4 counts compare with that in the general population?

Investigators pooled data from 1990 through 2004 for 41,000 HIV-positive antiretroviral-naive European and North American patients (age range, 20–59) whose CD4 counts were >350 cells/μL. Follow-up was for 1 year after each CD4 count >350 cells/μL; follow-up was censored if a patient's CD4 count fell to ≤350 cells/μL or if the patient started ART or died.

Age- and sex-adjusted standardiz…

Reviewing Author

Bruce Soloway, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNew RoAR News (http://www.newroarnews.org)

Bruce Soloway, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNew RoAR News (http://www.newroarnews.org)

Excess Mortality in Patients with Untreated HIV and High CD4 Counts

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Reviewing Author