SERUM HIV-1 RNA LOAD TO PREDICT CD4(-CELL DEPLETION IN ASYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS() T)

The temporal association between the increase in viral replication and the depletion in CD4(+) T cells in HIV-1 infection is not yet clear. To investigate this phenomenon HIV-1 RNA was quantified in several fro zen sera from 20 asymptomatic HIV-1 infected patients in the 2 years p receding CD4(+) T cell depletion of 50% or more, and compared with 20 HIV-1 infected paired patients who were stable in the same period. In each group, no statistically significant variation in the mean HIV-1 R NA titre was found between the last checkup and the one 24 months earl ier. The mean HIV-1 RNA titre was 10(3.86) copies/ml in the non-progre ssor group and 10(5.12) copies/ml in the progressor group. These data support the view that the quantity of circulating HIV-1 RNA is an earl y predictor of disease progression that is relatively constant during the asymptomatic period of HIV-1 infection.