Cell-associated HIV-1 RNA in blood as indicator of virus load in lymph nodes

We have developed sensitive assays for viremia and cell-associated human im munodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA and DNA to assess the predictive va lue of virological parameters determined in blood for virus load in lymph n odes (LNs). Eighteen patients were included; 13 received stavudine/didanosi ne/hydroxyurea and 5 stavudine/didanosine, and all had viremia <500 copies/ mL for >3 months, At the time of LN biopsy (median, 10 months), the median viremia was 2.09 log copies/mL (range, <0.70-3.34). Cell-associated HIV-1 R NA and DNA were detectable in blood and LNs of all patients. The median cel l-associated RNA and DNA were 2.16 log copies/10(6) cells and 2.60 log copi es/10(6) cells in blood versus 4.31 log RNA copies/10(6) cells and 3.26 log DNA copies/10(6) cells in LNs, Regression analysis shows that, in treated patients with sustained low viremia, cell-associated RNA and DNA in blood a re better predictors of virus load in LNs than viremia.