VARIANCE OF PLASMA HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 RNA LEVELS MEASURED BY BRANCHED DNA WITHIN AND BETWEEN DAYS

Previous studies have shown that CD4-positive T cells vary in a predic table manner over 24 h. This diurnal variance has significant clinical implications, Recently, viral RNA measurements have been increasingly used as a standard marker in the management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients, Little detailed analysis of the variab ility of this marker has been conducted. To define the variance of pla sma HIV-1 RNA levels within days, 11 clinically stable patients with e stablished HIV infection and a baseline viral RNA level >40,000 copies /ml were studied, Following the patients' admission to an inpatient re search unit, plasma samples were obtained frequently over 48 h and ana lyzed for HIV-1 RNA levels by use of a quantitative branched chain DNA assay (bDNA), No diurnal pattern was detected, In these clinically st able patients, viral RNA levels exhibited a variance of similar to 0.4 log.