Evaluation of rapid progressors in HIV infection as an extreme phenotype.

ABSTRACT:

Design

Rapid CD4 cell loss represents an HIV phenotype used to identify causal variants of accelerated disease progression. The optimal rate and threshold for identifying this extreme phenotype in recently infected individuals is unclear.

Methods

Using a cohort of patients with known dates of HIV-1 seroconversion (SC), CASCADE (Concerted Action on SeroConversion on AIDS and Death in Europe), we identified proportions experiencing nadir CD4 cell levels within 1 year of SC, and assessed their mean AIDS-free survival time at 10-year follow-up and hazard of AIDS/death, compared with those whose CD4 remained >500 cells per cubic millimeter. Follow-up was censored at December 31, 1996 to avoid bias due to combination antiretroviral therapy initiation.

Results

Of 4876 indivi

SUBMITTER: Olson AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4134321 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature