Long-term effects of early antiretroviral initiation on HIV reservoir markers: a longitudinal analysis of the MERLIN clinical study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation (ie, within 3 months of infection) limits establishment of the HIV reservoir. However, the effect of early ART initiation on the long-term dynamics of the pool of infected cells remains unclear.

Methods

In this longitudinal analysis, we included cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (aged 18-54 years) at high risk for HIV infection, enrolled in the ongoing longitudinal MERLIN study in Peru between Oct 28, 2014, and Nov 8, 2018. Participants were eligible if they had been infected with HIV less than 90 days before enrolment, and if they had cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples. Participants were stratified into three groups on the basis of whether they initiated ART at

SUBMITTER: Massanella M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8622834 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature