Zhiyong Shen1, Qiuying Zhu1, Zhenzhu Tang1, Stephen W Pan2, Heng Zhang3, He Jiang1, Yi Chen1, Guanghua Lan1, Hui Xing3, Lingjie Liao3, Yi Feng3, Yuhua Ruan3, Yiming Shao3. 1. Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanning. 2. School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada. 3. State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that CD4 cell count monitoring has little added value in patients who are virologically suppressed and immunologically stable if viral load (VL) testing is routinely available. These conclusions have not been directly assessed using mortality rate as a study end point in a real-world setting. METHODS: This human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment cohort study from 2008 to 2014 was conducted in Guangxi, China. We used a Cox regression model to analyze associations between the frequency of CD4 cell counts and VL testing and death. RESULTS: Compared with monitoring CD4 cell counts ≥3 times during the first year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, as currently suggested by the Chinese National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, monitoring them less than twice during the first year of ART was significantly associated with death; however, monitoring them twice in that year did not significantly increase mortality rates. Compared with testing VL at least once during the first year of ART, as currently suggested by the National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, performing no VL tests in the first year after ART initiation was significantly associated with higher mortality rates. Routine CD4 cell count monitoring did not have an impact on mortality rates among HIV-infected patients with VLs <1000 copies/mL or CD4 cell counts ≥350/μL beyond 12 months after ART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that CD4 cell counts can be reduced to twice during the first year of ART and be reduced or stopped for patients who have achieved virologic suppression or immunologic stability after 12 months of treatment.
BACKGROUND: Recent studies have suggested that CD4 cell count monitoring has little added value in patients who are virologically suppressed and immunologically stable if viral load (VL) testing is routinely available. These conclusions have not been directly assessed using mortality rate as a study end point in a real-world setting. METHODS: This human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment cohort study from 2008 to 2014 was conducted in Guangxi, China. We used a Cox regression model to analyze associations between the frequency of CD4 cell counts and VL testing and death. RESULTS: Compared with monitoring CD4 cell counts ≥3 times during the first year of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, as currently suggested by the Chinese National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, monitoring them less than twice during the first year of ART was significantly associated with death; however, monitoring them twice in that year did not significantly increase mortality rates. Compared with testing VL at least once during the first year of ART, as currently suggested by the National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, performing no VL tests in the first year after ART initiation was significantly associated with higher mortality rates. Routine CD4 cell count monitoring did not have an impact on mortality rates among HIV-infectedpatients with VLs <1000 copies/mL or CD4 cell counts ≥350/μL beyond 12 months after ART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that CD4 cell counts can be reduced to twice during the first year of ART and be reduced or stopped for patients who have achieved virologic suppression or immunologic stability after 12 months of treatment.
Authors: Minh D Pham; Lorena Romero; Bruce Parnell; David A Anderson; Suzanne M Crowe; Stanley Luchters Journal: AIDS Res Ther Date: 2017-01-19 Impact factor: 2.250