Dataset Information

Long-Term Benefits from Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in HIV Infection.

ABSTRACT:

Background

For people with HIV and CD4⁺ counts >500 cells/mm³, early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces serious AIDS and serious non-AIDS (SNA) risk compared with deferral of treatment until CD4⁺ counts are <350 cells/mm³. Whether excess risk of AIDS and SNA persists once ART is initiated for those who defer treatment is uncertain.

Methods

The Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial, as previously reported, randomly assigned 4684 ART-naive HIV-positive adults with CD4⁺ counts .500 cells/mm³ to immediate treatment initiation after random assignment (n = 2325) or deferred treatment (n= 2359). In 2015, a 57% lower risk of the primary end point (AIDS, SNA, or death) for the immediate group was reported, and the deferred group was offered ART. This article reports the follow-up that continued to December 31, 2021. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to compare hazard ratios for the primary end point from randomization through December 31, 2015, versus January 1, 2016, through December 31, 2021.

Results

Through December 31, 2015, approximately 7 months after the cutoff date from the previous report, the median CD4⁺ count was 648 and 460 cells/mm³ in the immediate and deferred groups, respectively, at treatment initiation. The percentage of follow-up time spent taking ART was 95% and 36% for the immediate and deferred groups, respectively, and the time-averaged CD4⁺ difference was 199 cells/mm³. After January 1, 2016, the percentage of follow-up time on treatment was 97.2% and 94.1% for the immediate and deferred groups, respectively, and the CD4⁺ count difference was 155 cells/mm³. After January 1, 2016, a total of 89 immediate and 113 deferred group participants experienced a primary end point (hazard ratio of 0.79 [95% confidence interval, 0.60 to 1.04] versus hazard ratio of 0.47 [95% confidence interval, 0.34 to 0.65; P<0.001]) before 2016 (P=0.02 for hazard ratio difference).

Conclusions

Among adults with CD4⁺ counts >500 cells/mm³, excess risk of AIDS and SNA associated with delaying treatment initiation was diminished after ART initiation, but persistent excess risk remained. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others.).

SUBMITTER: Lundgren JD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10194271 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Long-Term Benefits from Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in HIV Infection.

Lundgren Jens D JD Babiker Abdel G AG Sharma Shweta S Grund Birgit B Phillips Andrew N AN Matthews Gail G Kan Virginia L VL Aagaard Bitten B Abo Inka I Alston Beverly B Arenas-Pinto Alejandro A Avihingsanon Anchalee A Badal-Faesen Sharlaa S Brites Carlos C Carey Cate C Casseb Jorge J Clarke Amanda A Collins Simon S Corbelli Giulio Maria GM Dao Sounkalo S Denning Eileen T ET Emery Sean S Eriobu Nnakelu N Florence Eric E Furrer Hansjakob H Fätkenheuer Gerd G Gerstoft Jan J Gisslén Magnus M Goodall Katharine K Henry Keith K Horban Andrzej A Hoy Jennifer J Hudson Fleur F Azwa Raja Iskandar Shah Raja RISR Kedem Eynat E Kelleher Anthony A Kityo Cissy C Klingman Karin K Rosa Alberto La A Leturque Nicolas N Lifson Alan R AR Losso Marcelo M Lutaakome Joseph J Madero Juan Sierra JS Mallon Patrick P Mansinho Kamal K Filali Kamal Marhoum El KME Molina Jean-Michel JM Murray Daniel D DD Nagalingeswaran Kumarasamy K Nozza Silvia S Ormaasen Vidar V Paredes Roger R Peireira Luiz Carlos LC Pillay Sandy S Polizzotto Mark N MN Raben Dorthe D Rieger Armin A Sanchez Adriana A Schechter Mauro M Sedlacek Dalibor D Staub Therese T Touloumi Giota G Turner Melissa M Madruga Jose Valdez JV Vjecha Michael M Wolff Marcelo M Wood Robin R Zilmer Kai K Lane H Clifford HC Neaton James D JD

NEJM evidence 20230227 3

<h4>Background</h4>For people with HIV and CD4<sup>+</sup> counts >500 cells/mm<sup>3</sup>, early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces serious AIDS and serious non-AIDS (SNA) risk compared with deferral of treatment until CD4<sup>+</sup> counts are <350 cells/mm<sup>3</sup>. Whether excess risk of AIDS and SNA persists once ART is initiated for those who defer treatment is uncertain.<h4>Methods</h4>The Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial, as previously repor ...[more]

PMID: 37213438

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Project description:BackgroundData from randomized trials are lacking on the benefits and risks of initiating antiretroviral therapy in patients with asymptomatic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection who have a CD4+ count of more than 350 cells per cubic millimeter.MethodsWe randomly assigned HIV-positive adults who had a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter to start antiretroviral therapy immediately (immediate-initiation group) or to defer it until the CD4+ count decreased to 350 cells per cubic millimeter or until the development of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or another condition that dictated the use of antiretroviral therapy (deferred-initiation group). The primary composite end point was any serious AIDS-related event, serious non-AIDS-related event, or death from any cause.ResultsA total of 4685 patients were followed for a mean of 3.0 years. At study entry, the median HIV viral load was 12,759 copies per milliliter, and the median CD4+ count was 651 cells per cubic millimeter. On May 15, 2015, on the basis of an interim analysis, the data and safety monitoring board determined that the study question had been answered and recommended that patients in the deferred-initiation group be offered antiretroviral therapy. The primary end point occurred in 42 patients in the immediate-initiation group (1.8%; 0.60 events per 100 person-years), as compared with 96 patients in the deferred-initiation group (4.1%; 1.38 events per 100 person-years), for a hazard ratio of 0.43 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30 to 0.62; P<0.001). Hazard ratios for serious AIDS-related and serious non-AIDS-related events were 0.28 (95% CI, 0.15 to 0.50; P<0.001) and 0.61 (95% CI, 0.38 to 0.97; P=0.04), respectively. More than two thirds of the primary end points (68%) occurred in patients with a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter. The risks of a grade 4 event were similar in the two groups, as were the risks of unscheduled hospital admissions.ConclusionsThe initiation of antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive adults with a CD4+ count of more than 500 cells per cubic millimeter provided net benefits over starting such therapy in patients after the CD4+ count had declined to 350 cells per cubic millimeter. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; START ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00867048.).

Project description:ObjectivesTo assess baseline prevalence of cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) positivity; and its contribution to reductions in all-cause mortality, deaths from cryptococcus and unknown causes, and new cryptococcal disease in the REALITY trial.DesignRetrospective CrAg testing of baseline and week-4 plasma samples in all 1805 African adults/children with CD4+ cell count less than 100 cells/μl starting antiretroviral therapy who were randomized to receive 12-week enhanced-prophylaxis (fluconazole 100 mg/day, azithromycin, isoniazid, cotrimoxazole) vs. standard-prophylaxis (cotrimoxazole).MethodsProportional hazards models were used to estimate the relative impact of enhanced-prophylaxis vs. standard-cotrimoxazole on all, cryptococcal and unknown deaths, and new cryptococcal disease, through 24 weeks, by baseline CrAg positivity.ResultsExcluding 24 (1.4%) participants with active/prior cryptococcal disease at enrolment (all treated for cryptococcal disease), 133/1781 (7.5%) participants were CrAg-positive. By 24 weeks, 105 standard-cotrimoxazole vs. 78 enhanced-prophylaxis participants died. Of nine standard-cotrimoxazole and three enhanced-prophylaxis cryptococcal deaths, seven and two, respectively, were CrAg-positive at baseline. Among deaths of unknown cause, only 1/46 standard-cotrimoxazole and 1/28 enhanced-prophylaxis were CrAg-positive at baseline. There was no evidence that relative reductions in new cryptococcal disease associated with enhanced-prophylaxis varied between baseline CrAg-positives [hazard-ratio = 0.36 (95% confidence interval 0.13-0.98), incidence 19.5 vs. 56.5/100 person-years] and CrAg-negatives [hazard-ratio = 0.33 (0.03-3.14), incidence 0.3 vs. 0.9/100 person-years; Pheterogeneity = 0.95]; nor for all deaths, cryptococcal deaths or unknown deaths (Pheterogeneity > 0.3).ConclusionRelative reductions in cryptococcal disease/death did not depend on CrAg status. Deaths of unknown cause were unlikely to be cryptococcus-related; plausibly azithromycin contributed to their reduction. Findings support including 100 mg fluconazole in an enhanced-prophylaxis package at antiretroviral therapy initiation where CrAg screening is unavailable/impractical.

Project description:BackgroundIt is unknown if extremely early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may lead to long-term ART-free HIV remission or cure. As a result, we studied 2 individuals recruited from a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) program who started prophylactic ART an estimated 10 days (Participant A; 54-year-old male) and 12 days (Participant B; 31-year-old male) after infection with peak plasma HIV RNA of 220 copies/mL and 3,343 copies/mL, respectively. Extensive testing of blood and tissue for HIV persistence was performed, and PrEP Participant A underwent analytical treatment interruption (ATI) following 32 weeks of continuous ART.Methods and findingsColorectal and lymph node tissues, bone marrow, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), plasma, and very large numbers of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained longitudinally from both participants and were studied for HIV persistence in several laboratories using molecular and culture-based detection methods, including a murine viral outgrowth assay (mVOA). Both participants initiated PrEP with tenofovir/emtricitabine during very early Fiebig stage I (detectable plasma HIV-1 RNA, antibody negative) followed by 4-drug ART intensification. Following peak viral loads, both participants experienced full suppression of HIV-1 plasma viremia. Over the following 2 years, no further HIV could be detected in blood or tissue from PrEP Participant A despite extensive sampling from ileum, rectum, lymph nodes, bone marrow, CSF, circulating CD4+ T cell subsets, and plasma. No HIV was detected from tissues obtained from PrEP Participant B, but low-level HIV RNA or DNA was intermittently detected from various CD4+ T cell subsets. Over 500 million CD4+ T cells were assayed from both participants in a humanized mouse outgrowth assay. Three of 8 mice infused with CD4+ T cells from PrEP Participant B developed viremia (50 million input cells/surviving mouse), but only 1 of 10 mice infused with CD4+ T cells from PrEP Participant A (53 million input cells/mouse) experienced very low level viremia (201 copies/mL); sequence confirmation was unsuccessful. PrEP Participant A stopped ART and remained aviremic for 7.4 months, rebounding with HIV RNA of 36 copies/mL that rose to 59,805 copies/mL 6 days later. ART was restarted promptly. Rebound plasma HIV sequences were identical to those obtained during acute infection by single-genome sequencing. Mathematical modeling predicted that the latent reservoir size was approximately 200 cells prior to ATI and that only around 1% of individuals with a similar HIV burden may achieve lifelong ART-free remission. Furthermore, we observed that lymphocytes expressing the tumor marker CD30 increased in frequency weeks to months prior to detectable HIV-1 RNA in plasma. This study was limited by the small sample size, which was a result of the rarity of individuals presenting during hyperacute infection.ConclusionsWe report HIV relapse despite initiation of ART at one of the earliest stages of acute HIV infection possible. Near complete or complete loss of detectable HIV in blood and tissues did not lead to indefinite ART-free HIV remission. However, the small numbers of latently infected cells in individuals treated during hyperacute infection may be associated with prolonged ART-free remission.

Dataset Information

Long-Term Benefits from Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in HIV Infection.

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Long-Term Benefits from Early Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation in HIV Infection.

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