Project description:ObjectiveTo assess the impact of HIV and antiretroviral exposure without infection on lung growth and function over the first 2 years of life.DesignProspective observational study of an African birth cohort, Drakenstein Child Health Study.MethodInfants enrolled antenatally had lung function measured at 6 weeks, 1 and 2 years. HIV-infected women received antiretroviral therapy (ART) as per local guidelines. The association between HIV and antiretroviral exposure with lung function was assessed using mixed effects modelling.ResultsOf 1143 infants born, two HIV-infected infants were excluded from analysis; 909 (80%) infants had lung function collected at 6 weeks [190 (21%) were HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU)]; 782 (69%) at 1 year and 741 (65%) at 2 years. At 6 weeks HEU infants had larger tidal volume compared with HIV-unexposed infants (1.13 ml, confidence interval: 0.02-2.23, P = 0.045). High maternal viral load was associated with a 17% lower expiratory flow over 2 years (0.17, confidence interval 0.00-0.34, P = 0.046). First-line ART initiated during pregnancy was associated with lower infant tidal volume at 6 weeks compared with those who initiated ART before pregnancy (-2.7 ml, -5.31 to -0.10, P = 0.042), and low maternal CD4 cell counts associated with lower infant tidal over 2 years (-11.1 ml, -18.58-3.58, P = 0.004).ConclusionHIV exposure is associated with altered lung function in early life, with a vulnerable HEU subgroup based on maternal disease severity, immunological compromise and ART exposure. These data highlight the importance of ongoing surveillance of respiratory health in HEU children.
Project description:14 children vertically HIV infected ART treated within 6 months of life (ET) and 6 children vertically HIV infected ART treated after 12 months of life were studied to understand the effect of early ART initiation on HIV specific CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells functionalities. Additionally, RNAseq on unstimulated PBMC was performed to also evaluate the impact of early ART on the immune transcriptome.
Project description:Many analyses of HIV treatment decisions assume a fixed formulary of HIV drugs. However, new drugs are approved nearly twice a year, and the rate of availability of new drugs may affect treatment decisions, particularly when to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART).To determine the impact of considering the availability of new drugs on the optimal initiation criteria for ART and outcomes in patients with HIV/AIDS.We enhanced a previously described simulation model of the optimal time to initiate ART to incorporate the rate of availability of new antiviral drugs. We assumed that the future rate of availability of new drugs would be similar to the past rate of availability of new drugs, and we estimated the past rate by fitting a statistical model to actual HIV drug approval data from 1982-2010. We then tested whether or not the future availability of new drugs affected the model-predicted optimal time to initiate ART based on clinical outcomes, considering treatment initiation thresholds of 200, 350, and 500 cells/mm3. We also quantified the impact of the future availability of new drugs on life expectancy (LE) and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE).In base case analysis, considering the availability of new drugs raised the optimal starting CD4 threshold for most patients to 500 cells/mm3. The predicted gains in outcomes due to availability of pipeline drugs were generally small (less than 1%), but for young patients with a high viral load could add as much as a 4.9% (1.73 years) increase in LE and a 8% (2.43 QALY) increase in QALE, because these patients were particularly likely to exhaust currently available ART regimens before they died. In sensitivity analysis, increasing the rate of availability of new drugs did not substantially alter the results. Lowering the toxicity of future ART drugs had greater potential to increase benefit for many patient groups, increasing QALE by as much as 10%.The future availability of new ART drugs without lower toxicity raises optimal treatment initiation for most patients, and improves clinical outcomes, especially for younger patients with higher viral loads. Reductions in toxicity of future ART drugs could impact optimal treatment initiation and improve clinical outcomes for all HIV patients.
Project description:Most patients failing antiretroviral treatment in Uganda continue to fail their treatment regimen even if a dominant drug-resistant HIV-1 genotype is not detected. In a recent retrospective study, we observed that approximately 30% of HIV-infected individuals in the Joint Clinical Research Centre (Kampala, Uganda) experienced virologic failure with a susceptible HIV-1 genotype based on standard Sanger sequencing. Selection of minority drug-resistant HIV-1 variants (not detectable by Sanger sequencing) under antiretroviral therapy pressure can lead to a shift in the viral quasispecies distribution, becoming dominant members of the virus population and eventually causing treatment failure. Here, we used a novel HIV-1 genotyping assay based on deep sequencing (DeepGen) to quantify low-level drug-resistant HIV-1 variants in 33 patients failing a first-line antiretroviral treatment regimen in the absence of drug-resistant mutations, as screened by standard population-based Sanger sequencing. Using this sensitive assay, we observed that 64% (21/33) of these individuals had low-frequency (or minority) drug-resistant variants in the intrapatient HIV-1 population, which correlated with treatment failure. Moreover, the presence of these minority HIV-1 variants was associated with higher intrapatient HIV-1 diversity, suggesting a dynamic selection or fading of drug-resistant HIV-1 variants from the viral quasispecies in the presence or absence of drug pressure, respectively. This study identified low-frequency HIV drug resistance mutations by deep sequencing in Ugandan patients failing antiretroviral treatment but lacking dominant drug resistance mutations as determined by Sanger sequencing methods. We showed that these low-abundance drug-resistant viruses could have significant consequences for clinical outcomes, especially if treatment is not modified based on a susceptible HIV-1 genotype by Sanger sequencing. Therefore, we propose to make clinical decisions using more sensitive methods to detect minority HIV-1 variants.
Project description:Background:Identifying host determinants associated with HIV reservoir size and timing of viral rebound after an analytic treatment interruption (ATI) is an important step in the search for an HIV functional cure. We performed a pooled analysis of 103 participants from 4 AIDS Clinical Trials Group ATI studies to identify the association between HLA class I alleles with HIV reservoir size and viral rebound timing. Methods:Total HIV DNA and cell-associated HIV RNA (CA-RNA) were quantified in pre-ATI peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples, and residual plasma viremia was measured using the single-copy assay. HLA class I typing was performed, and we generated an odds ratio (OR) of predicted HLA effect on HIV viremia control for each individual and compared this with time to viral rebound, and levels of HIV DNA and CA-RNA. Results:There was no significant association between the HLA ORs and levels of HIV DNA or CA-RNA, but carriage of protective HLA-B alleles (lower OR scores) was associated with delayed viral rebound (P = 0.02). Higher OR scores at the HLA-C locus were associated with longer duration of ART treatment (P = 0.02) and this trend was also seen with the combined OR score (P < 0.01). Individuals with protective HLA-B alleles had delayed viral rebound after treatment interruption that was not explained by differences in baseline reservoir size. Conclusions:The results indicate the vital role of cellular host immunity in preventing HIV rebound and the importance of taking into account the HLA status of study participants being evaluated in trials for an HIV cure.
Project description:ObjectivesHIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in treatment-naïve individuals is a well-described phenomenon. Baseline genotypic resistance testing is considered standard of care in most developed areas of the world. The aim of this analysis was to characterize HIV-1 TDR and the use of resistance testing in START trial participants.MethodsIn the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial, baseline genotypic resistance testing results were collected at study entry and analysed centrally to determine the prevalence of TDR in the study population. Resistance was based on a modified 2009 World Health Organization definition to reflect newer resistance mutations.ResultsBaseline resistance testing was available in 1946 study participants. Higher rates of testing occurred in Europe (86.7%), the USA (81.3%) and Australia (89.9%) as compared with Asia (22.2%), South America (1.8%) and Africa (0.1%). The overall prevalence of TDR was 10.1%, more commonly to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (4.5%) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (4%) compared with protease inhibitors (2.8%). The most frequent TDR mutations observed were M41L, D67N/G/E, T215F/Y/I/S/C/D/E/V/N, 219Q/E/N/R, K103N/S, and G190A/S/E in reverse transcriptase, and M46I/L and L90M in protease. By country, the prevalence of TDR was highest in Australia (17.5%), France (16.7%), the USA (12.6%) and Spain (12.6%). No participant characteristics were identified as predictors of the presence of TDR.ConclusionsSTART participants enrolled in resource-rich areas of the world were more likely to have baseline resistance testing. In Europe, the USA and Australia, TDR prevalence rates varied by country.
Project description:BackgroundEvidence on the efficacy of antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen switches on the mortality of patients with HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) is limited.ObjectiveWe aim to provide policy guidance for ART regimen selection and evaluate the effectiveness of ART regime switches for people living with HIV and HIV-1 drug resistance.MethodsThis retrospective observational cohort study included 179 people living with HIV and HIV-1 drug resistance from 2011 to 2020. The time that participants switched treatment regimens either to protease inhibitor (PI)-based ART regimens (PIs) or nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART regimens (NNRTIs) was taken as an observation starting point and followed up every 12 months. The parametric g-formula was used to estimate the 5-year risk of mortality under the situations of (1) natural course, (2) immediate switch to NNRTIs, (3) immediate switch to PIs, and (4) if CD4(+) T cells<200 switched to PIs.ResultsThe follow-up time of the 179 patients ranged from 30 to 119 months. The median follow-up time was 90 months. During a follow-up of 15,606 person-months, 27 individuals died in the cohort. The estimated 5-year risk of mortality under natural course, immediate switch to NNRTIs, immediate switch to PIs, and if CD4(+), and switch to PIs if T cells<200 were 11.62% (95% CI 7.82-17.11), 31.88% (95% CI 20.79-44.94), 2.87% (95% CI 0.32-7.07), and 5.30% (95% CI 2.07-10.21), respectively. The risk ratios (RRs) of immediate switch to NNRTIs, immediate switch to PIs, and switch to PIs if CD4(+) T cells<200, compared with natural course mortality rate, were 2.74 (95% CI 2.01-3.47), 0.25 (95% CI: 0.04-0.54), and 0.46 (95% CI 0.22-0.71), respectively. The risk differences were 20.26% (95% CI 10.96-28.61), -8.76% (95% CI -13.34 to -5.09) and -6.32% (95% CI -9.75 to -3.11), respectively.ConclusionsOur study found that a PI-based ART regimen was beneficial for reducing mortality in people living with HIV and HIV-1 drug resistance. More effort should be given to find HIV-1 drug resistance earlier to ensure a timely adjustment to PI-based ART, thereby maximizing the benefit of early switch treatment for people living with HIV and HIV-1 drug resistance.
Project description:Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in vertically HIV-infected children limits the size of the virus reservoir, but whether the time of treatment initiation (TI) can durably impact host immune responses associated with HIV infection is still unknown. This study was conducted in PBMC of 20 HIV-infected virally suppressed children on ART (mean age 9.4 y), classified as early treated (ET; age at ART initiation ?0.5 y, n = 14) or late treated (LT; age at ART initiation 1-10 y, n = 6). Frequencies and functions of Ag-specific CD4 (CD40L+) and CD8 (CD69+) T cells were evaluated by intracellular IL-2, IFN-?, and TNF-? production with IL-21 in CD4 or CD107a, granzyme B and perforin in CD8 T cells following stimulation with HIV gp140 protein (ENV) or GAG peptides by multiparameter flow cytometry. ET showed a higher proportion of cytokine-producing ENV- and GAG-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells compared with LT. In particular, ET were enriched in polyfunctional T cells. RNA sequencing analysis showed upregulation of immune activation pathways in LT compared with ET. Our results suggest that timing of TI in HIV-infected children has a long-term and measurable impact on the quality of the HIV-specific T cell immune responses and transcriptional profiles of PBMC, reinforcing the importance of early TI.
Project description:The most significant advance in the medical management of HIV-1 infection has been the treatment of patients with antiviral drugs, which can suppress HIV-1 replication to undetectable levels. The discovery of HIV-1 as the causative agent of AIDS together with an ever-increasing understanding of the virus replication cycle have been instrumental in this effort by providing researchers with the knowledge and tools required to prosecute drug discovery efforts focused on targeted inhibition with specific pharmacological agents. To date, an arsenal of 24 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs are available for treatment of HIV-1 infections. These drugs are distributed into six distinct classes based on their molecular mechanism and resistance profiles: (1) nucleoside-analog reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), (2) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), (3) integrase inhibitors, (4) protease inhibitors (PIs), (5) fusion inhibitors, and (6) coreceptor antagonists. In this article, we will review the basic principles of antiretroviral drug therapy, the mode of drug action, and the factors leading to treatment failure (i.e., drug resistance).
Project description:BackgroundDyslipidemia and apolipoprotein E4 (APOE ϵ4) allele are risk factors for age-related cognitive decline, but how these risks are modified by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is unclear.MethodsIn a longitudinal nested study from the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, 273 HIV type 1-infected (HIV(+)) men aged 50-65 years with baseline HIV RNA <400 copies/mL and on continuous antiretroviral therapy (ART) in ≥95% of follow-up visits were matched by sociodemographic variables to 516 HIV-uninfected (HIV(-)) controls. The association between lipid markers (total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], and triglycerides), APOE genotype, and cognitive decline in HIV infection was examined using mixed-effects models.ResultsThe median baseline age of participants was 51, 81% were white, and 89% had education >12 years. HIV(+) men had similar baseline total cholesterol and LDL-C, but lower HDL-C and higher triglycerides than controls (P < .001). Higher total cholesterol and LDL-C were associated with faster rates of cognitive decline (P < .01), whereas higher HDL-C attenuated decline (P = .02) in HIV(+) men. In HIV(+) men with elevated cholesterol, statin use was associated with a slower estimated rate of decline (P = .02). APOE ϵ4 genotype accelerated cognitive decline in HIV(+) but not HIV(-) men (P = .01), with trajectories diverging from HIV(-) ε4 carriers after age 50. Total cholesterol levels did not modify the association of ϵ4 genotype with decline (P = .9).ConclusionsElevated cholesterol and APOE ϵ4 genotype are independent risk factors for cognitive decline in ART-adherent HIV(+) men aged >50 years. Treatment of dyslipidemia may be an effective strategy to reduce cognitive decline in older HIV(+) individuals.