Early HIV Level Predicts Disease Progression Rate

HIV-positive adults who have attained a low viral load after four weeks of treatment are more likely to eventually reach undetectable levels than patients with higher four-week measurements, researchers report. In a study in the September 1 edition of Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes the researchers note that 86% of 650 previously treatment-naive HIV patients with a viral load below 50 copies after four weeks of treatment retained viral suppression at 24 weeks. Only 61% of patients with a viral load between 1,001 and 10,000 copies at four weeks reached undetectable levels. Each one-log increase in viral load at the fourth week was associated with a threefold decrease in the odds of attaining a viral load under 50 copies. 'Our study highlights that early measurements of viral load enables early prediction of virologic response'and so will allow reasons for a poor early response to be investigated and addressed as necessary,' the researchers say.