Drug Choices Do Not Affect HIV Gauges

The risk of HIV disease progression to an AIDS-defining event or death can be accurately predicted by CD4-cell levels and HIV viral loads, regardless of which antiretroviral drugs are being taken, according to a study in the February 18 edition of the journal AIDS. Investigators with the ongoing EuroSIDA study gathered data from 6,814 HIV patients and discovered that new AIDS-defining events and deaths for any given CD4-cell count and HIV viral load were similar regardless of the specific drug regimen used. The same findings held true for HIV patients who began drug therapy with higher CD4-cell counts as well as those beginning treatment with counts below 200 cells per microliter of blood. 'This implies that markers currently used for gauging patients' risk of clinical progression can be interpreted similarly, regardless of which regimen the patient is taking,' the researchers conclude.