MOFENSON LM, MOYE J, KORELITZ J, MEYER W, BETHEL J, HARRIS R, READ J, NUGENT R; Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy.

Abstr Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother Intersci Conf Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2000 Sep 17-20; 40: 285.

NICHD, NIH, Rockville, MD

BACKGROUND: Lower HIV-1 RNA levels have been observed in infected women compared with men. The cause of the apparent difference and whether the phenomenon pertains in children is unknown.METHODS: Blood was collected at entry & every 3 mo in 254 HIV-infected children aged 0.3-11 yr who enrolled in a trial of intravenous IgG (PACTG 045) in 1988-91. Serum was separated and stored at -70 degrees C. HIV-1 RNA was quantified in stored serum using the NASBA assay (Organon Teknika, Durham NC) in 1995-6. Log transformed HIV-1 RNA levels in boys and girls were compared by t-test & repeated measures analysis.RESULTS: 1,118 RNA values were measured in 113 girls (mean age 3.4 yr, range 0.4-10) and 141 boys (mean age 3.4 yr, range 0.3-11). Baseline geometric mean (GM) RNA overall was 104,625 copies/mL (range <4,000-32,000,000) and did not differ significantly among girls compared with boys (97,806 vs 110,423; p=0.65). Among subjects >/=6 yr, baseline GM RNA in girls compared with boys was 13,261 (95% CI 4,905-35,847) vs 53,680 (24,350-117,471; p=0.04). Repeated measures analysis of longitudinal data showed RNA levels in girls and boys similar at younger but diverging at older ages. In subjects <9 yr, GM RNA in girls compared with boys was 71,105 (55,873-90,469) vs 81,115 (64,938-101,321; p=0.43). Among subjects >/= 9 yr, GM RNA in girls was 8,710 (3,311-23,442) vs 30,902 (12,303-77,625) in boys (p=0.06). Conclusion: No gender differences in serum HIV-1 RNA levels are observed in children <6 yr. In children approaching pubertal ages, a trend toward lower values in girls compared with boys is seen, similar to differences seen in HIV-infected adults, suggesting that observed HIV-1 RNA level differences may be mediated by factors associated with sexual maturation.KEYWORDS: GENDER; Pediatric

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• AIDS Vaccines
• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Adult
• Child
• Female
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• Humans
• Male
• RNA
• RNA, Viral
• Sex Characteristics

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0010935

UI: 102248433

From Meeting Abstracts