Salvini F, Cucchi C, Tonella M, Zuccotti GV; International Conference on AIDS.

Int Conf AIDS. 2002 Jul 7-12; 14: abstract no. B10221.

Clinica Pediatrica Ospedale San Paolo, Milano, Italy

In HIV infected children, CD45RA+ CD4+ T lymph. reconstitution has been related to efficient thymopoiesis. Because human thymus undergoes spontaneous involution at a relatively young age, institution of antiretroviral therapy early in the course of infection has been recommended. 12 HIV vertically infected children aged 4-8 years were investigated at 6 m. intervals for T-cell subsets, including CD45RO+ and CD45RA+ CD4+ (three-colour flow cytometry), for two years. HIV-RNA was also measured (Amplicor M. 1.5, Roche D. Systems). 7 children were naive for therapy (group A); 5 underwent antiretrovirals (2 NRTI) at 61.2 m. (mean-r. 45-80) as enrolled in clinical trials (group B). CD45RA+ and CD45RO+ CD4+ values were compared to predicted values of healthy children (Aldhous MC, J Clin Immunol; 1994). Comparisons between groups were performed by Mann-Whitney test; paired data were analyzed by the Wilcoxon signed ranks test. The two groups showed similar clinical and immunological baseline (T0) characteristics (CDC class N-A). Mean age at study entry was 65 m. in gr. A (r. 48-92) and 74.7 (r. 51-103) in gr. B. Mean VL at T0 was 4.26 log10 (SD 0.71) in gr. A and 4.01 log10 (SD 0.57) in gr. B; median CD4 T limph values were 27% in gr. A (r. 16-49) and 23,5% in gr. B (r. 21-44). Median CD45RA+ values were 62.8 % (r. 55.2-81.6) in gr. A and 71.3% (r. 57.6-72.7) in group B. No differences in VL, CD4+ T lymph., CD45RO+, CD45RA+ were found between groups (min. p> 0.405) or within each group (min. p> 0.242) at each time evaluation. Median CD45RA+ values were not different from predicted values of healthy children (min. p 0.350). None of the children changed CDC class during the study period. Antiretroviral therapy doesn't seem to influence CD4 T lymph and CD45RA+ or CD45RO+ levels in our patients. CD45RA+ values were similar to those of healthy subjects. In some HIV vertically infected patients the immune-reconstitution occurs independently of antiretroviral therapy.

Publication Types:

• Meeting Abstracts

Keywords:

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• Antigens, CD4
• Antigens, CD45
• Child
• HIV Infections
• HIV Seropositivity
• HIV-1
• Humans
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets
• Thymus Gland
• immunology

Other ID:

• GWAIDS0017699

UI: 102255197

From Meeting Abstracts