@article{3080963,
    title = "T cell receptor excision circles and HIV-1 2-LTR episomal DNA to predict
AIDS in patients not receiving effective therapy",
    author = "Goedert, JJ and O'Brien, TR and Hatzakis, A and Kostrikis, LG and and Multictr Hemophilia Cohort Study",
    journal = "Ελληνικά Αρχεία AIDS=:  Hellenic Archives of AIDS",
    year = "2001",
    volume = "15",
    number = "17",
    pages = "2245-2250",
    publisher = "Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins",
    issn = "11058900",
    doi = "10.1097/00002030-200111230-00005",
    keywords = "AIDS incidence; prospective cohort study; hemophilia; T-cell production;
HIV-1 replication",
    abstract = "Objective: To determine whether improved prediction of AIDS-free
survival following HIV-1 seroconversion is achieved by measuring HIV-1
2-LTR episomal DNA (2-LTR) circles and T cell receptor rearrangement
excision circles (TREC), reflecting HIV replication and lymphocyte
emigration from the thymus, respectively.
Design: Subanalysis of a cohort of 154 patients with hemophilia who
became HIV positive between 1978 and 1985 and were followed
prospectively.
Methods: Relative hazards (RH) of AIDS, in the absence of highly
effective anti-HIV therapy, were estimated for age, HIV-1 viral load,
CD4 lymphocyte count and levels of HIV-1 2-LTR circles and TREC [per
10(6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC)]
Results: TREC correlated significantly with CD4 cell counts (r = 0.30)
and age (r = -0.60). 2-LTR circles correlated significantly with HIV-1
viral load (r = 0.35). If viral load, CD4 lymphocytes and age were
included in a proportional hazards model, the risk of AIDS during a
median of 11.6 years of follow-up was increased significantly with fewer
TREC (adjusted RH, 2.0 per log(10) copies/10(6) PBMC) and more 2-LTR
circles (RH, 1.7 per log(10) copies/10(6) PBMC). AIDS prediction with
TREC and 2-LTR circles held for most subgroups defined by median viral
load, CD4 lymphocytes and age.
Conclusions: PBMC that have high levels of HIV-1 replication and low
levels of recent thymic emigrants are associated with a substantially
increased risk of AIDS. It is not known if measurement of either TREC or
2-LTR circles will complement HIV-11 viral load as an estimation of the
risk of AIDS for patients who are receiving highly effective anti-HIV
therapy. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams Wilkins."
}