Helleberg M, Kronborg G, Ullum H, Ryder LP, Obel N, Gerstoft J. Course and Clinical Significance of CD8+ T-Cell Counts in a Large Cohort of HIV-Infected Individuals.
J Infect Dis 2014;
211:1726-34. [PMID:
25489001 DOI:
10.1093/infdis/jiu669]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2014] [Accepted: 11/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES
To examine trajectories of CD8(+) T-cell counts before and after combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals and associations with mortality.
METHODS
CD8(+) T-cell counts were measured in 3882 HIV-infected individuals who received care in Copenhagen during 1995-2012. Reference values were obtained from 1230 persons from the background population. Mortality rate ratios were estimated by Poisson regression.
RESULTS
CD8(+) T-cell counts were elevated during untreated HIV infection and remained elevated through 10 years of cART. A slight drop of 130 cells/µL (interquartile range, -160 to 410 cells/μL) in the median CD8(+) T-cell count was observed after cART initiation. CD8(+) T-cell counts stabilized at approximately 900 cells/µL (95th percentile of the background population, 835 cells/µL). Markedly elevated CD8(+) T-cell counts at cART initiation were associated with a poor increase in the CD4(+) T-cell count (relative risk, 2.22; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.42-3.48). Individuals with a CD8(+) T-cell count of <500 cells/µL 1 year after cART initiation had an increased mortality rate (mortality rate ratio, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.29-2.32) and a higher proportion of deaths attributable to AIDS-related conditions, compared with individuals with CD8(+) T-cell counts of ≥500 cells/µL. After receiving cART for 10 years, a CD8(+) T-cell count of >1500 cells/µL was associated with increased non-AIDS-related mortality (mortality rate ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.09-3.22), compared with a CD4(+) T-cell count of 500-1500 cells/µL.
CONCLUSIONS
CD8(+) T-cell counts are elevated during HIV infection and do not normalize despite long-term cART. Low CD8(+) T-cell counts are associated with increased AIDS-related mortality. Marked elevations in CD8(+) T-cell counts after long-term cART are associated with increased non-AIDS-related mortality.
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