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Antiretroviral Therapy Can Be Delayed in Individuals With Higher CD4+ T Cell Counts, Two Studies Say
Brown, Washington Post, 7/10
2002-07-11

Triple combination antiretroviral therapy can be safely delayed in patients with CD4+ T cell counts higher than 200 cells per milliliter, according to two studies presented yesterday at the XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain, the Washington Post reports. Alvaro Munoz of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health examined HIV-positive people who started antiretroviral therapy when their CD4+ T cell counts were below 200, between 201 and 350 and between 351 and 500 cells per milliliter. Normal counts are between 600 to 800 cells per milliliter. The study found that while it was detrimental to delay treatment until after CD4+ T cell counts dropped below 200 cells per milliliter, there was almost no difference between people who started treatment with counts between 201 and 350 and between 351 and 500. The federal government currently recommends that HIV-positive people start antiretroviral treatment when CD4+ T cell counts drop below 350 cells per milliliter. A study presented by Genevieve Chene of Bordeaux, France, found a similar outcome. The Post reports that the findings could be vital in the campaign to bring treatment to HIV-positive people in developing countries who often cannot afford the cost of long-term antiretroviral therapy.

Triple combination antiretroviral therapy can be safely delayed in patients with CD4+ T cell counts higher than 200 cells per milliliter, according to two studies presented yesterday at the XIV International AIDS Conference in Barcelona, Spain, the Washington Post reports. Alvaro Munoz of Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health examined HIV-positive people who started antiretroviral therapy when their CD4+ T cell counts were below 200, between 201 and 350 and between 351 and 500 cells per milliliter. Normal counts are between 600 to 800 cells per milliliter. The study found that while it was detrimental to delay treatment until after CD4+ T cell counts dropped below 200 cells per milliliter, there was almost no difference between people who started treatment with counts between 201 and 350 and between 351 and 500. The federal government currently recommends that HIV-positive people start antiretroviral treatment when CD4+ T cell counts drop below 350 cells per milliliter. A study presented by Genevieve Chene of Bordeaux, France, found a similar outcome. The Post reports that the findings could be vital in the campaign to bring treatment to HIV-positive people in developing countries who often cannot afford the cost of long-term antiretroviral therapy.

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