Association of syncytium-inducing phenotype of HIV-1 with CD4 cell count, viral load and sociodemographic characteristics

Abstract

To study whether syncytium-inducing (SI)/non-SI (NSI) phenotype of HIV-1 is associated with CD4+ lymphocyte count, plasma HIV RNA level, clinical stage and sociodemographic characteristics in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients. Cross-sectional analysis of single centre cohort study data. SI/NSI phenotype was determined using a cocultivation assay using patients’ peripheral blood mononuclear cells and MT2 cells. Standard procedures were used for CD4+ cell counts and viral load measurements in plasma. Univariate and multivariate analyses of association of CD4+ cell counts, viral load, clinical stage, age, sex and mode of HIV transmission were performed. In univariate analysis, SI phenotype was significantly associated with lower CD4+ cell counts, higher HIV RNA plasma levels, symptomatic HIV disease, male sex and age 32–36 years (middle tercile). In multivariate analysis, only lower CD4+ cell counts were associated with SI phenotype (odds ratio per increase of 100 × 106/l, 0.54; 95% confidence interval, 0.38–0.78). HIV-1 SI phenotype was associated with lower CD4+ cell counts but not with higher plasma viral load, clinical stage or sociodemographic variables.