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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Peptide-based Identification of Functional Motifs and their Binding Partners
Published on: July 1, 2013
[Immunologic prognostic parameters in infection by the human immunodeficiency virus]
1Servicio de Cuidados Intensivos, Hospital General Universitari de la Vall d'Hebron, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.
Insights
Decreased CD4 lymphocytes and interferon-tau production in early-stage HIV infection predict disease progression. These immune markers can help identify patients at higher risk for developing AIDS.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection impacts the immune system.
- Identifying prognostic markers is crucial for managing HIV disease progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess quantitative and functional immunologic parameters as predictors of HIV infection progression.
- To evaluate immune markers for their prognostic value in HIV patients.
Main Methods:
- Analyzed CD4/CD8 lymphocyte counts, CD4/CD8 ratio, IL-2 receptors, PHA response, and IFN-tau production in 85 HIV patients across different stages (II, III, IV) and 35 controls.
- Utilized multivariate analysis to identify significant prognostic factors over a 30-month follow-up period.
Main Results:
- Seventeen patients progressed to stage IV (AIDS) during the study.
- A decrease in CD4 lymphocyte count in stage II and reduced IFN-tau production in stages II and III were significantly associated with progression to stage IV.
Conclusions:
- Reduced interferon-tau (IFN-tau) production in stages II and III of HIV infection is a prognostic factor for progression to stage IV (AIDS).
- A decline in CD4 lymphocyte count during stage II of HIV infection also indicates a higher risk of progressing to stage IV.
Background:
To evaluate the use of quantitative and functional immunologic parameters as prognostic markers of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Methods:
The number of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes, the CD4/CD8 ratio, the percentage of interleukin 2 (IL-2) receptors, the response to phytohemaglutinin (PHA) and the production of interferon tau (IFN-tau), were analyzed in 85 patients with HIV infection: 14 with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) (stage IV), 16 with persistent generalized adenopathies (stage III), and 55 asymptomatic patients (stage II). Similarly, a control group of 35 blood donors with negative HIV serology was studied.
Results:
Over a period of 30 months, 17 patients (5 of stage III and 12 of stage II) evolved to stage IV. In a multivariate analysis the decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes in stage II and the decrease in the production of IFN-tau in stage II and III were the parameters associated with progression to stage IV.
Conclusions:
The decrease in the production of interferon tau in patients with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus in stage II and III as well as the decrease in the number of CD4 lymphocytes in stage II are prognostic factors associated with the evolution to stage IV of the infection.
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