Tweet
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr
. 2020 Oct 15.
doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002540. Online ahead of print.
Virologic and immunologic outcomes for HIV patients with coronavirus disease 2019
Rong Hu 1 , Han Yan 1 , Manqing Liu 2 , Li Tang 2 , Wenhua Kong 2 , Zerong Zhu 2 , Pan Liu 2 , Wenjuan Bai 3 , Xuejiao Hu 1 , Jie Ding 1 , Xia Wang 1 , Nianhua Xie 1
Affiliations
- PMID: 33079905
- DOI: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002540
Abstract
Background: To describe the virologic and immunologic outcomes among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) co-infected with SARS-CoV-2.
Setting: Wuhan, China.
Methods: 35 co-infected patients were identified by matching the reported cases in National Notifiable Infectious Disease Report system for COVID-19 and HIV in Wuhan by time of April 19, 2020. Questionnaire-based survey and follow-up with blood sample collection were used to obtain characteristics before COVID-19 and after recovery. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test, Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, Mcnemar test and Wilcoxon test were conducted.
Results: Twenty of the 35 co-infected patients were identified as asymptomatic/mild/moderate COVID-19 (non-severe group) and 15 were identified as severe/critical (severe group). The severe and non-severe group had no differences in demographics, HIV baseline status, the intervals between last tests and follow-up tests for CD4+ cell count and HIV-1 viral load (all P>0.05). Overall, there was a significantly increased number of co-infected patients with HIV-1 viral load ≥20 copies/mL after recovery (P=0.008). The median viral load increased significantly after recovery in severe group (P=0.034) while no significant change of HIV-1 viral load was observed in non-severe group. Limited change of CD4+ cell count was found (all P>0.05).
Conclusion: The co-infection of SARS-CoV-2 might put PLHIV at greater risk for HIV-1 viral rebound especially for severe/critical COVID-19 while had limited impacts on CD4+ cell count. Whether continuous ART against HIV infection would have significant impacts on CD4+ cell count among PLHIV co-infected with SARS-CoV-2 need further research.