Pre-HAART HIV burden approximates post-HAART viral levels following interruption of therapy in patients with sustained viral suppression

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Abstract
To evaluate the relationship between the HIV viral burden in individuals prior to receiving highly-active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and the viral burden after withdrawal of HAART. Retrospective cohort study at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA. Fourteen HIV-infected patients who achieved and maintained viral control on HAART who subsequently discontinued HAART. Pre- and post-HAART viral loads measured from plasma or serum. Patients achieved viral control (10 After discontinuing HAART, individuals had rebounds in their viral burdens approximating pre-HAART levels, even after a significant lapse of time approaching 5 years. Our data suggest that an intrinsic viral load set-point may exist, and that a single interruption of an effective regimen with viral suppression for almost 2 years does not significantly alter this set-point.