Restoration of recent thymic emigrant CD4+ T cells is associated with sustained adherence to antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected children

Abstract

To evaluate the levels of recent thymic emigrant (RTE) CD4+ T cells in HIV‐infected children and to explore the associations among their frequency, antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence, and CD4+ T cell restoration. The group evaluated comprised 85 HIV‐infected patients classified as subjects with moderate or severe immunosuppression or as those with no evidence of immunosuppression. To evaluate the association between the frequency of RTE CD4+ T cells and ART adherence, 23 of the 85 patients were evaluated at two different time points during a one‐year follow‐up period. Children with severe immunosuppression had lower frequencies of RTE CD4+ T cells compared with children without evidence of immunosuppression (P < .001). The frequency of RTE CD4+ T cells in children with a high rate of adherence was significantly higher (P < .05) than that observed among those with suboptimal adherence. The latter group presented with infectious intercurrences on admission that decreased after initiation of treatment along with improved CD4+ and RTE naïve CD4+ T cells counts. The adequate ART adherence is essential for immune reconstitution, which might be reflected by the levels of RTE CD4+ T cells.