Open AccessAn improved method for monitoring efficacy of anti‐retroviral therapy in HIV‐infected individuals: A highly sensitive HIV p24 antigen assay
Author(s) -
Reddy Mohan M.,
Winger Edward E.,
Hargrove David,
McHugh Thomas,
McKinley George F.,
Grieco Michael H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
journal of clinical laboratory analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 50
eISSN - 1098-2825
pISSN - 0887-8013
DOI - 10.1002/jcla.1860060305
Subject(s) - zidovudine , antigen , virology , antibody , medicine , aids related complex , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , immunology , hiv antigens , viral disease
Circulating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) p24 antigen levels were measured by a highly sensitive HIV p24 antigen‐capture enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS‐related complex (ARC) otherwise negative for HIV p24 antigenmeasured by a commercial antigen‐capture ELISA. The assays were performed at baseline and at several intervals during treatment with either zidovudine (ZDV) or dideoxyinosine (ddl). To further enhance the rate of antigen detection, serum was pretreated with hydrochloric acid to denature antibody in immune complexes. Utilizing this assay system, we monitored these patients for drug efficacy. HIV p24 antigen levels obtained by using this sensitive assay decreased in 3 of 8 patients receiving ZDV during 8 weeks of ZDV treatment. Similarly, ddl administration was associated with a decrease of HIV p24 antigen levels in 3 of 5 patients. Thus, the use of the highly sensitive HIV p24 antigen assay permitted the monitoring of surrogate HIV p24 antigen as a measure of efficacy of anti‐retroviral therapy in all of these patients who were otherwise HIV p24 antigen‐negative at the onset of anti‐retroviral therapy. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.