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Cerebrospinal fluid analysis in HIV‐1‐infected children: immunological and virological findings before and after AZT therapy
Author(s) -
Laverda AM,
Gallo P,
Rossi A De,
Sivieri S,
Cogo P,
Pagliaro A,
ChiecoBianchi L,
Tavolato B
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1994.tb12979.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cerebrospinal fluid , antiretroviral therapy , virology , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , immunology , zidovudine , sida , viral disease , viral load
Immunological and viral studies were conducted on cerebrospinal fluid from 31 HIV‐1‐infected children, of whom 23 were neurologically asymptomatic and 8 had progressive encephalopathy. After AZT treatment, a second cerebrospinal fluid specimen was obtained from 15 children, 11 of whom were neurologically asymptomatic and 4 had progressive encephalopathy. Virus isolation and p24Ag detection were more frequent in children with progressive encephalopathy than in asymptomatic children (66% versus 12%) and were inversely correlated with intrathecal HIV‐1‐antibody detection (anti‐gag AB: 25% versus 70%). High concentrations of interleukin‐10 (IL‐1p) and IL‐6 were found in children with progressive encephalopathy (50% and 37%, respectively), but low levels were also detected in some asymptomatic children (13% and 9%, respectively). Tumour necrosis factor‐a (TNFa) was not found. AZT treatment induced disappearance of p24Ag in cerebrospinal fluid, as well as a marked reduction in cytokine levels. Cytokine determination may be useful in monitoring AZT treatment in children with progressive encephalopathy.