Appeaning Mark, Magomere Edwin, Abotsi Alberta Mawulawoe, Amoako Nana Ama Yeboaa, Kouffie Kirk Elorm, Tetteh Becky Ewurama, Quist Bridget Nana Darkoa, Tchopba Christèle Nguepou, Ansa Gloria Akosua, Bonney Evelyn Yayra, Quashie Peter Kojo
West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG54, Legon, Accra, 23321, Ghana.
Department of Biochemistry Cell and Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box LG54, Legon, Accra, 23321, Ghana.
Virol J. 2025 Jul 19;22(1):247. doi: 10.1186/s12985-025-02873-w.
INTRODUCTION: The West African HIV/AIDS epidemic, historically driven by HIV-1 CRF02_AG, other recombinant forms and HIV-2, remains less researched for various preventive and therapeutic interventions. We established the WACCBIP long-term HIV Infection Cohort (WHICH Study) to investigate the dynamics of HIV epidemic in Ghana. This report evaluates viral load dynamics, immune responses, and organ-level metabolic changes following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation. METHOD: We collected blood samples, medical, and demographic data from ART-naïve individuals at baseline and six months post-ART, and from ART-experienced individuals at a single time point. Participants, aged 10 years and above, were purposively enrolled from six health facilities. Laboratory analyses included viral load, CD4 and CD8 counts, co-infection screening (hepatitis B/C, syphilis), liver and kidney function tests, haemoglobin estimation, and HIV-1/2 typing. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to assess associations between participant demographics and clinical data with uncontrolled viremia and immune recovery. RESULTS: A total of 426 participants were recruited, comprising 159 ART-naïve and 267 ART-experienced individuals, with a mean age of 41.5 years. Median ART duration for ART-experienced was greater than 5 years. Infections included HIV-1 (78.6%), HIV-2 (2.1%), and dual HIV-1&2 (19.2%). Common comorbidities were anaemia (54.9%), hepatitis B (9.5%), and hypertension (8.2%). Most participant (97.9%) were on dolutegravir-anchored regimen. Among ART-naïve individuals, median viral load decreased from log 5.16 at baseline to log 4.64 copies/mL after six months (p = 0.0156). Median viral load for the ART-experienced arm was log 3.23 copies/mL. Median CD4 count increased from 290 cells/mm³ in ART-naïve participants to 504 cells/mm³ at six-months post-ART (p = 0.0003) and 581 cells/mm³ in ART-experienced participants (p < 0.0001). ART-naïve participants were 19 times more likely to have unsuppressed viral loads at baseline compared to ART-experienced participants. ARTnaïve- participants had significantly decreased odds of immune recovery (aOR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.140-0.85, p = 0.021), as did those with low CD4/CD8 ratio (aOR = 0.06, 95% CI: 0.02-0.20; p < 0.001). Kidney function and haemoglobin levels were significantly improved six-month post-ART among the ART-naïve group. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the significant reduction in viral load and improved immune recovery following ART initiation despite uncontrolled viremia in a subset of participants. This cohort presents an opportunity to study Ghana's local HIV epidemic, including HIV-1 and HIV-2, and impact of ART on disease progression.
引言:西非的艾滋病毒/艾滋病疫情,历史上由HIV-1 CRF02_AG、其他重组形式和HIV-2驱动,在各种预防和治疗干预方面的研究仍然较少。我们建立了WACCBIP长期艾滋病毒感染队列(WHICH研究),以调查加纳艾滋病毒疫情的动态。本报告评估了抗逆转录病毒治疗(ART)开始后病毒载量动态、免疫反应和器官水平的代谢变化。 方法:我们在基线和ART后六个月收集了未接受过ART治疗个体的血样、医疗和人口统计学数据,并在单一时间点收集了有ART治疗经验个体的数据。年龄在10岁及以上的参与者从六个卫生设施中有意招募。实验室分析包括病毒载量、CD4和CD8计数、合并感染筛查(乙型/丙型肝炎、梅毒)、肝肾功能测试、血红蛋白估计以及HIV-1/2分型。使用卡方检验和逻辑回归分析来评估参与者人口统计学和临床数据与未控制的病毒血症和免疫恢复之间的关联。 结果:共招募了426名参与者,包括159名未接受过ART治疗的个体和267名有ART治疗经验的个体,平均年龄为41.5岁。有ART治疗经验者的ART中位持续时间超过5年。感染包括HIV-1(78.6%)、HIV-2(2.1%)和HIV-1&2双重感染(19.2%)。常见合并症包括贫血(54.9%)、乙型肝炎(9.5%)和高血压(8.2%)。大多数参与者(97.9%)采用以多替拉韦为基础的治疗方案。在未接受过ART治疗的个体中,病毒载量中位数从基线时的log 5.16降至六个月后的log 4.64拷贝/毫升(p = 0.0156)。有ART治疗经验组的病毒载量中位数为log 3.23拷贝/毫升。未接受过ART治疗的参与者的CD4计数中位数从290个细胞/立方毫米增加到ART后六个月时的504个细胞/立方毫米(p = 0.0003),有ART治疗经验的参与者增加到581个细胞/立方毫米(p < 0.0001)。与有ART治疗经验的参与者相比,未接受过ART治疗的参与者在基线时病毒载量未得到抑制的可能性高19倍。未接受过ART治疗的参与者免疫恢复的几率显著降低(调整后比值比 = 0.35,95%置信区间:0.140 - 0.85,p = 0.021),CD4/CD8比值低的参与者也是如此(调整后比值比 = 0.06,95%置信区间:0.02 - 0.20;p < 0.001)。未接受过ART治疗的组在ART后六个月时肾功能和血红蛋白水平显著改善。 结论:本研究强调了尽管部分参与者存在未控制的病毒血症,但ART开始后病毒载量显著降低且免疫恢复得到改善。该队列提供了一个研究加纳当地艾滋病毒疫情(包括HIV-1和HIV-2)以及ART对疾病进展影响的机会。
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