Factors associated with oxidative stress in virologically suppressed people living with HIV on long-term antiretroviral therapy.

Background: Oxidative stress (OS) is the imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant molecules, in favour of oxidants, that has been associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in ART-treated people living with HIV (PLWH). We aimed to assess factors associated with OS in virologically suppressed PLWH on long-term modern ART.

Method: In this cross-sectional study we evaluated OS by measuring both the levels of derivatives-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and the biological antioxidant potential (BAP).

Response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine of ART-experienced people living with HIV: a prospective analysis from a single-center study in Rome, Italy.

Objectives: We aimed to assess the immunologic response to BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in ART-experienced people living with HIV (PLWH). Methods: In this pilot prospective study, we enrolled 20 PLWH (all on effective ART, 80% with CD4 cells count >500) and 52 immunocompetent health-care workers, as control. All subjects received two doses of vaccine 21 days apart.

Inflammation markers in virologically suppressed HIV-Infected patients after switching to dolutegravir plus lamivudine vs continuing triple therapy: 48-week results in real-life setting.

To evaluate the impact of a treatment switch to dolutegravir plus lamivudine on the soluble inflammatory biomarkers of HIV-infected patients treated in a real-life setting. This was a longitudinal study that enrolled virologically-suppressed patients on stable 3-drug ART who switched at baseline to dolutegravir + lamivudine (2DR-group), based on the clinician's decision, or maintained triple therapy (3DR-group). Subjects in the 3DR-group were matched with those in the 2DR-group for age, gender and type of anchor drug.

External quality assessment of HIV-1 DNA quantification assays used in the clinical setting in Italy.

Total cell-associated HIV-1 DNA is a surrogate marker of the HIV-1 reservoir, however, certified systems for its quantification are not available. The Italian HIV DNA Network was launched to validate HIV-1 DNA quantification methods in use at University and Hospital labs. A quality control panel including HIV-1 DNA standards, reconstructed blood samples (RBSs) and DNA from different HIV-1 subtypes was blindly tested by 12 participating labs by quantitative real-time PCR (n = 6), droplet digital PCR (n = 3) or both (n = 3).

Quantification of Total HIV DNA as a Marker to Measure Viral Reservoir: Methods and Potential Implications for Clinical Practice.

The focus of this review is to examine the importance of quantifying total HIV DNA to target the HIV reservoir and the clinical implications and challenges involved in its future application in clinical practice. Despite intrinsic limitations, the quantification of total HIV DNA is currently the most widely used marker for exploring the HIV reservoir. As it allows estimating all forms of HIV DNA in the infected cells, total HIV DNA load is the biomarker of the HIV reservoir that provides most of the insights into HIV pathogenesis.