Evaluation of high-protein supplementation in weight-stable HIV-positive subjects with a history of weight loss: a randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: HIV patients with wasting are at increased risk of opportunistic complications and fatality. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that augmenting dietary intake with high-biologic-value protein would enhance weight and lean tissue in weight-stable subjects with a prior unintentional weight loss of >3%. DESIGN: Fifty-nine subjects with HIV RNA concentrations <5000 copies/mL were randomly assigned to receive a 280-kcal supplement containing 40 g whey protein or a matched isocaloric control supplement without added protein twice daily for 12 wk. RESULTS: Before the study, intake of total energy and protein exceeded estimated requirements (44.3 +/- 12.6 kcal x kg(-1) x d(-1) and 1.69 +/- 0.55 g x kg(-1) x d(-1), respectively). Both supplements failed to increase total energy intake because of decreases in self-selected food intake. Changes in weight (0.8 +/- 2.4 and 0.7 +/- 2.4 kg) and lean body mass (0.3 +/- 1.4 and 0.3 +/- 1.5 kg) did not differ significantly between the whey protein and control groups, respectively. Waist-to-hip ratio improved more with whey protein (-0.02 +/- 0.05) than with the control (0.01 +/- 0.03; P = 0.025) at week 6 but not at week 12. Fasting triacylglycerol increased by 39 +/- 98 mg/dL with the control supplement and decreased by 16 +/- 62 mg/dL with whey protein at week 12 (P = 0.03). CD4 lymphocytes increased by 31 +/- 84 cells/mm(3) with whey protein and decreased by 5 +/- 124 cells/mm(3) with the control supplement at 12 wk (P = 0.03). Gastrointestinal symptoms occurred more often with whey protein. CONCLUSIONS: A whey protein supplement did not increase weight or lean body mass in HIV-positive subjects who were eating adequately, but it did increase CD4 cell counts. The control supplement with rapidly assimilable carbohydrate substituted for protein increased cardiovascular disease risk factors. Careful dietary and weight history should be obtained before starting nutritional supplements in subjects with stable weight loss and good viral control.

Fish oil and fenofibrate for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia in HIV-infected subjects on antiretroviral therapy: results of ACTG A5186.

INTRODUCTION: Fish oil has been shown to reduce serum triglyceride (TG) concentrations. In HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy, high TG concentrations likely contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5186 examined the safety and efficacy of fish oil plus fenofibrate in subjects not achieving serum TG levels < or =200 mg/dL with either agent alone. METHODS: One hundred subjects on highly active antiretroviral therapy with serum TG concentrations > or =400 mg/dL and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol < or =160 mg/dL were randomized to 3 g of fish oil twice daily or 160 mg of fenofibrate daily for 8 weeks. Subjects with a fasting TG level >200 mg/dL at week 8 received a combination of fish oil and fenofibrate in the same doses from week 10 to week 18. RESULTS: Median baseline TG was 662 mg/dL in the fish oil group and 694 mg/dL in the fenofibrate group (P = not significant). Fish oil reduced TG levels by a median of 283 mg/dL (46%), fenofibrate reduced them by 367 mg/dL (58%), and combination therapy reduced them by 65.5%. Combination therapy achieved TG levels of < or =200 mg/dL in 22.7% subjects. Fish oil had no measurable effect on immunologic parameters or the pharmacokinetics of lopinavir. CONCLUSIONS: Fish oil was safe when administered alone or combined with fenofibrate and significantly reduced TG levels in HIV-infected subjects with hypertriglyceridemia.

Pretreatment factors associated with 3-year (144-week) virologic and immunologic responses to potent antiretroviral therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To examine pretreatment factors associated with longer term (144 weeks) responses to antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: Of 1498 ART-naive subjects randomized to ART regimens, including > or =3 agents, 1083 patients who had plasma HIV RNA (vRNA) levels and CD4 cell counts at baseline and week 144 were analyzed. Primary baseline factors evaluated were CD4 cell count, vRNA level, gender, race, and age, using multivariable Cox, log-binomial, and linear regression models. RESULTS: Shorter time to achieving a vRNA level <50 copies/mL was associated with lower baseline vRNA level (P < 0.001), older age (P = 0.007), and lower baseline CD4 cell count (P = 0.055). After adjusting for race, gender, and baseline CD4 cell count, older age was associated with a vRNA level <50 copies/mL at week 144 (P = 0.018). Greater CD4 count increases from baseline to week 144 (mean = 284 cells/microL) were seen in younger men, blacks, and subjects with higher pretreatment vRNA levels; the effect of pretreatment vRNA level was most apparent in women. CONCLUSIONS: Older age was the most important baseline predictor of a vRNA level <50 copies/mL at week 144; lower pretreatment vRNA level and older age were the most important predictors of time to a vRNA level <50 copies/mL. The influence of pretreatment factors on increases in CD4 cell counts differed between men and women.

Testosterone supplementation of megestrol therapy does not enhance lean tissue accrual in men with human immunodeficiency virus-associated weight loss: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial.

CONTEXT: Reduced energy intake is a primary factor in HIV-associated wasting. Megestrol acetate (MA) stimulates appetite and weight gain. However, much of the weight gained is fat, possibly as a result of MA-induced hypogonadism. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to determine whether coadministration of testosterone with MA could enhance lean body mass (LBM) accrual and evaluate the effects of MA, alone or combined with testosterone, on sexual functioning and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. DESIGN: This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. SETTING: Fourteen AIDS Clinical Trials Units in the United States participated in the study. SUBJECTS: Seventy-nine HIV-positive men with 5% or more weight loss or body mass index less than 20 kg/m2 took part in the study. INTERVENTION: Subjects were randomized to receive MA (800 mg daily) plus testosterone enanthate (200 mg; MA/TE; n = 41) or placebo (MA/PL; n = 38) biweekly for 12 wk. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight, body composition (bioelectric impedance analysis), adrenal and gonadal hormones, and sexual functioning (questionnaire) were measured. RESULTS: Both groups experienced robust increases in weight (median 5.3 and 7.3 kg in MA/TE and MA/PL, respectively), LBM (3.3 and 3.3 kg), and fat (3.0 and 3.8 kg). There were no significant differences between groups in the magnitude or composition of weight gain (P = 0.44, 0.90, and 0.11 for weight, LBM, and fat, respectively). Trough testosterone concentrations decreased to a greater extent in MA/PL (-12.3 vs. -6.1 nmol/liter in MA/TE; P = 0.04). Cortisol levels became nearly undetectable in subjects with plasma MA levels greater than 150 ng/ml. Sexual functioning was preserved with MA/TE but worsened in MA/PL. CONCLUSIONS: MA produced robust weight gain. Coadministration of testosterone preserved sexual functioning but did not enhance LBM accrual.

Variations in self-rated health among patients with HIV infection.

PURPOSE: To assess how patients with HIV who are enrolled in a clinical trials cohort rate their health and to compare their ratings with those of patients with HIV from 2 other cohorts: the HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS), and Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 320 (ACTG 320). METHODS: We analyzed baseline information for the 1649 subjects enrolled in the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group Longitudinal Linked Randomized Trials (ALLRT) study prior to March 2002 who had self-rated health data available. We compared those results with results from 2 other groups: HCSUS, the only nationally representative sample of people in care for HIV in the U.S., which conducted baseline interviews in 1996 and 1997, and ACTG 320, a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial comparing a 3-drug antiretroviral regimen with a 2-drug combination, which enrolled subjects in the same general time frame as HCSUS. We used t tests, Pearson correlations, and linear regression to determine factors associated with self-rated health and z scores to compare results between cohorts. RESULTS: The mean (SD) rating scale value on a 0-100 scale for ALLRT participants was 79.8 (16.8). Values were significantly lower for subjects who were older, had a history of injection drug use, had lower CD4 cell counts, or were beginning salvage antiretroviral therapy. Subjects in ALLRT reported significantly better self-rated health at baseline than those in HCSUS or ACTG 320 (11-12% higher rating scale values in ALLRT; p<0.05). When cohort differences were accounted for through regression and stratification, the differences in scores between subjects in ALLRT and HCSUS increased and the differences in scores between subjects in ALLRT and ACTG 320 diminished. CONCLUSIONS: Self-rated health varied significantly by age, CD4 count, injection drug use history, and salvage therapy status. Differences in self-rated health for clinical trials and non-clinical trials samples appear to be substantial and should be considered when applying trial results to clinical populations.

A randomized trial of the efficacy and safety of fenofibrate versus pravastatin in HIV-infected subjects with lipid abnormalities: AIDS Clinical Trials Group Study 5087.

There is a paucity of information on the safety and efficacy of lipid-lowering therapy for dyslipidemia associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and antiretroviral therapy. Our objective was to determine whether fenofibrate and pravastatin were equivalent for the treatment of combined dyslipidemia in HIV as measured by a composite of the National Cholesterol Education Project (NCEP) goals based on absolute values for low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TG), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and to compare the safety of these agents through 48 weeks. This was a randomized, open-label trial with subjects assigned to fenofibrate 200 mg (n = 88) or pravastatin 40 mg (n = 86) daily. Subjects who failed to reach the NCEP composite goal on monotherapy by week 12 received both drugs. The composite goal at week 12 was achieved in 1% of fenofibrate and 5% of pravastatin subjects. At week 16, 69/88 subjects on fenofibrate added pravastatin (FP) and 67/86 subjects on pravastatin added fenofibrate (PF). At week 48, 7% FP subjects and 3% PF subjects achieved the composite goal. Median changes in LDL/HDL/TG/non-HDL were -8/+5/-144/+50 and -14/+2/-66/+34 mg/dl in subjects receiving FP and PF, respectively. There were few adverse events and no rhabdomyolysis reported. Combination therapy with fenofibrate and pravastatin for HIV-related dyslipidemia provides substantial improvements in lipid parameters and appears safe, but is unlikely to achieve all NCEP targets for lipid levels.

Glucose metabolism, lipid, and body fat changes in antiretroviral-naive subjects randomized to nelfinavir or efavirenz plus dual nucleosides.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if particular components of antiretroviral drug regimens are associated with greater insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and peripheral lipoatrophy. METHODS: Metabolic and body composition variables were measured prospectively over 64 weeks in 334 antiretroviral-naive, HIV-infected subjects who were randomized to receive nelfinavir, efavirenz, or both, combined with zidovudine/lamivudine or didanosine/stavudine in a factorial design, multicenter trial. Subjects assigned to efavirenz (n = 110) were compared with those assigned to nelfinavir (n = 99); subjects assigned to zidovudine/lamivudine (n = 154) were compared with those assigned to didanosine/stavudine (n = 180). A subset of 157 subjects had serial dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans. RESULTS: Lipid measures increased in all groups. Greater increases in high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol occurred with efavirenz than with nelfinavir. Greater increases in total cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol occurred with stavudine and didanosine than with zidovudine/lamivudine. There were no differences in insulin resistance in the comparisons. After initial increases in the first 16 weeks, median limb fat decreased. Greater changes in percentage changes in limb fat occurred with didanosine/stavudine (-16.8%) than with zidovudine/lamivudine (+4.0%; P < 0.001 for overall change from baseline) and with nelfinavir (-13.1%) compared with efavirenz (+1.8%; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Over 64 weeks, all regimens were associated with increases in lipids but insulin resistance did not differ between groups. Regimens containing didanosine/stavudine and regimens containing nelfinavir were associated with greater loss of limb fat.

Carotid artery intima-media thickness and HIV infection: traditional risk factors overshadow impact of protease inhibitor exposure.

CONTEXT: The impact of HIV infection and exposure to antiretroviral therapy on the development of subclinical atherosclerosis is incompletely understood. OBJECTIVE: To compare intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery between HIV-infected subjects receiving protease inhibitor-containing regimens and subjects not receiving these regimens and to compare differences in the IMT of the carotid artery between HIV-infected subjects and HIV-uninfected subjects. METHODS: A prospective matched cohort study in university-based outpatient clinics. Groups of three individuals (triads) matched on the following characteristics were enrolled: age, sex, race/ethnicity, smoking status, blood pressure and menopausal status. Group 1, HIV-infected subjects with continuous use of protease inhibitor (PI) therapy for > or = 2 years; group 2, HIV-infected subjects without prior PI use; and group 3: HIV-uninfected. Ultrasonographers at six sites sent standardized ultrasound images to a central reading site for carotid IMT measurements. Carotid IMT was compared within the HIV-infected groups (1 and 2) and between the HIV-infected and uninfected groups in a matched analysis. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-four individuals were enrolled in 45 triads. The median IMT in groups 1, 2 and 3 was 0.690, 0.712 and 0.698 mm, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in IMT between groups 1 and 2, or in the combined HIV groups compared with the HIV uninfected group. Significant predictors of carotid IMT in a multivariate model included high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the interaction of HDL cholesterol and triglycerides, age and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: We found no association between PI inhibitor exposure or HIV infection and carotid IMT.

Lower CD4+ T lymphocyte nadirs may indicate limited immune reconstitution in HIV-1 infected individuals on potent antiretroviral therapy: analysis of immunophenotypic marker results of AACTG 5067.

BACKGROUND: Although initiation of potent antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly improved immune perturbations in individuals with AIDS, it is unclear which factors are most important in determining the degree of immune reconstitution. METHODS: Whole blood was analyzed at baseline and week 12 in six groups of subjects (n = 81): those with acute or following immune reconstitution after Pneumocystis jirovecii (previously known as Pneumocystis carinii) pneumonia (PcP) (two groups) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis (two groups), HIV-infection without AIDS (one group), and healthy volunteers (one group). Absolute CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, naive (CD45RA+) and memory (CD45RO+) CD4+ T lymphocytes and percentages of activated CD8+ T lymphocytes (CD8+/CD38+/HLA-DR), and CD28 expression on CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were enumerated. RESULTS: The reconstituted CMV group, which had a history of a lower CD4+ T lymphocyte nadir compared to the reconstituted PcP group (15 cells/mm(3) versus 48 cells/mm(3); p = .013), had significantly lower absolute CD4+, CD8+ and naive CD4+ T lymphocytes and a trend toward lower memory CD4+ T lymphocytes compared to the reconstituted PcP group. Moreover, no difference was noted between the reconstituted groups in the proportion of subjects with undetected HIV-1 RNA. The reconstituted subjects had significantly lower absolute CD4+, memory CD4+ and naive CD4+ T lymphocytes than the HIV-positive controls and a significantly higher percentage of activated CD8+ T lymphocytes with a lower percentage of CD8+CD28 expression than the HIV-negative controls. CONCLUSION: The association of CD4+ T lymphocyte nadir with the extent of immune reconstitution in HIV-infected individuals suggests that HIV-1 may cause irreparable immune system damage despite potent ART.

Effect of nandrolone decanoate therapy on weight and lean body mass in HIV-infected women with weight loss: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss is associated with accelerated mortality and disease progression in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Although studies have examined a variety of anabolic therapies in HIV-infected men, the safety and efficacy of such treatments in women have not been adequately studied. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, phase I/II study, 38 HIV-infected women with documented weight loss of 5% or greater in the preceding year or a body mass index of less than 20 kg/m(2) were randomized to receive nandrolone decanoate (100 mg) or an equivalent volume of placebo every other week by intramuscular injection. Subjects received blinded treatment for 12 weeks, followed by open-label therapy for 12 weeks. Lean body mass and fat (bioelectrical impedance analysis) and weight were measured at baseline and at weeks 6, 12, 18, and 24. Biochemical assessments of safety (hematologic analyses, liver function tests, and sex hormone measurements) were performed at these same time points. Clinical signs and symptoms were monitored biweekly. RESULTS: Subjects randomized to receive nandrolone had significant increases in weight and lean body mass during blinded treatment (4.6 kg [9.0%] and 3.5 kg [8.6%], respectively; P<.001 vs baseline and placebo in each case). Fat mass did not change statistically significantly in either group. Although there were no statistically significant differences between groups in biochemical measures, the number of grade 3 or greater toxicities, or reports of virilizing effects, a full assessment of safety cannot be made in a trial of this size. CONCLUSION: Nandrolone decanoate therapy may prove to be generally safe and beneficial in reversing weight loss and lean tissue loss in women with HIV infection and other chronic catabolic diseases.

Safety of discontinuation of maintenance therapy for disseminated histoplasmosis after immunologic response to antiretroviral therapy.

We performed a prospective observational study to assess the safety of stopping maintenance therapy for disseminated histoplasmosis among human immunodeficiency virus infected patients after response to antiretroviral therapy. All subjects received at least 12 months of antifungal therapy and 6 months of antiretroviral therapy before entry. Negative results of fungal blood cultures, urine and serum Histoplasma antigen level of <4.1 units, and CD4+ T cell count of >150 cells/mm3 were required for eligibility. Thirty-two subjects were enrolled; the median CD4+ T cell count at study entry was 289 cells/mm3. No relapses of histoplasmosis occurred after a median duration of follow-up of 24 months. This corresponded to an observed relapse rate of 0 cases per 65 person-years. The median CD4+ T cell count at final study visit was 338 cells/mm3. Discontinuation of antifungal maintenance therapy appears to be safe for patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome with previously treated disseminated histoplasmosis and sustained immunologic improvement in response to antiretroviral therapy.

Absence of sustained hyperlactatemia in HIV-infected patients with risk factors for mitochondrial toxicity.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of asymptomatic hyperlactatemia among HIV-infected individuals has been reported to be 4% to 36%. This variability may reflect differences in the definition of and risk factors for hyperlactatemia and/or techniques for venous lactate collection. METHODS: We examined the prevalence of elevated venous lactate collected in accordance with Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (AACTG) guidelines among HIV-infected and nucleoside analogue-treated subjects with risk factors associated with hyperlactatemia. Sustained hyperlactatemia was defined as 2 consecutive levels >or=1.5 but or=2 risk factors, with 11% having >4 risk factors. The median entry venous lactate level was 1.2 mmol/L (range: 0.7-5.1 mmol/L). Two subjects had a lactate level >1.5 times the ULN: 1 with a value of 2.1 times the ULN at entry and a week 2 level of 1.2 times the ULN and a second subject with a week 2 value of 1.9 times the ULN but an entry level of 1.4 times the ULN. The latter subject developed symptomatic lactic acidosis 3 weeks following study discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS: Sustained asymptomatic hyperlactatemia among subjects with risk factors associated with hyperlactatemia was not observed when venous lactate was measured in a standardized fashion. One case of hyperlactatemia that evolved into symptomatic lactic acidosis was diagnosed soon after the completion of the study, however. Our findings indicate that asymptomatic hyperlactatemia is either very rare or an artifact of collection technique.

Utilities derived from visual analog scale scores in patients with HIV/AIDS.

BACKGROUND: Visual analog scale (VAS) scores are used as global quality-of-life indicators and, unlike true utilities (which assess the desirability of health states v. an external metric), are often collected in HIV-related clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to derive and evaluate transformations relating aggregate VAS scores to utilities for current health in patients with HIV/AIDS. METHODS: HIV-specific transformations were developed using linear and nonlinear regression to attain models that best fit mean VAS and standard gamble (SG) utility values directly derived from 299 patients with HIV/AIDS participating in a multicenter study of health values. The authors evaluated the transformations using VAS and SG utility values derived directly from patients in other HIV/AIDS studies. Derived transformations were also compared with published transformations. RESULTS: A simple linear transformation was derived (u = 0.44v + 0.49), as was the exponent for a curvilinear model (u = 1 - [1 - v]1.6), where u = the sample mean utility and v the sample mean VAS score. The curvilinear transformation predicted values within 0.10 of the actual SG utility in 5 of 8 estimates and within 0.05 in 3 of 8 estimates (absolute error ranged from -0.01 to +0.21). The linear transformation performed somewhat better, predicting within 0.10 of the actual SG value in 6 of 8 cases and within 0.05 in 5 of 8 estimates (absolute error ranged from -0.05 to +0.13). An alternative linear model (u = v + 0.018) derived from the literature performed similarly to our linear model (7 of 8 predictions within 0.10, 1 of 8 estimates within 0.05, and absolute error ranging from -0.15 to +0.10), whereas an alternative published curvilinear model (u = 1 - [1 - v]2.3) performed the least well (2 of 8 estimates within 0.10 of the actual values and no estimates within 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Predicted utilities are a reasonable alternative for use in HIV/AIDS decision analyses and cost-effectiveness analyses. Linear transformations performed better than curvilinear transformations in this context and can be used to convert aggregate VAS scores to aggregate SG values in large HIV/AIDS studies that collect VAS data but not utilities.

Consequences and determinants of adherence to antiretroviral medication: results from Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 370.

OBJECTIVES: (1) To document rates and patterns of adherence from enrollment until week 24 of an AIDS clinical trial; (2) to examine the association of adherence to clinical end-points including plasma HIV-1 RNA level and CD4 cell count; and (3) to identify predictors of adherence from clinical, behavioural, psychosocial and demographic factors. DESIGN: Sub-study of a multicentre, randomised, open-label, comparison-controlled trial; 21 collaborating units of the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group. Observational, prospective analysis. METHODS: Ninety-three subjects with baseline plasma HIV-1 RNA levels >500 copies/ml, who completed clinical assessment, plasma HIV-1 RNA titres and CD4 cell counts at study entry, weeks 2, 4 and every 4 weeks thereafter until week 24. All patients were antiretroviral-experienced but were naive to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors. Self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapies prescribed as part of the trial was assessed every 4 weeks from trial, week 4 until week 24. RESULTS: Average adherence was high, with 63% of subjects reporting >95% adherence across the trial. However, there was a significant decline in adherence over time on trial. After controlling for potential confounding variables, patients who were less than 95% adherent to medications were 3.5-times more likely to have treatment failure (HIV-1 RNA >50 copies/ml) than subjects with adherence rates of 95-100%. The strongest predictor of adherence was adverse clinical events (for example, dermatological, gastrointestinal symptoms): patients with adverse events were 12.8-times less likely to have 95-100% adherence. Other clinical, demographic, psychosocial and behavioural factors were also significant predictors of adherence. CONCLUSIONS: Adherence influences virological outcome even in AIDS clinical trials where overall adherence rates are high and should therefore be monitored in future trials. Intervention may be warranted to enhance adherence for subjects who have early toxicities, express concern about taking medications as directed, and for women and minorities.

Predictive value of HIV-1 viral load on risk for opportunistic infection.

OBJECTIVE: The relationship between HIV-1 viral load and the risk for opportunistic infection (OI) was examined in Adult AIDS Clinical Trial Group (AACTG) 722, a virology substudy of AACTG 323: a phase 4 randomized study designed to examine the use of chronic suppressive versus episodic fluconazole therapy. METHODS: The primary analysis used a case-control sampling scheme with two controls per "case" (subjects that developed an OI) matched by gender, age, and time on study. Forty-five cases and matched controls were identified and used in the analysis. RESULTS: Study 722 accrued 518 subjects between 5/97 and 11/99. Forty-five subjects developed serious OIs or refractory candidiasis. Median baseline CD4 count was 24 cell/mm3 for cases and 46 for controls (p =.003). Median viral load (VL) was 5.02 log10 copies/mL for cases and 4.08 for controls (p =.002). Multivariate analysis found four independent variables associated with time to OI: baseline VL and CD4 (RR = 2.2 per log increment and 6.0 per 50-cell increment, respectively), a one log increase in VL at any time (RR = 15), and history of an OI (RR = 5.2). CONCLUSIONS: VL and changes in VL were independently associated with risk of development of OIs in a prospective study and should be considered by clinicians when assessing patients for risk of OI.