No Significant Effect of COVID-19 on HIV suppression

[Jim Allen]

I've always understood the same for other infections in well managed and continuing treatment of HIV, this seems to point towards the same for COVID in PLHIV.

Poz.com writeup in full: https://www.poz.com/article/covid19-affect-cd4-counts-hiv-viral-load

In short:

The present study included 14 people with HIV who had a positive PCR test for SARS-CoV-2. Two thirds were men, and the median age was about 53. A majority had one or more underlying health conditions, including hypertension, type 2 diabetes or obesity. At the time of COVID-19 diagnosis, all were on antiretroviral treatment, and all but one had an undetectable HIV viral load (below 50). The median CD4 count was 612, the median CD8 count was 917 and the median CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.69; two had a prior AIDS diagnosis.

Eleven participants (79%) had upper respiratory tract symptoms of COVID-19, and three (21%) had pneumonia; only the latter three were hospitalized. All recovered, and none developed acute respiratory distress syndrome or required intensive care.

Five people had low total lymphocyte levels (below 1,000), and three had low platelet counts (less than 150,000) at the time of COVID-19 diagnosis. After recovery, with a median eight weeks of follow-up, the median total lymphocyte count had risen to 1,609. At that time, the median CD4 count was 665 (ranging from 391 to 955), the median CD8 count was 886 (ranging from 513 to 1167) and the median CD4/CD8 ratio was 0.72. These changes in immunological parameters were not statistically significant, meaning they could have been due to chance.

All participants who started with an undetectable viral load maintained viral suppression, with none experiencing virological failure during the study period.

The researchers stressed that “larger cohort studies are needed to better understand characteristics and consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection in HIV-positive people.”

[paintedroom]

Hey Jim,hope all well ?

This is very apropos as i tested covid positive yesterday.As im in Dublin this is now the English strain which seems to be more injurious to those with HIV.

My last CD4 was 240,down from 300, and as there is some indication that pneumonia is an issue with covid and HIV i thought i should ring my GP(Also specialises in HIV) and ask whether i should consider going back on bactrim(came off years ago) ?

I know its too early to say anything definitive but have you any impressions of the accounts thus far of those with HIV and covid ?

Many thanks,P.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

Hope you feel better soon. I was meaning and will post a longer reply to your thread later, still working here.

Just wanted to say as for CD4 of 240 or 300, it's the same, no difference. Pneumonia is always a concern, However, you should also have been vaccinated against that already.

[paintedroom]

Thanks man..no pressure no hassle.Still shouldering the not insignificant burden around here ? - I feel like a degenerate next to you.

Be lucky !