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Variability in repeated consecutive measurements of plasma human immunodeficiency virus RNA in persons receiving stable nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy or no treatment.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Bartlett, JA; DeMasi, R; Dawson, D; Hill, A
Published in: J Infect Dis
December 1998

Plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) RNA levels correlate closely with clinical prognosis in both treated and untreated HIV-infected persons and are widely used to guide clinical practice and as a primary end point in clinical trials. Thus, variability in these measurements may significantly affect their interpretation in clinical practice and research. The variability in consecutive measurements of plasma HIV RNA levels was studied in 387 subjects receiving either stable nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy or no treatment. The Pearson's correlation coefficient between baseline measures 2 weeks apart was 0.92. The mean SD in consecutive measurements 1 month apart was 0.31 log10 copies/mL with a 95% tolerance limit of 0.7 log10 copies/mL (5-fold). Two-thirds of the total variance in consecutive measures 1 month apart was due to biologic fluctuation; one-third was due to assay variance. The biologic variance increased proportionately with the number of weeks between assessments. Clinicians and investigators should be aware of the magnitude of variability in viral RNA levels in the HIV-infected population.

Duke Scholars

Published In

J Infect Dis

DOI

ISSN

0022-1899

Publication Date

December 1998

Volume

178

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1803 / 1805

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • RNA, Viral
  • Microbiology
  • Humans
  • HIV-1
  • HIV Infections
  • Follow-Up Studies
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Journal cover image

Published In

J Infect Dis

DOI

ISSN

0022-1899

Publication Date

December 1998

Volume

178

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1803 / 1805

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Time Factors
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
  • Retrospective Studies
  • RNA, Viral
  • Microbiology
  • Humans
  • HIV-1
  • HIV Infections
  • Follow-Up Studies