Pure Red Cell Aplasia Caused by Parvovirus B19 in Patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection: A Series of Four Cases

Parvovirus B19(B19V)infection can cause pure red cell aplasia(PRCA)in patients with human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)infection.Intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG)is a preferred treatment option.From July 2019 to March 2022,four patients with HIV infection were admitted to Guangzhou Eighth People’s Hospital with dizziness and fatigue and were diagnosed with PRCA.Blood investigations revealed severe anemia and the B19V genome.Therefore,the four patients were diagnosed with B19V-induced PRCA.All four patients received red blood cell transfusion in the setting of antiretroviral therapy,and two of the four patients received intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG).After 3-7 months of treatment,all four patients recovered,although two did not receive IVIG.This suggests that IVIG is not always necessary for the treatment of PRCA in patients with HIV infection and that effective antiretroviral therapy and immunological reconstitution play an important role in the eradication of parvovirus.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell transfusion in immune non-responders with AIDS:a multicenter randomized controlled trial

We examined the safety and efficacy of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell(hUC-MSC)infusion for immune nonresponder(INR)patients with chronic HIV-1 infection,who represent an unmet medical need even in the era of efficient antiretroviral therapy(ART).Seventy-two INR patients with HIV were enrolled in this phase II randomized,double-blinded,multicenter,placebo-controlled,dose-determination trial(NCT01213186)from May 2013 to March 2016.They were assigned to receive high-dose(1.5 x 106/kg body weight)or low-dose(0.5 x 106/kg body weight)hUC-MSC,or placebo.Their clinical and immunological parameters were monitored during the 96-week follow-up study.We found that hUC-MSC treatment was safe and well-tolerated.Compared with baseline,there was a statistical increase in CD4+T counts in the high-dose(P<0.001)and low-dose(P<0.001)groups after 48-week treatment,but no change was observed in the control group.Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a higher cumulative probability of achieving an immunological response in the low-dose group compared with the control group(95.8%vs.70.8%,P=0.00A).However,no significant changes in CD4/CD84-T counts and CD4/CD8 ratios were observed among the three groups.In summary,hUC-MSC treatment is safe.However,the therapeutic efficacy of hUC-MSC treatment to improve the immune reconstitution in INR patients still needs to be further investigated in a large cohort study.

Persistently low CD4 cell counts are associated with hepatic events in HCV/HIV coinfected patients: data from the national free antiretroviral treatment program of China

Background: Chronic liver disease has emerged as a leading cause of non-acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related mortality in hepatitis C virus (HCV)/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-coinfected patients. The relationship between CD4 cell count and HIV-related opportunistic infections and tumors has been well characterized;however, it is unclear whether CD4 cell count is associated with HCV-related hepatic events.Methods: This observational cohort study enrolled HCV/HIV-coinfected patients from the National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program of China from 2004 to 2019 in Guangzhou. The primary outcome was a composite of hepatic events, including cirrhosis complications, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and liver-related mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed.Results: Among the 793 patients, 43 developed hepatic events during a median follow-up of 6.7 years, including 35 cirrhosis complications, 13 HCC cases, and 14 cases of liver-related mortality. The 5-year and 10-year cumulative incidences of hepatic events were 4.2% and 9.3%, respectively. Patients who developed hepatic events had a less satisfactory increase in CD4 cell count, lower peak CD4 (354.5 cells/μLvs. 560.0 cells/μL,P < 0.001), and lower percentage of peak CD4 > 500 cells/μL (30.2%vs. 60.7%,P < 0.001) after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) than those who did not. The cumulative incidences of hepatic events were higher in patients with lower peak CD4 levels with adjusted odds ratios of 3.96 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.51-10.40), 2.25 (95% CI: 0.87-5.86), and 0.98 (95% CI: 0.35-2.74) for patients with peak CD4 at <200 cells/μL, 200-350 cells/μL, and 351 to 500 cells/μL, respectively, relative to those with peak CD4 > 500 cells/μL. Peak CD4 was negatively associated with the risk of hepatic events in a dose-response manner (P-value for trend = 0.004).Conclusion: Persistently low CD4 cell counts after ART are independently associated with a high risk of hepatic events in HCV/HIV-coinfected patients, highlighting the important role of immune reconstitution in improving liver outcomes.