The following factors were assessed before, immediately after the end of, and 1 month after the end of therapy: expression of HLA-DR/CD38, PD-1, and CD57 on CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells; measurement of the total HIV DNA load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells; and determination of plasma levels of soluble CD14 (sCD14), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), interleukin 6 (IL-6), D-dimers, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP).
Compared to HIV-uninfected controls (n = 15), individuals who were recently infected with HIV had lower proportions of CD28(-)CD8(+) T cells expressing CD57 (P < .001), and these proportions increased during ART.