AUTHOR=Branca Mattia , Marinosci Annalisa , Sculier Delphine , Wandeler Gilles , Yerly Sabine , Stoeckle Marcel , Bernasconi Enos , Braun Dominique L. , Neumann Kathrin , Vernazza Pietro , Cavassini Matthias , Buzzi Marta , Decosterd Laurent A. , Schmid Patrick , Limacher Andreas , Günthard Huldrych F. , Metzner Karin J. , Calmy Alexandra TITLE=Role of the HIV-1 Reservoir to Maintain Viral Suppression in a Simplified Strategy for the Long-Term Management of HIV-1 Infection (The SIMPL’HIV Trial) JOURNAL=Frontiers in Virology VOLUME=2 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/virology/articles/10.3389/fviro.2022.855437 DOI=10.3389/fviro.2022.855437 ISSN=2673-818X ABSTRACT=

HIV-1 reservoir size and dynamics are promising parameters to ensure the safe prescription of simplified maintenance antiretroviral therapy in chronically HIV-1 infected patients. In the SIMPL’HIV trial, HIV-1 DNA was quantified in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained at baseline and week 48 to investigate changes over time and evidence of a predictive relationship to maintain HIV-1 RNA <20 copies/ml. Measurements were available for 175 patients, with no differences observed between treatment strategies. Findings showed that baseline HIV-1 DNA was lower in those with durable HIV-1 RNA <20 copies/ml compared with patients with incomplete viral suppression over 48 weeks.