When to Start Anti-HIV Drugs in Children Infected With HIV (The PREDICT Study)

The use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in a significant reduction in AIDS-related deaths and complications among adults and adolescents. However, the medical management of HIV infected children remains challenging. Access to HIV treatment is limited and early treatment initiation can cause serious complications. Since there is currently no cure for HIV, a balance between treating the disease and maintaining quality of life must be weighed carefully. An evaluation to determine the appropriate time to initiate HAART is necessary to improve both quality of life and survival for HIV infected children.

This study will last 144 weeks. All participants will have a CD4 percentage (CD4%) between 15% and 24% and will be randomly assigned to either receive immediate or delayed HAART. The HAART regimen will consist of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, zidovudine and lamivudine. In addition, participants will also receive either one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, nevirapine or efavirenz, or one protease inhibitor, ritonavir-boosted lopinavir or nelfinavir. Abacavir will replace zidovudine or lamivudine if participants experience toxicity to the regimen. Participants in the immediate treatment arm will receive HAART on Day 1 of the study regardless of their CD4%. Participants in the delayed treatment arm will receive HAART if their CD4% falls below 15 or if they develop a CDC Category C illness.

Study visits will occur every 4 weeks for the first 12 weeks and then every 12 weeks until the end of the study. Blood collection, physical exams, and medical and medication history reviews will occur at all visits. Adherence, quality of life, and lipodystrophy assessments will occur every 12 weeks for participants on HAART. Participants will be encouraged to enroll in a related substudy to examine the neurodevelopment of HIV infected children.

Inclusion criteria

• HIV-1 infected
• Antiretroviral naive, defined as never receiving anti-HIV medications, receiving them for less than 7 days, or only receiving them to prevent mother-to-child transmission (MTCT)
• CD4% between 15 and 24 within 30 days prior to study entry
• CDC pediatric clinical classification A or B
• Parent or guardian willing to provide informed consent and willing to follow all study procedures and requirements

Exclusion criteria

• Use of systemic chemotherapy, immunomodulators, HIV vaccines, immune globulin, interleukins, or interferons within 30 days prior to study entry
• Active AIDS-defining illnesses (CDC Category C) within 30 days prior to study entry
• Certain abnormal laboratory values
• Known kidney disease
• Known allergy or sensitivity to study drugs
• Require certain medications
• Pregnancy