Cytomegalovirus seropositivity and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA levels in individuals with hemophilia.

The effect of cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositivity on the course of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA levels and HIV disease progression was assessed in a cohort of 109 hemophilic men infected with HIV-1 for a median of 12.7 years. There was no evidence of higher HIV RNA levels in the first year after HIV seroconversion (P=. 88) or faster rates of increase over infection (P=.20) in the 59 CMV-seropositive individuals than in the CMV-seronegative individuals. In univariate analyses, CMV seropositivity was associated with significantly faster progression to AIDS and death (relative hazards of 1.58 and 2.22, respectively). These effects were unchanged after adjusting for the RNA level, but they were reduced after adjusting for the CD4 cell count, age at seroconversion, and calendar year of follow-up. Thus, the effect of CMV seropositivity on clinical progression remains significant in this cohort but does not appear to be mediated through an increase in HIV RNA levels.