Initial Plasma HIV-1 RNA Levels and Progression to AIDS in Women and Men

Studies of a possible difference between men and women in the plasma level of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA (the viral load) have had conflicting results. Some cross-sectional 1 , 2 and longitudinal 3 – 5 studies have found lower plasma HIV-1 RNA levels in women than in men after controlling for the CD4+ lymphocyte count, but two cross-sectional studies did not find a difference. 6 , 7 We previously observed that the difference between men and women in the viral load was greatest soon after seroconversion and diminished over time, suggesting different viral dynamics in women and men. 4 Previous studies of difference between . . .