Pseudouridine and 1-Ribosylpyridin-4-One-3-Carboxamide (PCNR) Serum Concentrations in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1-Infected Patients Are Independent Predictors for AIDS Progression

A prospective study was conducted with 161 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients to investigate the prognostic role of 10 serum-modified nucleosides with regard to some of the most widely used parameters of AIDS progression. Serum concentrations of pseudouridine (>3.77 nmol/mL) predicted progression to AIDS in CDC stage A2 HIV-infected patients much better than did other widely used parameters (hazard ratio, 2.7 ; 95% confidence interval, 1.29-6.35 ; P =.01 ; median permanence time in stage A2, 17 vs. 30.5 months ; P =.03). Serum concentrations of l-ribosylpyridin-4-one-3-carboxamide (PCNR) and β 2 -microglobulin and the CD4 :CD8 cell ratio, in decreasing order and used in combination, differentiated the overall survival time probability of AIDS patients ; PCNR was the best and a new independent predictor (overall survival time, >31 months, no positive parameters ; 19.3 months, one positive parameter ; and 5.5 months, two positive parameters).