Figure 4

AEDs and their effects on immune parameters. (A) In viremic or ART-naïve patients, mean log₁₀ viral load in patients treated with sodium channel blockers (SCB: carbamazepine, lamotrigine and phenytoin; N = 44), calcium channel blockers (CCB: gabapentin, pregabalin; N = 65) and valproate (N = 20) were higher than the detection limit at all time points. (B) In all AED-treated aviremic patients, mean log₁₀ viral loads were maintained at or near detection levels throughout the 12 month follow-up period. (C) Mean blood CD4+ T cell levels were constant over the 12 months in viremic patients. (D) In contrast, aviremic patients receiving SCB (N = 14) and CCB (N = 36) cART had higher CD4+ T cell levels at 6 and 12 months compared to the baseline while there was no change in CD4+ T cell levels in patients treated with valproate. (E and F) AED therapies did not affect blood CD8+ T cell levels in both patient groups. (Friedman test with Dunn's multiple comparison post hoc test; *p < 0.05)