This study will examine whether interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows HIV disease progression in patients with low CD4+ T cell counts compared with patients taking ART alone. CD4+ T cells are a subset of lymphocytes-white blood cells that are part of the body's immune system. IL-2 is a protein that is naturally produced by lymphocytes. Given in intermittent cycles, IL-2 can raise CD4+ T cell counts in some HIV-infected patients taking antiretroviral drugs. This study will examine whether the increase in CD4+ T cells lowers the risk of AIDS-related illnesses and death.
The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical results of individuals living with advanced HIV infection who are treated with interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus active antiretroviral therapy (ART) to a control group of individuals treated with stable ART alone. The primary objective of the study is to determine if intermittent cycles of IL-2 delay the occurrence of opportunistic infections and the progression of advanced HIV disease compared to ART alone.