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Case 3: Laboratory Monitoring after Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

You answered:

D If the patient's baseline HIV RNA value of 112,000 copies/ml decrease to 55,000 copies/ml 4 weeks after starting therapy, it would indicate an excellent early response to antiretroviral therapy.

This answer is incorrect. The first post-treatment HIV RNA value should indicate a more substantial decrease in the HIV RNA level (at least a 1.0 log decrease compared with baseline).

A The CD4 cell count is the most important laboratory test to obtain at 1 month after starting antiretroviral therapy.
B A follow-up HIV RNA value should first be checked 10-12 weeks after starting therapy.
C A follow-up HIV RNA value should first be checked 2-8 weeks after starting therapy.

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