Rheumatic diseases that may remit or improve in association with AIDS
SLE and RA are both mediated through a process involving the interaction of the major histocompatibility class II gene products and the CD4+ T lymphocytes. Therefore, SLE and RA may become quiescent with progressive HIV infection and decreasing CD4+ T-cell counts. Notably, however, some RA patients may not go into remission. SLE with comorbid HIV may present with overlapping features (rash, arthralgia, myalgia, adenopathy, and cytopenia) and typically will have less severe disease and/or lower antibody titers. When an HIV-infected patient with previously diagnosed SLE or RA is being treated with ART, the resultant immune reconstitution can cause a recurrence of their SLE or RA which had previously been inactive.
