Study data from S.Y. Chen and co-authors update knowledge of HIV/AIDS
2009 JUL 13 - (NewsRx.com) -- "The expense in time and money limit the use of randomized clinical trials (RCT) and cohort studies for evaluating long-term AIDS treatment outcomes. We conducted a case-control study to characterize predictors of AIDS mortality after the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in San Francisco, in which cases were matched with controls on stage of disease, year of AIDS diagnosis and year of HAART initiation," scientists in the United States report. "Overall, 266 cases and 1173 controls were included, representing >90% of eligible patients. The class of initial HAART regimen was not associated with mortality. Predictors of mortality were older age ([adjusted odds ratio] AOR 1.23, 95% [confidence interval] Cl: 1.13-1.35), public versus private health insurance (AOR 2.80, 95% Cl: 1.77-4.42), no versus private insurance (AOR 1.45, 95% Cl: 1.02-2.07) and unboosted saquinavir (AOR 2.50, 95% Cl: 1.34-4.65). Survival benefit was found in following the 2004 US Department of Health and Human Services preferred treatment guidelines; borderline survival benefits were found in following the guidelines from other years. Similar predictors were found for all-cause and AIDS.-specific mortality. Our findings mirrored those of RCT and multi-centre cohort studies, and may be applicable to other settings," wrote S.Y. Chen and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "Our findings support similar survival benefit to persons initiating HAART with non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor- or protease inhibitor-based regimens.." Chen and colleagues published their study in International Journal of STD & AIDS (A novel use of AIDS surveillance data to assess the impact of initial treatment regimen on survival. International Journal of STD & AIDS, 2009;20(5):330-335). For additional information, contact S.Y. Chen, 25 Ness Avenue, Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA. The publisher's contact information for the International Journal of STD & AIDS is: Royal Society Medicine Press Ltd., 1 Wimpole Street, London W1G 0AE, England. Keywords: United States, San Francisco, HIV/AIDS, AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Antivirals, Clinical Trial Research, Drug Development, HAART, HIV, Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor, Pharmaceuticals, Protease Inhibitor, Therapy, Treatment, Virology. This article was prepared by AIDS Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, AIDS Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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