2015-05-29T07:34:43
Study Confirms Benefits of Early HIV Treatment
By the Editors
Early treatment for patients with HIV is associated with over a 50% reduction in risk for serious illness or death, according to study data released by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
In the START study, over 4500 asymptomatic people with HIV and CD4+ cell counts >500 were randomized to receive immediate antiretroviral therapy or to wait until the count dropped to 350. In an interim analysis, after roughly 3 years' follow-up, there were 41 cases of AIDS, serious non-AIDS events, or death in the early-treatment group versus 86 in the deferred-treatment group.
In a news release, NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci said, "Early therapy conveys a double benefit, not only improving the health of individuals but at the same time, by lowering their viral load, reducing the risk they will transmit HIV to others. These findings have global implications for the treatment of HIV."
- See more at: http://www.jwatch.org/fw110245/2015/05/28/study-confirms-benefits-early-hiv-treatment?query=pfwTOC#sthash.SGMcmyRs.dpuf