The majority of patients change or stop anti-HIV medications during the first five years of treatment, according to results of a recent study. However, a second study indicates that the use of fixed-dose combination medications reduces the probability of regimen switching and, in some cases, increases the probability of viral suppression during the first year of treatment.

The studies were presented at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston earlier this month.

“In our data set,…

Results from a recent German study indicate that non-AIDS-defining cancers are now more prevalent than AIDS-defining cancers among people with HIV and two to three times more common than in the general population. Results showed that anal cancer and Hodgkin’s lymphoma in particular are much more common among people with HIV.

In light of these results, the study authors called for more intensive cancer prevention efforts in people with HIV, including at least once yearly screening for anal cancer in…

Results from two recent studies indicate that HIV infection increases the risk for coronary heart disease. However, people with HIV on antiretroviral therapy and with high CD4 (white blood) cell counts are at a lower risk compared to HIV patients with low CD4 cell counts.

The studies were presented last week at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston.

Coronary heart disease, also called coronary artery disease, is caused by atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries…

Results of a small Phase 1 clinical trial showed that gene therapy made cells of people with HIV resistant to HIV infection and increased CD4 counts. The results were presented Monday by Sangamo Biosciences at the 18th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).

“While preliminary, these data are very encouraging and an early validation of the feasibility of our novel gene modification approach for the treatment of HIV/AIDS,” said Dr. Dale Ando, Sangamo’s vice president of therapeutic development and…

A new study of patients with both HIV and hepatitis C found they had a higher rate of osteoporosis than people in previous studies who had HIV but not hepatitis C. The researchers also found that controlled HIV replication, but not the severity of liver disease, was associated with increased risk of osteoporosis in people with both HIV and hepatitis C.

The study investigators noted that the primarily African-American study participants had a higher rate of osteoporosis than patients in…