A recent study in PLoS One finds that intermittent (non-continuous) antiretroviral therapy (ART) leads to a decrease in reduction of CD4 cell counts in infected individuals, compared to infected individuals who do not undergo ART.

The subjects of the study were HIV infected inmates in the San Francisco County jail that were offered ART during their incarceration. Some of the HIV-infected inmates chose to undergo ART during imprisonment; however, many discontinued their treatment after completion of their term in jail.

The study was conducted over a nine year period. Inmates were categorized based on their pattern of ART usage: continuous ART (ART both during and after imprisonment), intermittent (ART during imprisonment only), and no ART.

Results showed that intermittent ART is not as effective as continuous ART. However, intermittent ART is still more effective in reducing loss of CD4 cells (immune cells) and lowering viral load (the amount of virus in the blood) compared to no ART treatment.

This is the first study that researches the effects of intermittent ART on imprisoned HIV-positive individuals over a long period of time. Although the study provides preliminary results, further studies must be completed in order to assess the benefits of intermittent ART among the general population when continuous ART is not available.

For more information, please see PLoS One’s publication of the study.