The year 2011 was filled with important HIV- and AIDS-related news. New drugs were approved, researchers talked in earnest about progress toward a cure, and we marked the 30th anniversary of the first reports of AIDS in the United States.

As a service to its readers, The AIDS Beacon has compiled a list of the news articles and topics that AIDS Beacon readers found most interesting during 2011.

#1: New Drugs For Hepatitis C – Two new drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C, Incivek (telaprevir) and…

Results from a small European study have shown that a short course of omega-3 fatty acids significantly lowers triglyceride levels in people experiencing high triglyceride levels during antiretroviral therapy for HIV.

“Triglycerides are frequently raised, have health implications, and are easily managed with measures that can include a safe supplement such as Omacor/Lovaza (omega-3 acid ethyl esters),” said Dr. Barry Peters, head of the Academic Unit of HIV and STDs at King’s College London and lead author of the study.

According to Dr. Peters and his colleagues, the study results…

Results from a recent study indicate that HIV-positive children and children exposed to HIV during pregnancy are more likely to have language impairments than HIV-negative children.

“Our results show that children exposed to HIV have more than twice the chance of having a language impairment than do children in the general population,” said Dr. George K. Siberry, of the Pediatric, Adolescent and Maternal AIDS Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, in a press release.

However, the study authors also pointed that the…

Results from a recent Italian study indicate that low testosterone levels are more common in men with HIV than in men of the general population. The finding particularly applies to men between the ages of 40 and 59 years old.

The study authors suggested more research into the cause of low testosterone levels in men with HIV and any possible link to antiretroviral therapy. They also suggested that in some cases, weight loss might improve testosterone levels in men with deficiencies.

In addition, they noted that further study is necessary…

Results from a recent study of HIV-positive adults in Switzerland show that following United States antiretroviral therapy treatment guidelines when deciding on initial therapy regimens results in a greater likelihood of successfully suppressing HIV.

The researchers also found that the vast majority of patients receive regimens that conform to guideline recommendations.

The authors stated that their results validate the recommendations in current guidelines as well as the utility of the guides in helping clinicians decide on initial regimens to prescribe.

“Our results suggest that, in the context of constant increase…