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…

Results from a recent study show that HIV-positive people starting antiretroviral therapy today can expect to live nearly 16 years longer than counterparts who started therapy a decade earlier, but about 13 years shorter than people without HIV. The results also show that beginning antiretroviral therapy at an advanced stage of the disease significantly lowers life expectancy.

The study authors suggested that various factors, including better drugs, earlier detection, and increased experience of physicians in treating HIV, may have contributed to the rise in life expectancy.

The authors also suggested…

Results from a large European study indicate that people with multi-drug resistant HIV have had an improved response to antiretrovirals and a decreased rate of AIDS since 2000, likely due to the introduction of newer antiretroviral drugs that are more effective and easier to use.

“The positive trends we reported between 2000 and 2009 in this study probably result from improvements in tolerability and ease of use of drug regimens, and in the availability of drugs with non-overlapping resistance profiles,” wrote the study authors.

“Our results are consistent with recent…

Results from a recent Brazilian study indicate that anemia, or a low red blood cell count, is associated with a higher risk of death in people with HIV. The findings also show that low levels of other blood cells, such as platelets or immune cells, are associated with a more advanced HIV infection.

Based on their results, the researchers stated that treatment of anemia in people with HIV is critical. They also noted that anemia is a reliable indicator of the prognosis of HIV-positive patients.

Anemia, a condition in which…

Results from a recent study indicate that advances in antiretroviral therapy over the last 15 years have considerably improved outcomes for children with HIV who are entering adolescence and young adulthood.

The study found that most children with HIV maintain viral suppression and high CD4 (white blood) cell counts despite having had extensive treatment. Starting treatment earlier was more likely to result in better outcomes.

The researchers stated that their results support current U.S. treatment guidelines for initiating therapy at higher CD4 percentages in children.

Dr. Russell Van Dyke, co-author…