Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day 2009

June 8th, 2009, marks Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This day is dedicated to increasing the awareness of HIV/AIDS in the Caribbean American community. The goal of Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is to encourage Caribbean American and Caribbean-born individuals, across the United States and its territories, to get educated, get tested, get treated, and get involved.

More information is available:

• HHS: Caribbean American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day
  

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Study: Raltegravir Found to be Effective Substitute for Enfuvirtide

"Fifty-two patients were enrolled in the trial. After 24 weeks of therapy with raltegravir, 49 (94.2%, confidence interval: 1.2% to 15.9%) patients had HIV-1 RNA levels below the limit of quantification. Patients had a median CD4 cell increase of 32 cells per cubic millimeter after 24 weeks of raltegravir therapy. Treatment satisfaction as measured by patient questionnaires improved with the raltegravir-containing regimen. Adverse events were infrequent and generally mild in nature. Conclusions: In treatment-experienced patients on a stable virologically suppressive enfuvirtide-containing regimen, raltegravir can safely be substituted for enfuvirtide"

• Read the study abstract

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Study: Early HAART Reduces Progression to AIDS and Death by Half among Individuals with Acute Opportunistic Infections

"Optimal timing of ART initiation for individuals presenting with AIDS-related OIs has not been defined.... A5164 was a randomized strategy trial of 'early ART'--given within 14 days of starting acute OI treatment versus 'deferred ART'--given after acute OI treatment is completed.... Early ART resulted in less AIDS progression/death with no increase in adverse events or loss of virologic response compared to deferred ART. These results support the early initiation of ART in patients presenting with acute AIDS-related OIs, absent major contraindications."

• Read the study abstract
• Read the ClinicalTrials.gov record

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Study: Effective Treatment Strategies for Three-Class Experienced Patients

"Participants: Three-class antiretroviral-experienced patients changing regimens between July 2006 and May 2008. Sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical characteristics were collected at baseline and during prospective follow-up.... In multivariate analysis, patients treated with DRV/r (65%, odds ratio = 4.24 vs. nonprotease inhibitor strategy, 95% confidence interval = 1.28-14.06), raltegravir (65%, odds ratio = 3.10, 95% confidence interval = 1.12-8.62), or both were more likely to achieve viral load below 50 copies/ml.... Among antiretroviral-experienced patients changing regimens, those treated with DRV/r, raltegravir, or both were more likely to achieve a viral load below 50 copies/ml at 24 weeks."

• Read the study abstract

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