Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
United Press International - May 20, 2009
Scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine said a multicenter trial they led determined patients testing positive for the human immunodeficiency virus who don't seek medical attention until they have a serious AIDS-related condition can reduce their risk of death or other complications by half if they get early antiretroviral treatment.
The researchers said their findings could lead to widespread changes in HIV treatment, particularly for patients diagnosed at an advanced stage.
"Even in San Francisco, one of the first epicenters of HIV in the United States, we still find that many people present late in the course of their illness with an opportunistic infection," said Dr. Mitch Katz, San Francisco's director of health, who was not involved in the study. "This study shows that it is life-saving to treat those persons with antiretroviral drugs while they are still in the hospital.
"The results of this study will change practices throughout the world," he added.
The research that involved 262 patients at 39 U.S. sites, as well as 20 patients in South Africa, is reported in the online journal PLoS One.
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