22nd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2018)

Higher rate of cancer, all-cause mortality among teens, young adults with perinatally acquired HIV

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180829140319

Teenagers and young adults living with perinatally acquired HIV (PaHIV) have a higher risk of developing malignancies and a higher all-cause mortality rate than their non-HIV-infected peers, according to a study from the UK.

CD4/CD8 ratio may predict risk of Kaposi sarcoma, NHL in HIV patients

Pearl Toh, 20180823190010

Restoration of CD4/CD8 ratio on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was associated with decreased risk of Kaposi sarcoma (KS) while baseline CD8 count was related to non-Hogkin lymphoma (NHL) risk in people living with HIV (PLHIV) who had achieved viral suppression on cART, according to the COHERE* study presented at the AIDS International Conference (AIC) 2018.

Peripartum ART does not affect offspring cognition

No harms on offspring cognition with peripartum ART

Pearl Toh, 20180821180010

Use of triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy and breastfeeding did not affect the cognitive development and function of the offspring compared with those whose mothers were not exposed to ART, reveals the IMPAACT PROMISE-BF study presented at the IAC 2018.

Dual therapy comparable with triple therapy for initial HIV-1 treatment

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180818100603

The combination of dolutegravir + lamivudine appeared noninferior to dolutegravir + tenofovir/emtricitabine in reducing viral load in treatment-naïve patients with HIV-1 infection, according to the phase III GEMINI-1 and GEMINI-2* trials presented at AIDS 2018.

Is dolutegravir monotherapy safe as maintenance for HIV patients?

Pearl Toh, 20180817180010

Simplification from combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) to dolutegravir monotherapy as maintenance treatment was noninferior to continuing therapy with cART, at least in patients who initiated cART during primary HIV infection and had achieved suppressed viral load for ≥48 weeks, suggests a study presented at IAC 2018.

Undetectable viral load means untransmittable HIV: Does this mean zero infection risk?

Elvira Manzano, 20180817143000

What is undetectable is untransmittable, and this extends to HIV risk in serodiscordant gay couples on effective antiretroviral treatment (ART), the PARTNER 2 study has shown.

Online HIV self-testing may be a treatment gateway for MSM, TGW

Audrey Abella, 20180814100000

Online HIV self-testing may provide a channel for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) to access treatment, according to a Thai study presented at AIDS 2018.

Fostemsavir improves virologic efficacy, immunologic response in HIV-1

Audrey Abella, 20180807094032

The use of the investigational first-in-class attachment inhibitor fostemsavir led to improved baseline viral and CD4+ T-cell counts in patients with HIV-1 infection who had limited treatment options and were failing their current antiretroviral regimen, according to the subgroup analysis results of the BRIGHTE* study presented at AIDS 2018.

Ageing, nondiabetic HIV-positive individuals prone to insulin resistance

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20180806140300

Ageing, nondiabetic, HIV-positive individuals may have a greater tendency to develop insulin resistance than HIV-negative individuals, although their body mass index (BMI) and body fat levels were lower than that of HIV-negative individuals, a study from Thailand found.