BRIEF REPORT
Trends in Early Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy and Characteristics of Persons With HIV Initiating Therapy in San Francisco, 2007–2011 1
San Francisco Department of Public Health; and 2Department of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco 3
In 2010, the San Francisco Department of Public Health offered antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all its patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) regardless of CD4 count. We assessed trends in time from diagnosis to ART initiation and factors associated with ART initiation among San Francisco residents living with HIV between 2007 and 2011. Time to ART initiation decreased among those diagnosed with higher CD4 count. ART initiation rate was significantly higher in recent years and lower among African Americans, men who have sex with men who also inject drugs, and persons aged ≥50 years. We found a trend toward early treatment. However, racial and social disparities persist. Keywords.
antiretroviral therapy; ART initiation; CD4; HIV.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [1, 2]. Prior to 2007, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommended that ART be provided to persons whose CD4 count was
Trends in Early Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy and Characteristics of Persons With HIV Initiating Therapy in San Francisco, 2007–2011 1
San Francisco Department of Public Health; and 2Department of Medicine and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco 3
In 2010, the San Francisco Department of Public Health offered antiretroviral therapy (ART) to all its patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) regardless of CD4 count. We assessed trends in time from diagnosis to ART initiation and factors associated with ART initiation among San Francisco residents living with HIV between 2007 and 2011. Time to ART initiation decreased among those diagnosed with higher CD4 count. ART initiation rate was significantly higher in recent years and lower among African Americans, men who have sex with men who also inject drugs, and persons aged ≥50 years. We found a trend toward early treatment. However, racial and social disparities persist. Keywords.
antiretroviral therapy; ART initiation; CD4; HIV.
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to significantly reduce morbidity and mortality among persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) [1, 2]. Prior to 2007, the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommended that ART be provided to persons whose CD4 count was
