AIDS journal publishes findings of 2 important studies in Mar. 2013 issue
1. Research Results Show Current CDC HIV Screening Guidelines Are Too Conservative and Not Cost-Effective
2. Study Says Heavy Drinking Leads to Increased HIV Risk for Men Who Have Sex with Men
Philadelphia, Pa. (March 4, 2013) - The results of
two important studies have been published in the March issue of
AIDS, the official journal
of the International AIDS
Society . One study notes that screening for HIV should be performed
more frequently—up to every three months for the highest-risk patients,
while low-risk groups to be tested every three years. A second study
demonstrates a link between heavy drinking and risky behaviors for
men who have sex with men (MSM). AIDS is published
by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins , a part of Wolters Kluwer Health .
Northwestern University Study Researches the Most
Cost-Effective Approach to HIV Screening
The mathematical modeling study was performed to assess "optimal
testing frequencies" for HIV screening in different risk groups. Current
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines recommend
annual testing for high-risk groups, such as people with
HIV-positive partners, people with multiple partners,
injection drug users, and sex workers and
once-in-a-lifetime testing for low-risk
groups (whose annual risk of acquiring
HIV is only one-hundredth of one percent).
The researchers modeled various scenarios in an attempt to "optimize
the tradeoff" between the societal costs of testing versus the benefits of earlier
HIV diagnosis over a patient's lifetime. Frequent testing is shown to be an
effective method for identifying new HIV infections. In the past, people
with new HIV infections weren't treated until they had significant
declines in immune functioning, as measured by the CD4 cell
count. But there's a growing consensus that antiretroviral
treatment is beneficial for all HIV-infected patients,
regardless of CD4 count. Starting treatment
immediately after diagnosis also reduces the risk of transmitting HIV.
Within its limitations, the study suggests that current recommendations
for HIV testing are "too conservative, especially for low risk groups who would
benefit from more frequent testing," according to Lucas and Armbruster. They
conclude, "These results should encourage policymakers and medical
professionals to reconsider how often adolescents and adults
should be tested for HIV."
The full article is available on the AIDS journal homepage and in
the March 13 print and online edition.
About AIDS
AIDS publishes the very latest ground-breaking research on HIV and AIDS. Read by
all the top clinicians and researchers, AIDS has the highest impact of all
AIDS-related journals. With 18 issues per year, AIDS guarantees the
authoritative presentation of even more significant advances.
The Editors, themselves noted international experts who
know the demands of HIV/AIDS research, are committed
to making AIDS the most distinguished and innovative
journal in the field. Visit the journal website at www.aidsonline.com.
About Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins (LWW) is a leading international publisher of trusted
content delivered in innovative ways to practitioners, professionals and students
to learn new skills, stay current on their practice, and make important
decisions to improve patient care and clinical outcomes. LWW is part
of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information,
business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the
healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of
Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information
services company with 2012 annual revenues of €3.6 billion ($4.6 billion).
###
Contact: Connie Hughes
connie.hughes@wolterskluwer.com
646-674-6348
Wolters Kluwer Health
Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/wkh-ajp030413.php
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