HIV

Four of our top 5 HIV articles for 2020 saw the HIV pandemic overlap with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and had Anthony Fauci, MD, in common. The fifth is from this year's AIDS 2020 virtual conference, itself a product of the overlapping pandemics.

Four principal themes emerged in this study, describing why Latino/a and Black transgender women and men who have sex with men discontinued their preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV.

Insurance status can influence an individual’s ability to access care, stated Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Results from a 5-year study show significantly higher rates of several gastrointestinal (GI) disorders, as well as hospital-related costs, among patients living with HIV compared with controls.

With age comes a greater comorbidity burden, noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy who practices at Northwestern Medicine's Infectious Disease Center in Chicago.

The most recent data from the CDC show a 36.6% decrease in overall mortality among individuals living with HIV; despite this progress, the virus remains a leading cause of death among certain races and ethnicities.

Certain antiretroviral therapy (ART) drugs can decrease contraception’s effectiveness, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Clinicians must make sure patients are engaged in their care, stressed Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

While death rates related to HIV infection declined from 2010 to 2017, differences in HIV-related deaths remain among certain populations.

A poster on telehealth presented at ID Week in October attempted to identify where care advancement and improvement are needed for individuals living with HIV.

Even heterosexual women are at risk of contracting HIV, so gay men should not be singled out as the only population with a transmission risk, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Living in a neighborhood rife with violent crime and prostitution was linked in this recent study to worse virologic control among pregnant woman living with HIV.

What is feasible for one person may be unaffordable for another, said Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor, Midwestern University Chicago College of Pharmacy, who practices at the Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Center.

Partnering with pharmacists ensures prescription availability for patients with HIV during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), noted Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, of Midwestern University College of Pharmacy.

Smaller babies born to mothers living with HIV are often considered “undesirable” in sub-Saharan Africa, and the mothers themselves often are blamed for this.

The patients must always come first, emphasized Milena Murray, PharmD, MSc, BCIDP, AAHIVP, associate professor at Midwestern University College of Pharmacy, who practices at the Northwestern Medicine Infectious Disease Center in Chicago.

A poster presented at this year’s annual meeting of the American Neurological Association demonstrates a likely greater risk of early-onset Alzheimer disease among persons living with HIV.

This story was updated in February 2022 to show that this original story, published in October 2020, is out of date, and adds new information.

Pediatricians and pediatric HIV specialists need to coordinate their care plans for infants born with potential perinatal exposure to the virus, according to a new report from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

A recent study of persons with HIV shows that their HIV infection was not associated with progression of subclinical atherosclerosis.

Younger age, poverty, recent drug use, depression, and unmet need for ancillary services were linked to lowered antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among HIV-positive Hispanic and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM).

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and quality of life were negatively correlated with the occurrence of major depressive disorder in people living with HIV or AIDS.

In this study from Cape Town, South Africa, patients with comorbid HIV and a history of mental illness had an increased risk of mortality from all causes.

The aftereffects of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are being studied in recovering patients; Regeneron’s COVID-19 antibody cocktail may induce quicker recovery; Timothy Ray Brown, the first patient reportedly cured of HIV, has died.

Minority men who have sex with other men (MSM), especially Hispanic/Latino and African American/Black men, account for most new HIV diagnoses but poor care uptake.