A Department of
Health and Human Services panel on Thursday published new
guidelines for the treatment of HIV-positive Americans,
including calling for all newly diagnosed patients to
be tested for drug resistance before treatment is
started. Following up on data from a large-scale study that
showed HIV patients who took treatment breaks were more than
twice as likely to experience rapid disease
progression and face a higher risk of death, the panel
also now recommends that antiretroviral therapy not be
stopped once it has been started. The revisions also state
that, for patients coinfected with HIV and hepatitis
B, a regimen including Viread and either Epivir or
Emtriva, plus other antiretroviral drugs, should be
considered as first-line treatment for both diseases.
(The Advocate)