Earlier treatment lengthens survival in HIV patients

Starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) early can extend the life of Aids/HIV patients, according to a new study.

Researchers from the University of Washington have found that delaying ART leads to an increased risk of death.

Denying patients with a CD4 count of 500 cells per cubic millimetre or more ART was found to increase the mortality risk by 94 per cent.

A CD4 count relates to the number of blood cells that are targeted by the HIV virus. A normal CD4 count is regarded as between 600 and 1,200 cells per cubic millimetre, however there has been debate on prescribing antiretroviral drugs to a patient with a score of 500.

Lead researcher Dr Mari Kitahata explained: "The question of when to start antiretroviral therapy has been one of the key controversies in HIV care for over a decade.

"Our study adds weight to the growing body of evidence that starting treatment earlier in HIV disease saves lives."

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, followed 17,517 HIV patients between 1996 and 2006.

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