부산대학교 도서관

Objective: To establish whether a gender difference in virological response to HAART exists. Methods: A cohort of HIV-positive individuals from the Royal Free Hospital was examined. Outcomes assessed were: achievement of virai load <400 copies/mL and treatment 'failure' (failure to suppress below 400 copies/mL after 24weeks or two consecutive measurements above this after having suppressed below it). Hazard ratios (HR), comparing rate in women to that in men, were derived using Cox's model. Results: Analysis was based on 295 males and 83 females followed-up over a median period of 11 months after starting HAART. Seventy-eight per cent of males were Caucasian and 82% in the homosexual risk category. Sixty-four per cent of females were African, 74% being in the heterosexual risk group. Baseline median CD4 count was greater in males (228) than females (156), P=0.0008, but viral load was similar, P=0.56. Median time to <400 copies/mL was 12 weeks and 72% (282) achieved this (HR 1.28; 95% CI 0.96-1.72). Some 111 patients failed treatment, 29% of the males and 31% of the females (HR 0.98; 95% CI 0.53-1.79). Conclusion: Our results provide no evidence of a gender difference in response to HAART but confidence intervals are wide and a moderate difference cannot be excluded. Further analysis with longer duration of follow-up or with greater numbers would have greater power to demonstrate a real difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]