Medscape HIV/AIDS Headlines

New Director for National Human Genome Research Institute

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:58:30 EST

Eric D. Green, MD, PhD, has been named to the NHGRI director post by predecessor and current NIH director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD.

Spread of Drug-Resistant HIV Stabilizing in Europe

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:01:41 EST

Transmission of drug-resistant HIV stabilized in Europe from late 2002 through late 2005, according to a report in the November 15th issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

Discordance Between Viral Load Suppression and CD4 Cell Recovery: How Often and Why?

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:21:06 EST

John G. Bartlett, MD, discusses a study that reviews some of the reasons why your HIV patient's CD4 count may not recover despite viral load suppression.

FDA Expands Use of Maraviroc to Include Treatment-Naive HIV Patients

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:58:47 EST

Clinical data suggest maraviroc- and efavirenz-based therapies are similarly effective for treating CCR5-tropic HIV-1 infection.

Sen Grassley Questions Top Medical Schools About Ghostwriting

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:48:39 EST

As part of his mission to see more financial transparency in medicine, Sen Grassley has asked eight top US medical schools about their policies on ghostwriting.

House Passes Medicare SGR Fix

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:11:22 EST

The House passed a bill that would rewrite the controversial sustainable growth rate formula and eliminate a 21.2% Medicare pay cut for physicians scheduled for 2010.

Tesamorelin Reduces Visceral Fat by up to 18% in HIV-Infected Men

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:32:34 EST

The growth hormone precursor tesamorelin significantly reduces body fat and triglycerides and significantly increases insulin-like growth factor levels in HIV-positive men.

New Senate Healthcare Reform Bill Features Public Option With Opt-Out

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:03:45 EST

The Senate bill would cost $849 billion through 2019, but it would ultimately shave $127 billion off the federal deficit while reducing the number of uninsured by 31 million people.

HIV-1 STEP Vaccine Trial Failure Blamed on Adenovirus Shell

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:28:32 EST

The increase in HIV infections among vaccines, leading to a halt of the HIV type 1 STEP vaccine trial, has been traced to the adenovirus shell.

Lopinavir/Ritonavir Monotherapy Is Noninferior to Standard ART in Confirmatory Study

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 13:34:15 EST

Monotherapy with the ritonavir-boosted lopinavir shows noninferiority to standard antiretroviral therapy (ART) with 1 protease inhibitor and 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Asymptomatic Chlamydia More Prevalent in HIV-Negative Than HIV-Positive Men

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:56:59 EST

A German study shows that the prevalence of asymptomatic chlamydia and/or gonorrhea is 21% in HIV-negative men who have sex with men and 14.9% in their HIV-positive counterparts.

Younger HIV-Positive Patients Less Likely to Quit Smoking Than Older Counterparts

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:01:02 EST

Only older age was significantly associated, although marginally so, with successful completion of a smoking cessation program.

European AIDS Clinical Society Issues New Guidelines for Management of HIV

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:57:26 EST

HIV treatment guidelines call for clinicians to begin treatment of HIV-positive patients when the CD4 cell count is as high as 350 to 500 cells/mL; the initial recommended treatment is with darunavir.

Scientists Learn Why Failed HIV Vaccine Actually Increased the Risk of Infection

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:35:00 EST

UK and US researchers think they may have discovered why a recently studied adenovirus-based vaccine against HIV-1 actually increased the risk of infection in some individuals.

What Should Patients Do With Unused Narcotics?

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:07:43 EST

Clinicians often tell patients to save their remaining narcotics for "next time." According to guidelines, this may not be the best advice.

Bone Health of 40-Something HIV-Positive Men Similar to That of Uninfected Men Decades Older

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:45:27 EST

The prevalence of osteoporosis among HIV-positive men in their 40s is similar to that of uninfected men in their 70s.