SMART Study: Abacavir Use Associated with Increased Risk for CVD

Patients who were receiving abacavir at study entry had elevated baseline levels of some inflammatory biomarkers. During the course of the study, current abacavir use was associated with higher rates of cardiovascular events.

Earlier this year, researchers reported data from the DAD study linking abacavir and ddI to an increased risk for myocardial infarction (MI; AIDS Clin Care Apr 14 2008). Since then, many of these same investigators have been trying to confirm their surprising results using an independent dataset. The SMART analysis described here, and also presented at the recent International AIDS Conference (Abstract THAB0305), is the culmination of those efforts.

The SMART study involved 5472 HIV-infected patients with CD4 counts >350 cells/mm³ who were randomized to continuous antiretroviral therapy (ART) or to intermittent therapy based on CD4-cell counts. The final results demonstrated a higher rate of both HIV- and non-HIV-related events in the interm…

Reviewing Author

Paul E. Sax, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardGilead Sciences; GlaxoSmithKline/ViiV; Merck; Shionogi

Grant/Research SupportNIH; Gilead Sciences; ViiV

Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Clinical Infectious Diseases

Paul E. Sax, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardGilead Sciences; GlaxoSmithKline/ViiV; Merck; Shionogi

Grant/Research SupportNIH; Gilead Sciences; ViiV

Editorial BoardsUpToDate; Clinical Infectious Diseases

SMART Study: Abacavir Use Associated with Increased Risk for CVD

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Reviewing Author