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Depression and anxiety can influence the success of medical treatment for many illnesses. Can these disorders or other psychological distress increase the likelihood of virologic failure in patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART)?
To answer this question, investigators surveyed adults at an HIV ambulatory care center about symptoms of physical and psychological distress — and then evaluated their subsequent response to HIV treatment using the center's clinical database. The analysis was limited to the 188 patients who were receiving ART, had viral loads <50 copies/mL at the time of questionnaire completion, and had at least one subsequent viral-load measurement.
The median number of symptoms reported was 10.5 (out of 32). The mos…