Directly Observed ART: The Benefits Last Only as Long as the Intervention

A post-trial analysis supports the use of long-term antiretroviral DOT for HIV-infected patients who are heavily engaged in methadone maintenance care.

Clinical trials conducted among HIV-infected patients who require both antiretroviral therapy (ART) and methadone directly observed therapy (DOT) have shown that incorporating ART into the methadone DOT routine improves both antiretroviral adherence and viral loads. But are these effects sustained when the intervention is over and patients must administer their own ART?

To address this question, researchers followed 65 HIV-infected, opioid-dependent adults for 1 year after they completed a 24-week randomized controlled trial of antiretroviral DOT. At trial entry, all study participants were receiving methadone DOT 5 or 6 days per week. During the trial, half the patients received one dose of their daily ART along with the methadone, while th…

Reviewing Authors

Peter J. Ackerman, MD

Josiah D. Rich, MD, MPH

Directly Observed ART: The Benefits Last Only as Long as the Intervention

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Reviewing Authors