ART Use and Viral Suppression Among HIV-Infected Patients in Care

Viral suppression is an important goal, not only for individual HIV-infected patients, but also from a public health standpoint as we try to prevent new infections. Estimates suggest that fewer than 30% of people with HIV/AIDS achieve viral suppression, with a somewhat higher rate — 48% to 60% — among patients who are in care. To quantify the levels of antiretroviral therapy (ART) use and viral suppression in the latter group, investigators conducted a cross-sectional study of patients at seven sites in the Centers for AIDS Research Network of Integrated Clinical Systems cohort.

Of 8633 patients with ≥1 medical visit and ≥1 measured viral load in 2010, 94% had ever taken ART, 89% were taking ART, and 70% had viral loads that were “undetectab…