ART Initiation After Guideline Changes in HIV-Infected Adolescents and Young Adults in New York City

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines have evolved to recommend earlier initiation of treatment. In December 2009, Department of Health and Human Services guidelines were changed to recommend ART initiation at higher CD4-cell counts than previously suggested (≤500 cells/mm³ vs. <350 cells/mm³). In a recent retrospective study involving adolescents and young adults (age range, 13–25) with recent HIV diagnoses, researchers examined the uptake of this recommendation at four HIV clinics in New York City. They also assessed the prevalence of transmitted drug resistance over time in this population.

Between January 2007 and June 2011, 191 (58%) of 331 patients with complete data started ART. The mean CD4-cell count at ART initiation was 261 cell…