Only 17 percent of people starting treatment with modern-day antiretroviral (ARV) regimens developed HIV drug resistance over eight years of therapy, according to an analysis from a British cohort study published in the May 1 issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. In terms of resistance developing over time, Norvir (ritonavir)–boosted protease inhibitors (PIs) faired better than non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).

While randomized controlled trials of newer ARV therapies are the gold standard when assessing their efficacy and safety, they are typically short (less than two years) and usually attract and maintain people who are more likely to remain adherent than people who don’t participate in clinical trials. Thus, large cohort studies—which aren’t controlled, but allow researchers to track what happens to people over long periods of time—are often a better predictor of how successful a treatment regimen can be in the real world.   More >>