Effect of gender and calendar year on time to and duration of virologic suppression among antiretroviral-naïve HIV-infected individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effects of gender and calendar year on time to and duration of virologic suppression among HIV-infected antiretroviral- naïve individuals initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Methods: Ontario Cohort Study antiretroviral-naïve participants who initiated cART after December 31, 1998, and who had ≥2 follow-up viral loads were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the effects of gender and calendar year on times to virologic suppression and rebound. Results: Of the 840 patients, 81% were male (median age 40 years; interquartile range [IQR], 34-46). Time to virologic suppression was shorter among women (hazard ratio [HR] =1.27, P = .01) and in more recent calendar time periods (2002-2004: HR, 1.04, P = .67; 2005-2006: HR, 1.22, P = .06; 2007-2008: HR, 1.36, P = .004) compared to 1999-2001 after adjusting for age and type of cART regimens. Women had shorter times to virologic rebound (HR, 1.57; P