title: Psychological impact of structured treatment interruptions in patients with prolonged undetectable HIV-1 viral loads.
abstract: Structured treatment interruption strategies may help overcome problems of highly active antiretroviral therapy, but might also represent a cause of stress. We present data that indicate a psychological benefit from structured treatment interruption. Although some disturbances appear at the resumption of therapy, no definitive problems are found that preclude such therapeutic approaches from a psychological perspective. However, a close follow-up of patients during interruption periods is advisable to avoid difficulties reported at treatment resumption presenting a risk to patients' health.
authors.affiliation: Fundació Lluita SIDA-HIV Clinical Unit and IrsiCaixa Retrovirology Laboratory, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuldrà
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Fumaz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Ferrer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paredes
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romeu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bayés
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Clotet
mesh_terms: D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D012367:RNA, Viral