title: Directly observed antiretroviral therapy for injection drug users with HIV infection.
abstract: Injection drug users (IDUs) who are in a methadone maintenance therapy program are required to attend their drug treatment clinic on a regular basis for directly observed therapy (DOT). Such programs provide a unique opportunity to administer HAART to HIV-infected persons in this marginalized population in conjunction with their methadone therapy. A prospective observational study was conducted to determine the efficacy of directly observed antiretroviral therapy provided in conjunction with daily observed methadone maintenance therapy. A cohort of 39 patients was enrolled to receive HAART as DOT. At 48 weeks, 51% of antiretroviral-experienced patients and 65% of antiretroviral-naive patients had achieved maximum viral suppression. DOT should therefore be considered a potential option for providing HAART to IDUs, particularly when used in conjunction with methadone maintenance therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, St James's Hospital, Dublin.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clarke
authors.forename: Eamon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Keenan
authors.forename: Mairin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mulcahy
mesh_terms: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents