title: AIDS clinical trials group longitudinal linked randomized trials (ALLRT): rationale, design, and baseline characteristics.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  ALLRT is a longitudinal cohort study of HIV-infected subjects prospectively randomized into selected clinical trials for antiretroviral (ARV) treatment-naïve and ARV treatment-experienced individuals conducted by the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG). We describe the rationale, design, and baseline characteristics of the ALLRT cohort and its potential to address important research questions related to ARV therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Standardized visits occur every 16 weeks to evaluate long-term clinical, virologic, and immunologic outcomes associated with ARV treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4,371 subjects enrolled in ALLRT from January 2000 through June 2007. Of these, 3,146 (72%) were ARV naïve at parent study entry (18% female, 44% white, 32% black, 21% Hispanic; median age 37 years, CD4 count 218 cells/microL, follow-up 3.6 years; 343 [11%] followed > or = 8 years) and 1,225 (28%) were treatment experienced (13% female, 59% white, 20% black, 17% Hispanic; median age 42 years, CD4 count 325 cells/microL, follow-up 5.7 years).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALLRT provides the opportunity to understand long-term ramifications of therapeutic ARV choices and determine whether these vary by treatment regimen, timing of treatment initiation, or treatment changes over long-term follow-up. Investigations based on uniform data and specimen collection in the context of randomized ARV treatments will be critical to developing more successful long-term therapeutic strategies for HIV treatment.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biostatistics in AIDS Research, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. msmurzyn@sdac.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Smurzynski
authors.forename: Ann C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Collier
authors.forename: Susan L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Koletar
authors.forename: Ronald J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Bosch
authors.forename: Kunling
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bastow
authors.forename: Constance A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Benson