A study to test when a person should start ARVs, led by America’s National Institute of Health, was stopped early because there was overwhelming evidence that people with HIV should start on ARVs as soon as possible.
The results from the Start study, which followed 4 685 individuals in 35 countries, were only expected in 2017.
The researchers divided HIV-positive people into two groups – giving half ARVs while healthy (a CD4 count of more than 500), and followed them for three years. The other half only received ARVs when their CD4 count dropped below 350.
In the healthy group there were 41 instances of Aids, death or seriously ill health, compared to 86 in the group that started treatment later.
