Directly observed antiretroviral therapy improves adherence and viral load in drug users attending methadone maintenance clinics: a randomized controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine if directly observed antiretroviral therapy (DOT) is more efficacious than self-administered therapy for improving adherence and reducing HIV viral load (VL) among methadone-maintained opioid users.

Design

Two-group randomized trial.

Setting

Twelve methadone maintenance clinics with on-site HIV care in the Bronx, New York.

Participants

HIV-infected adults prescribed combination antiretroviral therapy.

Main outcomes measures

Between group differences at four assessment points from baseline to week 24 in: (1) antiretroviral adherence measured by pill count, (2) VL, and (3) proportion with undetectable VL (< 75 copies/ml).

Results

Between June 2004 and August 2007, we enrolled 77 participants. Adherence in the DOT group was hig

SUBMITTER: Berg KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3003759 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature