14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists have been wondering for a long time as to what type of variations exist between men's and women's response to HIV therapies, and a new study seems to indicate that both genders exhibit about the same type of reaction.
This is a landmark study in the field. Though it may seem logical at first, the new conclusion is actually very important because there are many diseases in which gender makes a difference in prescribing therapies.
The recent investigation found no significant gender-based differences in response to the anti-HIV drugs darunavir and ritonavir, say experts at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA).
Study subjects were mostly women, and the researchers say that the conclusion holds for those who remained in the study until it concluded.
But one of the aspects that may hinder the results of the GRACE (Gender, Race and Clinical Experience) study is the fact that a lot more women than men dropped out ahead of term.
This means that future investigations into HIV drugs should pay special attention to developing methods of retaining women in such research.
In turn, this is essential for developing drugs that would prove effective for the general populace, once taken to the market. Millions around the world are infected with HIV, and most of them will go on to develop AIDS.
The new investigation was published on Tuesday, in the September 21 issue of the esteemed scientific journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
“It is critical that women are involved in clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of new treatment – not just for HIV but for all diseases,” explains Dr. Judith Currier.
She is the lead author of the new study, and a professor of medicine at UCLA. The expert is also the chief of the division of infectious diseases at the university's David Geffen School of Medicine.
“The GRACE study shows that it is possible to enroll large numbers of women into HIV treatment trials,” the experts write in their journal entry.
“The higher discontinuation rate in women, which was driven by reasons other than virologic failure, highlights the need for additional efforts to retain diverse populations in studies,” they go on to say.
The investigation was conducted on 429 HIV-positive subjects, between October 6, 2006 and December 19, 2008, adds Currier, who is also the co-director of the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research and Education (CARE).