Dr. Matthew Levy and co-authors Drs. Anne Monroe, Sherry Molock, Rupali Doshi, and Amanda Castel from GW and Dr. Debra Benator from the VAMC published an article in JAIDS July 2019 entitled "Pharmacologic Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders and Time with Unsuppressed HIV Viral Load in a Clinical HIV Cohort."
Based on an analysis of clinical data collected from DC Cohort study participants at 14 HIV care sites in DC, the authors found that persons with mood disorders spent more time with an unsuppressed HIV viral load (i.e., ≥200 copies/mL), while those with anxiety disorders spent less time with an unsuppressed HIV viral load, and that the likelihood of viral suppression was greater when medications for mood and/or anxiety disorders were prescribed. These findings reinforce that the appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of psychiatric disorders, particularly for depressive and bipolar disorders, are critical for promoting sustained viral suppression among persons living with HIV with comorbid psychiatric disorders.
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