Sex-specific differences in treatment outcomes for patients with HIV and AIDS

Abstract

Despite advances in antiretroviral therapy and access to care, the HIV epidemic continues to grow. Historically, women have been poorly represented in HIV clinical trials even though almost half of the global HIV-infected population is female. Poor representation of women in clinical trials has led to the delay in accurate studies examining sex-specific differences in access to care, treatment outcomes and adherence. In developing countries, sex-specific differences are more evident than in developed countries, but no clear etiology for these differences has been identified. In the near future, novel agents for treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients will be available. Strict monitoring and proper representation in clinical trials will be needed to allow the determination of sex-specific differences with these new agents.

Keywords::

• access to care
• adherence
• antiretroviral therapy
• health disparity
• HIV
• men
• sex
• treatment outcome
• women

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this review manuscript.