Immunologic and virologic responses to antiretroviral therapy in treatment-naive, HIV-infected elderly patients

Currently available data on immunologic and virologic responses to antiretroviral therapy (ART) in elderly patients are conflicting. The primary objective of this study was to assess immunologic and virologic responses to ART in treatment-naive, HIV-infected elderly patients compared to younger patients. This was a single center, retrospective, descriptive study including treatment-naive, HIV-infected adults initiated on ART between 1 January 2005 and 30 April 2015. Immunologic and virologic responses were compared between the ages >= 50 and < 50 years old. A total of 158 patients were included. By 14 months of ART, 85.9% (n = 67/78) of the patients >= 50 years old and 92.5% (n = 74/80) of those < 50 years old achieved immunologic response (p = 0.02). By 24 weeks of ART, 64.1% (n = 50/78) of the patients >= 50 years old and 65% (n = 52/80) of those < 50 years old achieved virologic response (p = 1). The amount of time it took the elderly patients to achieve virologic suppression was not significantly different compared to the younger patients (p = 0.459). Treatment-naive, HIV-infected elderly patients achieved virologic response to ART that was comparable to younger patients although their immunologic response to ART was significantly lower.