Immediate Versus Deferred Start of Anti-HIV Therapy in HIV-Infected Adults Being Treated for Tuberculosis

The purpose of this study is to determine the best time to begin anti-HIV treatment in individuals who have HIV and tuberculosis (TB).

Study hypothesis: Immediate antiretroviral therapy (ART), initiated after approximately 2 weeks of TB treatment, will reduce the frequency of other AIDS-defining illnesses and death in HIV-infected participants being treated for TB by at least 40% at week 48 when compared to deferred ART, initiated at after 8-12 weeks of TB treatment.

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most important co-infection in the HIV epidemic; the bi-directional relationship between the two diseases is well established. HIV increases the risk for TB acquisition, reactivation, and reinfection, and reduces survival compared to patients with TB alone. In individuals with HIV, TB infection results in reduced survival, increased risk for opportunistic infections, and elevations in HIV replication. Improving the outcome of HIV-infected individuals who develop TB is of high importance. Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) shortly after initiating TB treatment may improve outcomes in individuals co-infected with HIV and TB. However, data to support this suggestion were limited before this study began. This study will determine the most appropriate time to initiate ART in HIV-infected individuals who recently initiated treatment for TB.

This study lasted 48 weeks and comprised two steps. At study entry, participants underwent clinical assessment, drug adherence training, and blood collection. In Step 1, participants were randomly assigned to one of two arms. Participants in Arm A initiated ART after approximately 2 weeks of TB treatment. Participants in Arm B deferred ART until after 8 to 12 weeks of TB treatment. In Step 2, Arm B participants initiated ART; Arm A participants did not enter Step 2. ART consisted of efavirenz (EFV) and emtricitabine (FTC)/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF); FTC and TDF could be given as individual agents. Drug substitutions could be made for participants who could not tolerate the specified regimen. Blood collection and clinical assessments occurred at weeks 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 48.