Peter W. PENG, Author at MediaMedic

Dr. Steven Grinspoon: Statin Drugs Can Be Used for Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases in HIV-Infected Individuals

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

Chief of Metabolic Services at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Director of Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard University, and Honorary Chair of Endocrinology and Metabolism at MGH. Dr. Grinspoon led the large-scale, multi-center REPRIEVE study, which is the world's first research on primary prevention strategies for cardiovascular diseases in people living with HIV (PLWH).

Dr. Weiming Tang: Exploring Crowdsourced Partner Notification Services for High-Risk HIV Populations

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In China, the transmission of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) primarily occurs through sexual transmission. [1] Partner notification services help those who are HIV-positive inform their sexual partners of their infection status and guide these partners to undergo HIV testing. [2] Thus, it is crucial for identifying newly infected individuals and preventing further HIV transmission. [3] Currently, the partner notification rate among key populations in China (e.g., men who have sex with men) is low. [4] To increase the acceptance of partner notification services (HIV PS) among men who have sex with men living with HIV (MLWH), the Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University collaborated with the China Program Office of the University of North Carolina to establish the Saith Project. This initiative aims to develop a crowdsourced intervention scheme through a series of crowdsourcing competitions in partnership with community organizations.

IAS 2023 | Thymosin α1 Therapy for HIV Immunological Non-responders: A Single-arm Clinical Study

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

As HIV treatment enters the post-ART era, drug side effects and complications have become significant factors affecting the quality of life for patients. Approximately 20% of patients, after 1-2 years of treatment, have viral loads below the detectable limit, but their CD4 cell count remains below normal levels, leading to poorer clinical outcomes.

IAS 2023 | Joining Hands to Eliminate AIDS Epidemic by 2030

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

On July 23, 2023, the 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) HIV Science Conference, referred to as IAS 2023, officially began in Brisbane, Australia. As one of the largest open academic conferences in the global HIV and AIDS field, the event attracted participation from experts, medical professionals, community groups, and medical enterprises worldwide. The conference emphasized the importance of science as the foundation of policy and practice, highlighting the close integration of science, policy, and activism to promote significant advancements in the HIV and AIDS sector. The theme of the conference is "End Inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics.", reflecting IAS's ultimate vision. The goal is to rally health experts globally towards the shared ambition of eradicating AIDS by 2030.

IAS 2023 | WHO Guidelines Update: The Risk of HIV Sexual Transmission with Low Viral Load is Nearly Zero

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

The 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023) began on July 23, 2023, in Brisbane, Australia. At the conference, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced important updates to the HIV guidelines, emphasizing the importance of "HIV viral suppression for improved individual health and reduced transmission." On the eve of the conference, The Lancet published a systematic review showing that the risk of HIV transmission with low-level viral load is almost zero.

IAS 2023 | RESPOND Study: INSTIs Might Indeed be “A Bit Sweet”

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are associated with weight gain, but this weight gain doesn't harm survival or increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. So, does the weight gain associated with INSTIs lead to a higher risk of diabetes? At the recent 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), the renowned RESPOND cohort study from Europe and America indicated that INSTIs might increase the risk of diabetes onset. Even after adjustment, the onset risk remains statistically significant.

IAS 2023 | Short-course tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment does not affect the virologic efficacy of INSTIs in treating HIV

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

People Living With HIV (PLWH) are at high risk of active tuberculosis (TB). Guidelines both domestically and internationally suggest that PLWH with positive latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and those with a history of close contact with active TB should receive TB preventive treatment. However, commonly used preventive treatment regimens such as rifampin and rifapentine have potential drug interactions with HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART). A multi-center retrospective study from Taiwan, China, presented at the 12th International AIDS Society HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023) showed that ART based on integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) combined with rifapentine-based short-course TB preventive treatment does not affect the patient's sustained HIV virologic suppression rate.

IAS 2023 | South African study indicates that HIV male patients have a greater likelihood of achieving virological remission than females.

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In the recent 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), a research study from South Africa found that, despite seldom adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART), 5 male children who were born with HIV still maintained undetectable viral loads. Researchers believe that due to innate immunological gender differences, boys might have a better chance of achieving sustained virological remission than girls.

IAS 2023 | What are the sequelae of MPOX? Does HIV increase the risk of hospitalization due to MPOX?

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

The 12th International AIDS Association HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023) was held in Brisbane, Australia from July 23 to 26, 2023. In the oral reports of the conference, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that global monitoring data for MPOX in 2022 showed that half of the patients with MPOX were HIV carriers. However, HIV is not a risk factor for increased hospitalization due to MPOX. Another study based on interviews with MPOX patients in Australia indicated that most patients had negative experiences with the disease and sequelae related to MPOX.

Dr. Deborah Donnell: A new long-acting PrEP regimen holds promise to transform the landscape of HIV prevention.

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In 2021, the United Nations set forth the goal of "ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030". To achieve this, not only must countries strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infections, but they also need to prioritize prevention to minimize the emergence of new infections. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) long-acting regimens have become a recent focal point in HIV prevention. At the recently held 12th International AIDS Society HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), there were several keynote lectures on the topic of long-acting PrEP.