O421 When to start therapy? The patient's viewpoint

Several international treatment guidelines now recommend that antiretroviral therapy should be initiated in all patients with a CD4 count below 350 cells/mm³. However, about 57% of UK patients are currently diagnosed with CD4 counts under 350, and 20% of patients currently with CD4 counts under this figure and diagnosed for longer than three months are not taking ARVs [1]. This plenary presentation will review the evidence for when to start therapy, look at CD4 counts at the start of therapy from European cohort studies, and analyse studies of patient opinion on ARV therapy and when to initiate it. It will also present information from an online survey of patients' knowledge and opinions on when to start therapy from the global HIV information website http://www.aidsmap.com.