The effect of race/ethnicity on the outcome of highly active antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected patients

We performed a population- based cohort study to assess the impact of nonwhite origin on the outcome of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for a Danish cohort of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)- infected patients. A total of 389 whites and 135 nonwhites started receiving HAART before 1 April 2001. After 1 year of treatment, 78% of nonwhites and 76% of whites achieved a virus load of < 500 HIV RNA copies/ mL. No major differences were found between the 2 groups with respect to achievement of a virus load of < 500 copies/ mL (relative risk [RR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.74- 1.18), risk of clinical progression (RR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.32- 1.24), or response measured by total CD4(+) cell count. One year after fulfilling Danish recommendations for initiation of HAART, 91% of nonwhites and 93% of whites had started receiving HAART. Race and ethnic origin play no major role in the outcome associated with HAART if access to health care is free.