Another audience member expressed surprise at what struck him as a low cardiovascular event rate in the START study, given that HIV infection is known to be associated with accelerated atherosclerosis. Dr. Molina said the explanation for the low number of cardiovascular events lies in the fact that cardiovascular risk is so heavily age-dependent, and START participants were relatively young, with a median age of 36 years.
The START trial was carried out by the International Network for Strategic Initiatives in Global HIV Trials (INSIGHT) with funding provided mainly by the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Molina reported having no financial conflicts of interest.