The Future of HIV Care: Innovative Treatment Strategies

The future of HIV care requires balancing scientific advancement with practical implementation. Long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART) has revolutionized treatment adherence, yet emerging challenges such as metabolic complications (e.g., dyslipidemia, weight gain) and chronic inflammation persist even with viral suppression during the ART, contributing to accelerated aging and cardiovascular risks, etc. The pharmacokinetic complexities of long-acting ART and systemic barriers to equitable care access compound these issues.

While previous research focused on viral suppression, the next frontier lies in optimizing ART safety profiles, personalizing treatment through precision medicine, and dismantling structural obstacles in care delivery. This research topic calls for interdisciplinary research that explores strategies to optimize antiretroviral treatment and dismantle barriers to care, ultimately advancing HIV care toward equitable and sustainable health outcomes.

Submissions of Original Research articles, Reviews, Mini-Reviews, Systematic Reviews, Perspectives, Opinions, and hypotheses are welcomed, with a focus on the following themes but not limited to:

1. ART Toxicity Mechanisms and Long-Term Outcomes
- Chronic inflammation and metabolic complications: Mechanisms linking ART (e.g., integrase inhibitors) to dyslipidemia, weight gain, and cardiovascular risk.
- Aging with HIV: immunosenescence, neurocognitive decline, osteoporosis, and cancer screening in aging populations.
- HIV-MTB or MPXV coinfection: Optimal combined treatment and mechanism analysis of antiviral effects or its immune responses.

2. Long-Acting ART: From Pharmacology to Practice
- PK/PD challenges in special populations (obesity, hepatic impairment).
- Drug-drug interactions with chronic disease medications.
- Real-world adherence patterns and patient preferences for injectable vs. oral regimens.

3. Precision Medicine in ART Optimization
- Genetic predictors of ART efficacy/toxicity.
- Machine learning/AI-driven models integrating multi-omics data for ART personalization.

4. Structural Innovations for Equitable ART Access
- Telemedicine models for decentralized ART delivery.
- Policy reforms to integrate ART into primary healthcare systems.

Keywords: HIV care, HIV comorbidities; coinfection, Precision medicine, Long-acting ART, Mental health integration, Health equality & health equity

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.