1263. Anti-Retroviral (ART) Success in an Active Duty Military Cohort from 2002 to 2016, A Model for Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States

BACKGROUND: Since 1985, all active duty (AD) U.S. military service members have undergone periodic mandatory HIV screening. Subsequent care in the Military Health System (MHS) allows evaluation of clinical outcomes in a setting of open access to healthcare and medications. We describe ART outcomes in HIV-positive AD military utilizing data collected over 15 years in our prospective, multi-center HIV Natural History Study (NHS). METHODS: We included AD NHS participants diagnosed with HIV from 2002–2016 with ≥1 year of follow-up. Demographics, clinical diagnoses and laboratory data collected at study visits were compared for those on vs. never on ART by HIV diagnosis era at 5-year intervals. Among participants who initiated ART with ≥1 year of follow-up after ART initiation (AI), we assessed rates of virologic suppression (VS) and virologic failure (VF). RESULTS: From 2002 to 2016, 1,599 NHS participants were diagnosed with HIV infection; 1,482 had ≥1 year of follow-up. 1,337 (90.2%) received ART; ART recipients were more likely male (OR 2.5 [95% CI 1.2–5.3]), Caucasian (1.6 [1.1–2.3]), older (1.5 per 10 years [1.1–2.0]), diagnosed from 2012–2016 (14.6 [6.6–31.9]), and have lower CD4 counts (0.8 per 100 cells [0.7–0.8]) and higher VL at diagnosis (2.1 [1.8–2.5]). The median time from diagnosis to AI was 0.3 years [0.1–1.3], decreasing by era (P <0.0001). Of those ever on ART, 1,212 (90.7%) had ≥1 year of follow-up on ART; of whom, 1,196 (98.7%) achieved ≥1 measure with VS, 91% on their first regimen and 69% within 6 months. Participants not achieving VS were younger at diagnosis (0.87 per year [0.78–0.98]) and at AI (0.89 per year [0.81–0.98]), were diagnosed in 2002–2011 (9.11 [1.20–69.22]), and had lower CD4 counts at AI (0.50 per 100 cells [0.33–0.75]). 92 (7.7%) had subsequent VF after initial VS. VF was more likely in participants diagnosed in 2002–2006 (3.0 [2.0–4.7]). 281 (23.2%) had an AIDS-defining diagnosis (CD4<200 cells/uL in 88%), which decreased by era (P <0.05). There were 6 deaths in the cohort, all prior to 2012. CONCLUSION: Universal HIV testing and open access to care has resulted in excellent outcomes for AD HIV-positive military members. The MHS model reinforces the benefits of the Department of Health and Human Services’ recommendations for universal testing, linkage to care and ART. [Image: see text] DISCLOSURES: All authors: No reported disclosures.