Overview
In January 2019, the following two long-term HIV studies aligned their data and combined to form the MWCCS.
- MACS was a 30-year study of HIV in homosexual and bisexual men. MACS enrolled more than 7,300 study participants with its consortium of 4 clinical research sites and a data coordinating center.
- WIHS was the largest and longest ongoing cohort study of women with HIV in the United States. WIHS began in 1993 at six clinical consortium sites.
The MWCCS includes more than 4,000 active participants, both with and without HIV, and is recruiting up to 1,500 new participants (one-third of whom are between the ages of 18 and 40). The effort will study high-priority research on HIV outcomes, including prevalence, pathology, etiology, mechanisms, treatment, and prevention of morbidity and mortality related to HIV, its treatment, and the intersection of HIV and aging and the contextual factors common in the lives of those with HIV.
The NICHD Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch participates in the MWCCS, which is led by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, to advance knowledge of HIV, with a focus on HIV-related comorbidities, by supporting the clinical research sites (CRS) of the former MACS and the WIHS.
This ongoing follow-up enhances the rich clinical and behavioral data on participants gathered over decades through MACS and WIHS. Each CRS employs a unified science agenda and provides expertise to lead part of that agenda. The Data Analysis and Coordination Center contributes to the study design, ensures appropriate adverse event monitoring and reporting, manages data, conducts statistical analyses, and helps with dissemination of results.
Topic Areas
Major areas of research focus for the MWCCS include:
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary
- Neuropsychological
- Aging
- Cancer
- Psychosocial
- Health disparities
More Information
- MWCCS Website
- NICHD Contact: Denise Russo
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