Short-term treatment outcomes of children starting antiretroviral ...
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Short-term treatment outcomes of children starting antiretroviral therapy in the intensive care unit, general medical wards and outpatient HIV clinics at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa: A retrospective cohort study.
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Baker, Jason V; Sharma, Shweta; Achhra, Amit C
2017-01-01
INTRODUCTION: HIV infection and certain antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications increase atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, mediated, in part, through traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied cardiovascular disease risk factor changes in the START...... (Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment) trial, a randomized study of immediate versus deferred ART initiation among HIV-positive persons with CD4+ cell counts >500 cells/mm3. Mean change from baseline in risk factors and the incidence of comorbid conditions were compared between groups....... The characteristics among 4685 HIV-positive START trial participants include a median age of 36 years, a CD4 cell count of 651 cells/mm3, an HIV viral load of 12 759 copies/mL, a current smoking status of 32%, a median systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 120/76 mm Hg, and median levels of total cholesterol of 168 mg...
Babiker, Abdel G; Emery, Sean; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Gordin, Fred M; Grund, Birgit; Lundgren, Jens D; Neaton, James D; Pett, Sarah L; Phillips, Andrew; Touloumi, Giota; Vjecha, Michael J
2012-01-01
Background Untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) count leading to the development of opportunistic diseases (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)), and more recent data suggest that HIV is also associated with an increased risk of serious non-AIDS (SNA) diseases including cardiovascular, renal, and liver diseases and non-AIDS-defining cancers. Although combination antiretroviral treatment (ART) has resulted in a substantial decrease in morbidity and mortality in persons with HIV infection, viral eradication is not feasible with currently available drugs. The optimal time to start ART for asymptomatic HIV infection is controversial and remains one of the key unanswered questions in the clinical management of HIV-infected individuals. Purpose In this article, we outline the rationale and methods of the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) study, an ongoing multicenter international trial designed to assess the risks and benefits of initiating ART earlier than is currently practiced. We also describe some of the challenges encountered in the design and implementation of the study and how these challenges were addressed. Methods A total of 4000 study participants who are HIV type 1 (HIV-1) infected, ART naïve with CD4 count > 500 cells/μL are to be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to start ART immediately (early ART) or defer treatment until CD4 count is AIDS, SNA, or death. The study had a pilot phase to establish feasibility of accrual, which was set as the enrollment of at least 900 participants in the first year. Results Challenges encountered in the design and implementation of the study included the limited amount of data on the risk of a major component of the primary endpoint (SNA) in the study population, changes in treatment guidelines when the pilot phase was well underway, and the complexities of conducting the trial in a geographically wide
Effects of nutritional supplementation for HIV patients starting antiretroviral treatment
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Olsen, Mette Frahm; Abdissa, Alemseged; Kæstel, Pernille
2014-01-01
Objectives: To determine the effects of lipid based nutritional supplements with either whey or soy protein in patients with HIV during the first three months of antiretroviral treatment (ART) and to explore effects of timing by comparing supplementation at the start of ART and after three months....../µL (−2 to 53 cells/µL) were CD4. Effects of the soy containing supplement on immune recovery were not significant. The effects of the two supplements, however, were not significantly different in direct comparison. Exploratory analysis showed that relatively more lean body mass was gained by patients...... with undetectable viral load at three months. Patients receiving delayed supplementation had higher weight gain but lower gains in functional outcomes. Conclusions: Lipid based nutritional supplements improved gain of weight, lean body mass, and grip strength in patients with HIV starting ART. Supplements...
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Ronit, Andreas; Sharma, Shweta; Baker, Jason V
2018-01-01
of Antiretroviral Treatment (START) study (NCT00867048) with serum albumin as a fixed and time-updated predictor. Models with exclusion of events during initial follow-up years were built to assess the ability of serum albumin to predict beyond shorter periods of time. Secondarily, we considered hospitalizations...... of serious non-AIDS events (hazard ratio, 0.37 [95% confidence interval, .20-.71]; P = .002). Similar results were obtained in a time-updated model, after controlling for interleukin 6, and after excluding initial follow-up years. Serum albumin was independently associated with hospitalization......Background: Serum albumin may be used to stratify human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons with high CD4 count according to their risk of serious non-AIDS endpoints. Methods: Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the risk of serious non-AIDS events in the Strategic Timing...
Changing Incidence and Risk Factors for Kaposi Sarcoma by Time Since Starting Antiretroviral Therapy
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Wyss, Natascha; Zwahlen, Marcel; Bohlius, Julia
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: Kaposi sarcoma (KS) remains a frequent cancer in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We examined incidence rates and risk factors for developing KS in different periods after starting cART in patients from European...
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Vasan Ashwin
2009-08-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background The scarcity of physicians in sub-Saharan Africa – particularly in rural clinics staffed only by non-physician health workers – is constraining access to HIV treatment, as only they are legally allowed to start antiretroviral therapy in the HIV-positive patient. Here we present a pilot study from Uganda assessing agreement between non-physician clinicians (nurses and clinical officers and physicians in their decisions as to whether to start therapy. Methods We conducted the study at 12 government antiretroviral therapy sites in three regions of Uganda, all of which had staff trained in delivery of antiretroviral therapy using the WHO Integrated Management of Adult and Adolescent Illness guidelines for chronic HIV care. We collected seven key variables to measure patient assessment and the decision as to whether to start antiretroviral therapy, the primary variable of interest being the Final Antiretroviral Therapy Recommendation. Patients saw either a clinical officer or nurse first, and then were screened identically by a blinded physician during the same clinic visit. We measured inter-rater agreement between the decisions of the non-physician health workers and physicians in the antiretroviral therapy assessment variables using simple and weighted Kappa analysis. Results Two hundred fifty-four patients were seen by a nurse and physician, while 267 were seen by a clinical officer and physician. The majority (> 50% in each arm of the study were in World Health Organization Clinical Stages I and II and therefore not currently eligible for antiretroviral therapy according to national antiretroviral therapy guidelines. Nurses and clinical officers both showed moderate to almost perfect agreement with physicians in their Final Antiretroviral Therapy Recommendation (unweighted κ = 0.59 and κ = 0.91, respectively. Agreement was also substantial for nurses versus physicians for assigning World Health Organization Clinical
Baker, Jason V; Sharma, Shweta; Achhra, Amit C; Bernardino, Jose Ignacio; Bogner, Johannes R; Duprez, Daniel; Emery, Sean; Gazzard, Brian; Gordin, Jonathan; Grandits, Greg; Phillips, Andrew N; Schwarze, Siegfried; Soliman, Elsayed Z; Spector, Stephen A; Tambussi, Giuseppe; Lundgren, Jens
2017-05-22
HIV infection and certain antiretroviral therapy (ART) medications increase atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, mediated, in part, through traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors. We studied cardiovascular disease risk factor changes in the START (Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment) trial, a randomized study of immediate versus deferred ART initiation among HIV-positive persons with CD4 + cell counts >500 cells/mm 3 . Mean change from baseline in risk factors and the incidence of comorbid conditions were compared between groups. The characteristics among 4685 HIV-positive START trial participants include a median age of 36 years, a CD4 cell count of 651 cells/mm 3 , an HIV viral load of 12 759 copies/mL, a current smoking status of 32%, a median systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 120/76 mm Hg, and median levels of total cholesterol of 168 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 102 mg/dL, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol of 41 mg/dL. Mean follow-up was 3.0 years. The immediate and deferred ART groups spent 94% and 28% of follow-up time taking ART, respectively. Compared with patients in the deferral group, patients in the immediate ART group had increased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and higher use of lipid-lowering therapy (1.2%; 95% CI, 0.1-2.2). Concurrent increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol with immediate ART resulted in a 0.1 lower total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (95% CI, 0.1-0.2). Immediate ART resulted in 2.3% less BP-lowering therapy use (95% CI, 0.9-3.6), but there were no differences in new-onset hypertension or diabetes mellitus. Among HIV-positive persons with preserved immunity, immediate ART led to increases in total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol but also concurrent increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreased use of blood pressure medications. These opposing effects suggest that, in
Sendagire, Ibrahim; Cobelens, Frank; Kambugu, Andrew; Konde-Lule, Joseph; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten
2012-01-01
Background: Access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) has improved greatly in many parts of the world, including Uganda, yet, many patients delay to start ART even when registered within the HIV services. We assessed, in a routine ambulatory care setting, what proportion of patients start ART late
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May, Margaret T; Vehreschild, Jorg-Janne; Trickey, Adam
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: CD4 count at start of combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) is strongly associated with short-term survival, but its association with longer-term survival is less well characterized. METHODS: We estimated mortality rates (MRs) by time since start of ART (...-4.9, 5-9.9, and ≥10 years) among patients from 18 European and North American cohorts who started ART during 1996-2001. Piecewise exponential models stratified by cohort were used to estimate crude and adjusted (for sex, age, transmission risk, period of starting ART [1996-1997, 1998-1999, 2000......-2001], and AIDS and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA at baseline) mortality rate ratios (MRRs) by CD4 count at start of ART (0-49, 50-99, 100-199, 200-349, 350-499, ≥500 cells/µL) overall and separately according to time since start of ART. RESULTS: A total of 6344 of 37 496 patients died during 359 219...
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Trickey, Adam; May, Margaret T; Vehreschild, Jorg-Janne
2016-01-01
OBJECTIVES: To estimate mortality rates and prognostic factors in HIV-positive patients who started combination antiretroviral therapy between 1996-1999 and survived for more than ten years. METHODS: We used data from 18 European and North American HIV cohort studies contributing to the Antiretro......OBJECTIVES: To estimate mortality rates and prognostic factors in HIV-positive patients who started combination antiretroviral therapy between 1996-1999 and survived for more than ten years. METHODS: We used data from 18 European and North American HIV cohort studies contributing...... to the Antiretroviral Therapy Cohort Collaboration. We followed up patients from ten years after start of combination antiretroviral therapy. We estimated overall and cause-specific mortality rate ratios for age, sex, transmission through injection drug use, AIDS, CD4 count and HIV-1 RNA. RESULTS: During 50,593 person...... years 656/13,011 (5%) patients died. Older age, male sex, injecting drug use transmission, AIDS, and low CD4 count and detectable viral replication ten years after starting combination antiretroviral therapy were associated with higher subsequent mortality. CD4 count at ART start did not predict...
When to start antiretroviral therapy
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Lundgren, Jens D; Babiker, Abdel G; Gordin, Fred M
2013-01-01
Strategies for use of antiretroviral therapy (ART) have traditionally focused on providing treatment to persons who stand to benefit immediately from initiating the therapy. There is global consensus that any HIV+ person with CD4 counts less than 350 cells/μl should initiate ART. However, it rema...
Johnson, Leigh F; Mossong, Joel; Dorrington, Rob E; Schomaker, Michael; Hoffmann, Christopher J; Keiser, Olivia; Fox, Matthew P; Wood, Robin; Prozesky, Hans; Giddy, Janet; Garone, Daniela Belen; Cornell, Morna; Egger, Matthias; Boulle, Andrew
2013-01-01
Few estimates exist of the life expectancy of HIV-positive adults receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the life expectancy of patients starting ART in South Africa and compare it with that of HIV-negative adults. Data were collected from six South African ART cohorts. Analysis was restricted to 37,740 HIV-positive adults starting ART for the first time. Estimates of mortality were obtained by linking patient records to the national population register. Relative survival models were used to estimate the excess mortality attributable to HIV by age, for different baseline CD4 categories and different durations. Non-HIV mortality was estimated using a South African demographic model. The average life expectancy of men starting ART varied between 27.6 y (95% CI: 25.2-30.2) at age 20 y and 10.1 y (95% CI: 9.3-10.8) at age 60 y, while estimates for women at the same ages were substantially higher, at 36.8 y (95% CI: 34.0-39.7) and 14.4 y (95% CI: 13.3-15.3), respectively. The life expectancy of a 20-y-old woman was 43.1 y (95% CI: 40.1-46.0) if her baseline CD4 count was ≥ 200 cells/µl, compared to 29.5 y (95% CI: 26.2-33.0) if her baseline CD4 count was <50 cells/µl. Life expectancies of patients with baseline CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µl were between 70% and 86% of those in HIV-negative adults of the same age and sex, and life expectancies were increased by 15%-20% in patients who had survived 2 y after starting ART. However, the analysis was limited by a lack of mortality data at longer durations. South African HIV-positive adults can have a near-normal life expectancy, provided that they start ART before their CD4 count drops below 200 cells/µl. These findings demonstrate that the near-normal life expectancies of HIV-positive individuals receiving ART in high-income countries can apply to low- and middle-income countries as well. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.
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Leigh F Johnson
Full Text Available Few estimates exist of the life expectancy of HIV-positive adults receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART in low- and middle-income countries. We aimed to estimate the life expectancy of patients starting ART in South Africa and compare it with that of HIV-negative adults.Data were collected from six South African ART cohorts. Analysis was restricted to 37,740 HIV-positive adults starting ART for the first time. Estimates of mortality were obtained by linking patient records to the national population register. Relative survival models were used to estimate the excess mortality attributable to HIV by age, for different baseline CD4 categories and different durations. Non-HIV mortality was estimated using a South African demographic model. The average life expectancy of men starting ART varied between 27.6 y (95% CI: 25.2-30.2 at age 20 y and 10.1 y (95% CI: 9.3-10.8 at age 60 y, while estimates for women at the same ages were substantially higher, at 36.8 y (95% CI: 34.0-39.7 and 14.4 y (95% CI: 13.3-15.3, respectively. The life expectancy of a 20-y-old woman was 43.1 y (95% CI: 40.1-46.0 if her baseline CD4 count was ≥ 200 cells/µl, compared to 29.5 y (95% CI: 26.2-33.0 if her baseline CD4 count was <50 cells/µl. Life expectancies of patients with baseline CD4 counts ≥ 200 cells/µl were between 70% and 86% of those in HIV-negative adults of the same age and sex, and life expectancies were increased by 15%-20% in patients who had survived 2 y after starting ART. However, the analysis was limited by a lack of mortality data at longer durations.South African HIV-positive adults can have a near-normal life expectancy, provided that they start ART before their CD4 count drops below 200 cells/µl. These findings demonstrate that the near-normal life expectancies of HIV-positive individuals receiving ART in high-income countries can apply to low- and middle-income countries as well. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary.
Wyss, Natascha; Zwahlen, Marcel; Clifford, Gary; Campbell, Maria; Chakraborty, Rana; Bonnet, Fabrice; Chene, Geneviève; Bani-Sadr, Firouze; Verbon, Annelies; Zangerle, Robert; Paparizos, Vassilios; Prins, Maria; Dronda, Fernando; Le Moing, Vincent; Antinori, Andrea; Quiros-Roldan, Eugenia; Mussini, Cristina; Miro, Jose M.; Meyer, Laurence; Vehreschild, Janne; Obel, Niels; Mocroft, Amanda; Brockmeyer, Norbert; Boue, François; Sabin, Caroline; Spagnuolo, Vincenzo; Hasse, Barbara; de Wit, Stéphane; Roca, Bernardino; Egger, Matthias; Bohlius, Julia
2016-01-01
Kaposi sarcoma (KS) remains a frequent cancer in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). We examined incidence rates and risk factors for developing KS in different periods after starting cART in patients from European observational
Anderegg, Nanina; Panayidou, Klea; Abo, Yao; Alejos, Belen; Althoff, Keri N.; Anastos, Kathryn; Antinori, Andrea; Balestre, Eric; Becquet, Renaud; Castagna, Antonella; Castelnuovo, Barbara; Chêne, Geneviève; Coelho, Lara; Collins, Intira Jeannie; Costagliola, Dominique; Crabtree-Ramírez, Brenda; Dabis, Francois; D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella; Davies, Mary-Ann; de Wit, Stéphane; Delpech, Valérie; de La Mata, Nicole L.; Duda, Stephany; Freeman, Aimee; Gange, Stephen J.; Grabmeier-Pfistershammer, Katharina; Gunsenheimer-Bartmeyer, Barbara; Jiamsakul, Awachana; Kitahata, Mari M.; Law, Matthew; Manzardo, Christian; McGowan, Catherine; Meyer, Laurence; Moore, Richard; Mussini, Cristina; Nakigoz, Gertrude; Nash, Denis; tek Ng, Oon; Obel, Niels; Pantazis, Nikos; Poda, Armel; Raben, Dorthe; Reiss, Peter; Riggen, Larry; Sabin, Caroline; d'Amour Sinayobye, Jean; Sönnerborg, Anders; Stoeckle, Marcel; Thorne, Claire; Torti, Carlo
2018-01-01
Early initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), at higher CD4 cell counts, prevents disease progression and reduces sexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We describe the temporal trends in CD4 cell counts at the start of cART in adults from low-income,
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Mónica Rodríguez
2012-01-01
Full Text Available We report a case of Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome with central nervous system involvement, in a patient with late human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection starting antiretroviral therapy, in whom Strongyloides stercoralis larvae and Cryptococcus neoformans were isolated antemortem from cerebrospinal fluid. Our patient was not from an endemic region for the parasite, so strongyloidiasis was not originally suspected. For this reason, we conclude that Strongyloides stercoralis infection should be suspected in HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy in order to avoid potential fatal outcomes.
Hidden costs of antiretroviral treatment: the public health efficiency of drug packaging.
Andreu-Crespo, Àngels; Llibre, Josep M; Cardona-Peitx, Glòria; Sala-Piñol, Ferran; Clotet, Bonaventura; Bonafont-Pujol, Xavier
2015-01-01
While the overall percentage of unused antiretroviral medicines returned to the hospital pharmacy is low, their cost is quite high. Adverse events, treatment failure, pharmacokinetic interactions, pregnancy, or treatment simplification are common reasons for unplanned treatment changes. Socially inefficient antiretroviral packages prevent the reuse of drugs returned to the hospital pharmacy. We defined antiretroviral package categories based on the excellence of drug packaging and analyzed the number of pills and costs of drugs returned during a period of 1 year in a hospital-based HIV unit attending to 2,413 treated individuals. A total of 6,090 pills (34% of all returned antiretrovirals) - with a cost of 47,139.91 € - would be totally lost, mainly due to being packed up in the lowest efficiency packages. Newer treatments are packaged in low-excellence categories of packages, thus favoring the maintenance of these hidden costs in the near future. Therefore, costs of this low-efficiency drug packaging, where medication packages are started but not completed, in high-cost medications are substantial and should be properly addressed. Any improvement in the packaging by the manufacturer, and favoring the choice of drugs supplied through efficient packages (when efficacy, toxicity, and convenience are similar), should minimize the treatment expenditures paid by national health budgets.
Immediate Antiretroviral Therapy Reduces Risk of Infection-Related Cancer During Early HIV Infection
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Borges, Alvaro Humberto Diniz; Neuhaus, Jacqueline; Babiker, Abdel G
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: In the Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment (START) study, immediate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation reduced cancer risk by 64%. We hypothesized that risk reduction was higher for infection-related cancer and determined by differences in CD4 cell counts a...
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Desmonde, Sophie; Eboua, François T; Malateste, Karen
2015-01-01
BACKGROUND: We described reasons for switching to second-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) and time to switch in HIV-infected children failing first-line ART in West Africa. METHODS: We included all children aged 15 years or less, starting ART (at least three drugs) in the paediatric Ie...... post-ART initiation, 188 (7%) had switched to second-line. The most frequent reasons were drug stock outs (20%), toxicity (18%), treatment failure (16%) and poor adherence (8%). Over the 24-month follow-up period, 322 (12%) children failed first-line ART after a median time of 7 months...... rare and switches after an immunological failure were insufficient. These gaps reveal that it is crucial to advocate for both sustainable access to first-line and alternative regimens to provide adequate roll-out of paediatric ART programmes....
Hidden costs of antiretroviral treatment: the public health efficiency of drug packaging
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Andreu-Crespo À
2015-08-01
Full Text Available Àngels Andreu-Crespo,1,* Josep M Llibre,2,3,* Glòria Cardona-Peitx,1 Ferran Sala-Piñol,1 Bonaventura Clotet,2,4 Xavier Bonafont-Pujol1 1Pharmacy Department, 2HIV Unit and “Lluita contra la SIDA” Foundation, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, 3Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 4Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC, Vic, Barcelona, Spain *These authors contributed equally to the work Abstract: While the overall percentage of unused antiretroviral medicines returned to the hospital pharmacy is low, their cost is quite high. Adverse events, treatment failure, pharmacokinetic interactions, pregnancy, or treatment simplification are common reasons for unplanned treatment changes. Socially inefficient antiretroviral packages prevent the reuse of drugs returned to the hospital pharmacy. We defined antiretroviral package categories based on the excellence of drug packaging and analyzed the number of pills and costs of drugs returned during a period of 1 year in a hospital-based HIV unit attending to 2,413 treated individuals. A total of 6,090 pills (34% of all returned antiretrovirals – with a cost of 47,139.91€ – would be totally lost, mainly due to being packed up in the lowest efficiency packages. Newer treatments are packaged in low-excellence categories of packages, thus favoring the maintenance of these hidden costs in the near future. Therefore, costs of this low-efficiency drug packaging, where medication packages are started but not completed, in high-cost medications are substantial and should be properly addressed. Any improvement in the packaging by the manufacturer, and favoring the choice of drugs supplied through efficient packages (when efficacy, toxicity, and convenience are similar, should minimize the treatment expenditures paid by national health budgets. Keywords: antiretroviral treatment, cost efficacy, drug packaging, treatment change
Antiretroviral Drugs for Treatment and Prevention of HIV Infection in Adults
Günthard, Huldrych F.; Saag, Michael S.; Benson, Constance A.; del Rio, Carlos; Eron, Joseph J.; Gallant, Joel E.; Hoy, Jennifer F.; Mugavero, Michael J.; Sax, Paul E.; Thompson, Melanie A.; Gandhi, Rajesh T.; Landovitz, Raphael J.; Smith, Davey M.; Jacobsen, Donna M.; Volberding, Paul A.
2016-01-01
IMPORTANCE New data and therapeutic options warrant updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to treat or to prevent HIV infection in adults. OBJECTIVE To provide updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral therapy in adults (aged ≥18 years) with established HIV infection, including when to start treatment, initial regimens, and changing regimens, along with recommendations for using ARVs for preventing HIV among those at risk, including preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis. EVIDENCE REVIEW A panel of experts in HIV research and patient care convened by the International Antiviral Society-USA reviewed data published in peer-reviewed journals, presented by regulatory agencies, or presented as conference abstracts at peer-reviewed scientific conferences since the 2014 report, for new data or evidence that would change previous recommendations or their ratings. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in the PubMed and EMBASE databases through April 2016. Recommendations were by consensus, and each recommendation was rated by strength and quality of the evidence. FINDINGS Newer data support the widely accepted recommendation that antiretroviral therapy should be started in all individuals with HIV infection with detectable viremia regardless of CD4 cell count. Recommended optimal initial regimens for most patients are 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (InSTI). Other effective regimens include nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or boosted protease inhibitors with 2 NRTIs. Recommendations for special populations and in the settings of opportunistic infections and concomitant conditions are provided. Reasons for switching therapy include convenience, tolerability, simplification, anticipation of potential new drug interactions, pregnancy or plans for pregnancy, elimination of food restrictions, virologic failure, or drug toxicities. Laboratory
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Graeme Meintjes
2015-12-01
Full Text Available The most recent version of the Southern African HIV Clinicians Society’s adult antiretroviral therapy (ART guidelines was published in December 2014. In the 27 August 2015 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, two seminal randomised controlled trials that addressed the optimal timing of ART in HIV-infected patients with high CD4 counts were published: Strategic timing of antiretroviral therapy (START and TEMPRANO ANRS 12136 (Early antiretroviral treatment and/or early isoniazid prophylaxis against tuberculosis in HIV-infected adults. The findings of these two trials were consistent: there was significant individual clinical benefit from starting ART immediately in patients with CD4 counts higher than 500 cells/μL rather than deferring until a certain lower CD4 threshold or clinical indication was met. The findings add to prior evidence showing that ART reduces the risk of onward HIV transmission. Therefore, early ART initiation has the public health benefits of potentially reducing both HIV incidence and morbidity. Given this new and important evidence, the Society took the decision to provide a specific update on the section of the adult ART guidelines relating to when ART should be initiated.
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J.E. Kotzé
2010-09-01
Full Text Available The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome epidemic, caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a global crisis which threatens development gains, economies, and societies. Within sub-Saharan Africa, where the epidemic began the earliest and the HIV prevalence is the highest, African countries have death rates not seen before. In South Africa the epidemic has a devastating impact which creates profound suffering on individuals and their families, and the impact on the socio-economic level is of great concern. The eradication of HIV/AIDS represents one of humanity’s greatest challenges, which requires co-operation and comprehensive collaboration between many different role players. In this endeavour clinical information plays a major role. To combat the effect of the disease, the Free State Department of Health started with the provisioning of antiretroviral therapy in the public health sector. The objective of this paper was to address the challenges they faced in order to develop and implement an information system to manage the rollout of antiretroviral treatment effectively. They started with a paper-based system to collect vital information. It was followed by a palm computer project that was initiated to electronically capture the data collected by the paper-based system. This system was then replaced by a comprehensive Hospital and Clinic Information System which was acquired and customised for the antiretroviral data collection process. Research partners developed a standalone antiretroviral data warehouse for collecting information associated with the monitoring and evaluation of the Free State antiretroviral and HIV/ AIDS treatment programme. The data warehouse successfully produced several management information reports to the antiretroviral management team. A need was identified to design a comprehensive antiretroviral data warehouse that will integrate data from several operational sources which are all associated with HIV/AIDS.
Pregnancy outcome of HIV-infected women on anti-retroviral therapy ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
... received anti-retroviral treatment at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital ... 3.8% started in 2nd trimester of pregnancy and 14.1% during labour. ... was minimal and stresses the value of antiretroviral treatment in the prevention of ...
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Biadgilign Sibhatu
2012-05-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies indicate that there is high early mortality among patients starting antiretroviral treatment in sub-Saharan Africa. However, there is paucity of evidence on long term survival of patients on anti-retroviral treatment in the region. The objective of this study is to examine mortality and its predictors among a cohort of HIV infected patients on anti-retroviral treatment retrospectively followed for five years. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted among HIV infected patients on ART in eastern Ethiopia. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to investigate factors that influence time to death and survival over time. Result A total of 1540 study participants were included in the study. From the registered patients in the cohort, the outcome of patients as active, deceased, lost to follow up and transfer out was 1005 (67.2%, 86 (5.9%, 210 (14.0% and 192 (12.8% respectively. The overall mortality rate provides an incidence density of 2.03 deaths per 100 person years (95% CI 1.64 - 2.50. Out of a total of 86 deaths over 60 month period; 63 (73.3% died during the first 12 months, 10 (11.6% during the second year, and 10 (11.6% in the third year of follow up. In multivariate analysis, the independent predictors for mortality were loss of more 10% weight loss, bedridden functional status at baseline, ≤ 200 CD4 cell count/ml, and advanced WHO stage patients. Conclusion A lower level of mortality was detected among the cohort of patients on antiretroviral treatment in eastern Ethiopia. Previous history of weight loss, bedridden functional status at baseline, low CD4 cell count and advanced WHO status patients had a higher risk of death. Early initiation of ART, provision of nutritional support and strengthening of the food by prescription initiative, and counseling of patients for early presentation to treatment is recommended.
Starting ART following cryptococcal meningitis:The optimal time has yet to be defined
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T A Bicanic
2013-09-01
Full Text Available Ever since the public sector rollout of antiretroviral therapy (ART in 2004, the question of the optimal time to start ART following diagnosis of an opportunistic infection has aroused controversy among South African HIV clinicians and researchers.
Mandelbrot, Laurent; Tubiana, Roland; Le Chenadec, Jerome; Dollfus, Catherine; Faye, Albert; Pannier, Emmanuelle; Matheron, Sophie; Khuong, Marie-Aude; Garrait, Valerie; Reliquet, Veronique; Devidas, Alain; Berrebi, Alain; Allisy, Christine; Elleau, Christophe; Arvieux, Cedric; Rouzioux, Christine; Warszawski, Josiane; Blanche, Stéphane
2015-12-01
The efficacy of preventing perinatal transmission (PT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) depends on both viral load (VL) and treatment duration. The objective of this study was to determine whether initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) before conception has the potential to eliminate PT. A total of 8075 HIV-infected mother/infant pairs included from 2000 to 2011 in the national prospective multicenter French Perinatal Cohort (ANRS-EPF) received ART, delivered live-born children with determined HIV infection status, and did not breastfeed. PT was analyzed according to maternal VL at delivery and timing of ART initiation. The overall rate of PT was 0.7% (56 of 8075). No transmission occurred among 2651 infants born to women who were receiving ART before conception, continued ART throughout the pregnancy, and delivered with a plasma VL women starting ART before conception to 0.4% (3 of 709), 0.9% (24 of 2810), and 2.2% (23 of 1051) for those starting during the first, second, or third trimester (P women with VLs of 50-400 copies/mL near delivery than for those with suppression of plasma VL. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Sinha, Sanjeev; Shekhar, Rahul C; Singh, Gurjeet; Shah, Nipam; Ahmad, Hafiz; Kumar, Narendra; Sharma, Surendra K; Samantaray, J C; Ranjan, Sanjai; Ekka, Meera; Sreenivas, Vishnu; Mitsuyasu, Ronald T
2012-07-31
For antiretroviral therapy (ART) naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults suffering from tuberculosis (TB), there is uncertainty about the optimal time to initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after starting antituberculosis treatment (ATT), in order to minimize mortality, HIV disease progression, and adverse events. In a randomized, open label trial at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, eligible HIV positive individuals with a diagnosis of TB were randomly assigned to receive HAART after 2-4 or 8-12 weeks of starting ATT, and were followed for 12 months after HAART initiation. Participants received directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) for TB, and an antiretroviral regimen comprising stavudine or zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz. Primary end points were death from any cause, and progression of HIV disease marked by failure of ART. A total of 150 patients with HIV and TB were initiated on HAART: 88 received it after 2-4 weeks (early ART) and 62 after 8-12 weeks (delayed ART) of starting ATT. There was no significant difference in mortality between the groups after the introduction of HAART. However, incidence of ART failure was 31% in delayed versus 16% in early ART arm (p = 0.045). Kaplan Meier disease progression free survival at 12 months was 79% for early versus 64% for the delayed ART arm (p = 0.05). Rates of adverse events were similar. Early initiation of HAART for patients with HIV and TB significantly decreases incidence of HIV disease progression and has good tolerability. CTRI/2011/12/002260.
Treatment and prevention of HIV infection with long-acting antiretrovirals.
Benítez-Gutiérrez, Laura; Soriano, Vicente; Requena, Silvia; Arias, Ana; Barreiro, Pablo; de Mendoza, Carmen
2018-05-01
Current antiretroviral therapy allows to achieve and sustain maximal suppression of HIV replication in most treated patients. As result, the life expectancy of HIV-infected persons has improved dramatically and is nowadays similar to that of the HIV-negative population. However, oral antiretrovirals have to be taken daily and indefinitely to avoid resumption of HIV replication and selection of drug resistance. Unfortunately, drug adherence is often suboptimal and tends to decline over time. Areas covered: New drugs, formulations and delivery systems are being developed for extended-release of antiretrovirals. At this time, intramuscular cabotegravir and rilpivirine, dapivirine vaginal rings and tenofovir alafenamide subdermal implants are the products in more advanced stages of clinical development. Their pharmacokinetics/dynamics and safety/efficacy are reviewed. Expert commentary: In the absence of eradicative therapy for individuals with HIV infection and protective vaccines for persons at risk, long-term antiretroviral therapy is the best approach for preventing disease progression in patients and halting transmissions, either as result of 'treatment as prevention' for HIV carriers or 'pre-exposure prophylaxis' for uninfected individuals at risk. In all these scenarios, the advent of long-acting antiretrovirals will expand options for overcoming the challenge of suboptimal drug adherence and reduce the burden of HIV infection.
Platelet count kinetics following interruption of antiretroviral treatment
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Zetterberg, Eva; Neuhaus, Jacqueline; Baker, Jason V
2013-01-01
To investigate the mechanisms of platelet kinetics in the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (SMART) study that demonstrated excess mortality with CD4 guided episodic antiretroviral therapy (ART) drug conservation compared with continuous treatment viral suppression. Follow...
Le, Thuy; Chiarella, Jennifer; Simen, Birgitte B; Hanczaruk, Bozena; Egholm, Michael; Landry, Marie L; Dieckhaus, Kevin; Rosen, Marc I; Kozal, Michael J
2009-06-29
It is largely unknown how frequently low-abundance HIV drug-resistant variants at levels under limit of detection of conventional genotyping (<20% of quasi-species) are present in antiretroviral-experienced persons experiencing virologic failure. Further, the clinical implications of low-abundance drug-resistant variants at time of virologic failure are unknown. Plasma samples from 22 antiretroviral-experienced subjects collected at time of virologic failure (viral load 1380 to 304,000 copies/mL) were obtained from a specimen bank (from 2004-2007). The prevalence and profile of drug-resistant mutations were determined using Sanger sequencing and ultra-deep pyrosequencing. Genotypes were interpreted using Stanford HIV database algorithm. Antiretroviral treatment histories were obtained by chart review and correlated with drug-resistant mutations. Low-abundance drug-resistant mutations were detected in all 22 subjects by deep sequencing and only in 3 subjects by Sanger sequencing. In total they accounted for 90 of 247 mutations (36%) detected by deep sequencing; the majority of these (95%) were not detected by standard genotyping. A mean of 4 additional mutations per subject were detected by deep sequencing (p<0.0001, 95%CI: 2.85-5.53). The additional low-abundance drug-resistant mutations increased a subject's genotypic resistance to one or more antiretrovirals in 17 of 22 subjects (77%). When correlated with subjects' antiretroviral treatment histories, the additional low-abundance drug-resistant mutations correlated with the failing antiretroviral drugs in 21% subjects and correlated with historical antiretroviral use in 79% subjects (OR, 13.73; 95% CI, 2.5-74.3, p = 0.0016). Low-abundance HIV drug-resistant mutations in antiretroviral-experienced subjects at time of virologic failure can increase a subject's overall burden of resistance, yet commonly go unrecognized by conventional genotyping. The majority of unrecognized resistant mutations correlate with
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Thuy Le
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: It is largely unknown how frequently low-abundance HIV drug-resistant variants at levels under limit of detection of conventional genotyping (<20% of quasi-species are present in antiretroviral-experienced persons experiencing virologic failure. Further, the clinical implications of low-abundance drug-resistant variants at time of virologic failure are unknown. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Plasma samples from 22 antiretroviral-experienced subjects collected at time of virologic failure (viral load 1380 to 304,000 copies/mL were obtained from a specimen bank (from 2004-2007. The prevalence and profile of drug-resistant mutations were determined using Sanger sequencing and ultra-deep pyrosequencing. Genotypes were interpreted using Stanford HIV database algorithm. Antiretroviral treatment histories were obtained by chart review and correlated with drug-resistant mutations. Low-abundance drug-resistant mutations were detected in all 22 subjects by deep sequencing and only in 3 subjects by Sanger sequencing. In total they accounted for 90 of 247 mutations (36% detected by deep sequencing; the majority of these (95% were not detected by standard genotyping. A mean of 4 additional mutations per subject were detected by deep sequencing (p<0.0001, 95%CI: 2.85-5.53. The additional low-abundance drug-resistant mutations increased a subject's genotypic resistance to one or more antiretrovirals in 17 of 22 subjects (77%. When correlated with subjects' antiretroviral treatment histories, the additional low-abundance drug-resistant mutations correlated with the failing antiretroviral drugs in 21% subjects and correlated with historical antiretroviral use in 79% subjects (OR, 13.73; 95% CI, 2.5-74.3, p = 0.0016. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Low-abundance HIV drug-resistant mutations in antiretroviral-experienced subjects at time of virologic failure can increase a subject's overall burden of resistance, yet commonly go unrecognized by conventional
Floridia, Marco; Ciccacci, Fausto; Andreotti, Mauro; Hassane, Archa; Sidumo, Zita; Magid, Nurja A; Sotomane, Horacio; David, Muhlavasse; Mutemba, Elsa; Cebola, Junia; Mugunhe, Remigio Josè; Riccardi, Fabio; Marazzi, Maria Cristina; Giuliano, Marina; Palombi, Leonardo; Mancinelli, Sandro
2017-11-13
Tuberculosis is a major health concern in several countries, and effective diagnostic algorithms for use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients are urgently needed. At prescription of antiretroviral therapy, all patients in 3 Mozambican health centers were screened for tuberculosis, with a combined approach: World Health Organization (WHO) 4-symptom screening (fever, cough, night sweats, and weight loss), a rapid test detecting mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan in urine (Determine TB LAM), and a molecular assay performed on a sputum sample (Xpert MTB/RIF; repeated if first result was negative). Patients with positive LAM or Xpert MTB/RIF results were referred for tuberculosis treatment. Among 972 patients with a complete diagnostic algorithm (58.5% female; median CD4 cell count, 278/μL; WHO HIV stage I, 66.8%), 98 (10.1%) tested positive with Xpert (90, 9.3%) or LAM (34, 3.5%) assays. Compared with a single-test Xpert strategy, dual Xpert tests improved case finding by 21.6%, LAM testing alone improved it by 13.5%, and dual Xpert tests plus LAM testing improved it by 32.4%. Rifampicin resistance in Xpert-positive patients was infrequent (2.5%). Among patients with positive results, 22 of 98 (22.4%) had no symptoms at WHO 4-symptom screening. Patients with tuberculosis diagnosed had significantly lower CD4 cell counts and hemoglobin levels, more advanced WHO stage, and higher HIV RNA levels. Fifteen (15.3%) did not start tuberculosis treatment, mostly owing to rapidly deteriorating clinical conditions or logistical constraints. The median interval between start of the diagnostic algorithm and start of tuberculosis treatment was 7 days. The prevalence of tuberculosis among Mozambican HIV-positive patients starting antiretroviral therapy was 10%, with limited rifampicin resistance. Use of combined point-of-care tests increased case finding, with a short time to treatment. Interventions are needed to remove logistical barriers and prevent presentation
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Sinha Sanjeev
2012-07-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background For antiretroviral therapy (ART naive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infected adults suffering from tuberculosis (TB, there is uncertainty about the optimal time to initiate highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART after starting antituberculosis treatment (ATT, in order to minimize mortality, HIV disease progression, and adverse events. Methods In a randomized, open label trial at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India, eligible HIV positive individuals with a diagnosis of TB were randomly assigned to receive HAART after 2-4 or 8-12 weeks of starting ATT, and were followed for 12 months after HAART initiation. Participants received directly observed therapy short course (DOTS for TB, and an antiretroviral regimen comprising stavudine or zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz. Primary end points were death from any cause, and progression of HIV disease marked by failure of ART. Findings A total of 150 patients with HIV and TB were initiated on HAART: 88 received it after 2-4 weeks (early ART and 62 after 8-12 weeks (delayed ART of starting ATT. There was no significant difference in mortality between the groups after the introduction of HAART. However, incidence of ART failure was 31% in delayed versus 16% in early ART arm (p = 0.045. Kaplan Meier disease progression free survival at 12 months was 79% for early versus 64% for the delayed ART arm (p = 0.05. Rates of adverse events were similar. Interpretation Early initiation of HAART for patients with HIV and TB significantly decreases incidence of HIV disease progression and has good tolerability. Trial registration CTRI/2011/12/002260
Antiretroviral treatment uptake in patients with HIV associated TB ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Background. Delivery of integrated care for patients with HIV-associated TB is challenging. We assessed the uptake and timing of antiretroviral treatment (ART) among eligible patients attending a primary care service with co-located ART and TB clinics. Methods. In a retrospective cohort study, all HIV-associated TB patients ...
ORIGINAL ARTICLES Estimation of adult antiretroviral treatment ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
workplace treatment programmes (WPTPs) and NGO ..... Our analysis also demonstrates significant inequality .... paying for their own treatment outside of DMPs,15 which may ... of antiretroviral coverage in men and women and to develop.
Characteristics of HIV antiretroviral regimen and treatment adherence
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Vera Lúcia da Silveira
Full Text Available The relationship between characteristics of HIV antiretroviral regimens and treatment adherence was studied in adolescent and adult patients who underwent antiretroviral therapy from January 1998 to September 2000, at the Service for Specialized Assistance in Pelotas. The patients were interviewed on two occasions, and the use of antiretrovirals during the previous 48 hours was investigated by a self-report. Adherence was defined as use of 95% or more of the prescribed medication. Social-demographic variables were collected through direct questionnaires. The antiretroviral regimen and clinical data were copied from the patients' records. Associations between the independent variables and adherence were analyzed by means of logistic regression. The multivariate analysis included characteristics of the antiretroviral regimens, social-demographic variables, as well as perception of negative effects, negative physiological states, and adverse effects of the treatment. Among the 224 selected patients, 194 participated in our study. Their ages varied from 17 to 67 years; most patients were men, with few years of schooling and a low family income. Only 49% adhered to the treatment. Adherence to treatment regimens was reduced when more daily doses were indicated: three to four doses (odds ratio of adherence to treatment (OR=0.47, 95% confidence interval (CI 0.22-1.01 and five to six (OR=0.24, 95% CI 0.09-0.62; two or more doses taken in a fasting state (OR=0.59, 95% CI 0.11-0.68, and for patients who reported adverse effects to the treatment (OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.19-0.77. Most of the regimens with more than two daily doses of medication included at least one dose apart from mealtimes. The results suggest that, if possible, regimens with a reduced number of doses should be chosen, with no compulsory fasting, and with few adverse effects. Strategies to minimize these effects should be discussed with the patients.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Wright, Edwina J; Grund, Birgit; Robertson, Kevin R
2018-01-01
OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of immediate versus deferred antiretroviral treatment (ART) on neuropsychological test performance in treatment-naive HIV-positive adults with >500 CD4+ cells/μL. DESIGN: Randomized trial. METHODS: The START parent study randomized participants to commence immediate...... versus deferred ART until CD4+ cells/μL. The START Neurology substudy used 8 neuropsychological tests, at baseline, months 4, 8, 12 and annually, to compare groups for changes in test performance. Test results were internally standardized to z-scores. The primary outcome was the average of the eight...... test z-scores (QNPZ-8). Mean changes in QNPZ-8 from baseline were compared by intent-to-treat using longitudinal mixed models. Changes from baseline to specific time points were compared using ANCOVA models. RESULTS: 592 participants had a median age of 34 years; median baseline CD4+ count of 629 cells...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro; Phillips, Andrew N; Clotet, Bonaventura
2008-01-01
OBJECTIVE(S): To investigate the relationship between detection of HIV drug resistance by 2 years from starting antiretroviral therapy and the subsequent risk of progression to AIDS and death. DESIGN: Virological failure was defined as experiencing two consecutive viral loads of more than 400...... copies/ml in the time window between 0.5 and 2 years from starting antiretroviral therapy (baseline). Patients were grouped according to evidence of virological failure and whether there was detection of the International AIDS Society resistance mutations to one, two or three drug classes in the time...... or death was 20.3% (95% CI:17.7-22.9) in patients with no evidence of virological failure and 53% (39.3-66.7) in those with virological failure and mutations to three drug classes (P = 0.0001). An almost two-fold difference in risk was confirmed in the multivariable analysis (adjusted relative hazard = 1...
Starting infants on antiretroviral therapy | Clayden | Southern African ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
5 years or more, that most start at a late stage of the disease, and that mortality in the first few months of treatment remains high.5,6 A recent study shows that starting treatment in early infancy can be lifesaving, and this has informed revisions in World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines7,8 (see WHO 'Dear Health Care ...
Gupta, Ravindra K; Jordan, Michael R; Sultan, Binta J; Hill, Andrew; Davis, Daniel H J; Gregson, John; Sawyer, Anthony W; Hamers, Raph L; Ndembi, Nicaise; Pillay, Deenan; Bertagnolio, Silvia
2012-10-06
The emergence and spread of high levels of HIV-1 drug resistance in resource-limited settings where combination antiretroviral treatment has been scaled up could compromise the effectiveness of national HIV treatment programmes. We aimed to estimate changes in the prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance in treatment-naive individuals with HIV since initiation of rollout in resource-limited settings. We did a systematic search for studies and conference abstracts published between January, 2001, and July, 2011, and included additional data from the WHO HIV drug resistance surveillance programme. We assessed the prevalence of drug-resistance mutations in untreated individuals with respect to time since rollout in a series of random-effects meta-regression models. Study-level data were available for 26,102 patients from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America. We recorded no difference between chronic and recent infection on the prevalence of one or more drug-resistance mutations for any region. East Africa had the highest estimated rate of increase at 29% per year (95% CI 15 to 45; p=0·0001) since rollout, with an estimated prevalence of HIV-1 drug resistance at 8 years after rollout of 7·4% (4·3 to 12·7). We recorded an annual increase of 14% (0% to 29%; p=0·054) in southern Africa and a non-significant increase of 3% (-0·9 to 16; p=0·618) in west and central Africa. There was no change in resistance over time in Latin America, and because of much country-level heterogeneity the meta-regression analysis was not appropriate for Asia. With respect to class of antiretroviral, there were substantial increases in resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) in east Africa (36% per year [21 to 52]; pAfrica (23% per year [7 to 42]; p=0·0049). No increase was noted for the other drug classes in any region. Our findings suggest a significant increase in prevalence of drug resistance over time since antiretroviral rollout in regions of sub
Survival of HIV-positive patients starting antiretroviral therapy between 1996 and 2013
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Trickey, Adam; May, Margaret T.; Vehreschild, Jorg Janne
2017-01-01
Background Health care for people living with HIV has improved substantially in the past two decades. Robust estimates of how these improvements have affected prognosis and life expectancy are of utmost importance to patients, clinicians, and health-care planners. We examined changes in 3 year...... survival and life expectancy of patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 1996 and 2013. Methods We analysed data from 18 European and North American HIV-1 cohorts. Patients (aged ≥16 years) were eligible for this analysis if they had started ART with three or more drugs between...... ART initiation in four calendar periods (1996–99, 2000–03 [comparator], 2004–07, 2008–10). We estimated life expectancy by calendar period of initiation of ART. Findings 88 504 patients were included in our analyses, of whom 2106 died during the first year of ART and 2302 died during the second...
Systemic Inflammation, Coagulation, and Clinical Risk in the START Trial
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Baker, Jason V; Sharma, Shweta; Grund, Birgit
2017-01-01
Background: The Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial demonstrated that immediate (at CD4+ >500 cells/µL) vs deferred (to CD4+ ... available for 4299 START participants (92%). Mean follow-up was 3.2 years. Higher levels of IL-6 and D-dimer were the only biomarkers associated with risk for AIDS, SNA or death, as well as the individual components of SNA and AIDS events (HRs ranged 1.37-1.41 per 2-fold higher level), even after adjustment...
Impact of combination antiretroviral therapy initiation on adherence to antituberculosis treatment
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Marlene Knight
2015-10-01
Full Text Available Background: Healthcare workers are often reluctant to start combination antiretroviral therapy (ART in patients receiving tuberculosis (TB treatment because of the fear of high pill burden, immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome, and side-effects. Object: To quantify changes in adherence to tuberculosis treatment following ART initiation. Design: A prospective observational cohort study of ART-naïve individuals with baseline CD4 count between 50 cells/mm3 and 350 cells/mm3 at start of TB treatment at a primary care clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa. Adherence to TB treatment was measured by pill count,self-report, and electronic Medication Event Monitoring System (eMEMS before and after initiation of ART. Results: ART tended to negatively affect adherence to TB treatment, with an 8% – 10% decrease in the proportion of patients adherent according to pill count and an 18% – 22% decrease in the proportion of patients adherent according to eMEMS in the first month following ART initiation, independent of the cut-off used to define adherence (90%, 95% or 100%. Reasons for non-adherence were multi factorial, and employment was the only predictor for optimal adherence (adjusted odds ratio 4.11, 95% confidence interval 1.06–16.0. Conclusion: Adherence support in the period immediately following ART initiation could optimise treatment outcomes for people living with TB and HIV.
Dragovic, Gordana; Smith, Colette J; Jevtovic, Djordje; Dimitrijevic, Bozana; Kusic, Jovana; Youle, Mike; Johnson, Margaret A
2016-03-03
The range of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) regimens available in many middle-income countries differs from those suggested in international HIV treatment guidelines. We compared first-line cART regimens, timing of initiation and treatment outcomes in a middle income setting (HIV Centre, Belgrade, Serbia - HCB) with a high-income country (Royal Free London Hospital, UK - RFH). All antiretroviral-naïve HIV-positive individuals from HCB and RFH starting cART between 2003 and 2012 were included. 12-month viral load and CD4 count responses were compared, considering the first available measurement 12-24 months post-cART. The percentage that had made an antiretroviral switch for any reason, or for toxicity and the percentage that had died by 36 months (the latest time at which sufficient numbers remained under follow-up) were investigated using standard survival methods. 361/597 (61 %) of individuals initiating cART at HCB had a prior AIDS diagnosis, compared to 337/1763 (19 %) at RFH. Median pre-ART CD4 counts were 177 and 238 cells/mm(3) respectively (p HIV disease, resulting in higher mortality rates than in high income countries, supporting improved testing campaigns for early detection of HIV infection and early introduction of newer cART regimens.
Gynaecomastia in two men on stable antiretroviral therapy who commenced treatment for tuberculosis.
Kratz, Jeremy D; El-Shazly, Ahmad Y; Mambuque, Santos G; Demetria, Elpidio; Veldkamp, Peter; Anderson, Timothy S
2016-12-01
Gynaecomastia is a common clinical presentation that varies from benign presentations in stages of human development to hormonal pathology, mainly due to hepatic dysfunction, malignancy, and adverse pharmacologic effects. We describe the development of significant bilateral gynaecomastia after starting treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) in two males with WHO stage III Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection on stable antiretroviral regimens. Emerging reports suggest that distinct hepatic impairment in efavirenz metabolism modulates oestrogenic activity, which may be potentiated by anti-tuberculosis therapy. Clinical application includes early recognition of efavirenz-induced gynaecomastia, especially after commencing tuberculosis treatment. To avoid decreased adherence resulting from the distressing side effect of gynecomastia, transition to an alternative ART regimen over the course of tuberculosis treatment should be considered.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Babiker, Abdel G; Emery, Sean; Fätkenheuer, Gerd
2013-01-01
Untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) count leading to the development of opportunistic diseases (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)), and more recent data suggest that HIV is also associated with an incr...... is not feasible with currently available drugs. The optimal time to start ART for asymptomatic HIV infection is controversial and remains one of the key unanswered questions in the clinical management of HIV-infected individuals.......Untreated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by progressive depletion of CD4+ T lymphocyte (CD4) count leading to the development of opportunistic diseases (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)), and more recent data suggest that HIV is also associated...
Reasons for not starting antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected individuals: a changing landscape.
Fehr, Jan; Nicca, Dunja; Goffard, Jean-Christophe; Haerry, David; Schlag, Michael; Papastamopoulos, Vasileios; Hoepelman, Andy; Skoutelis, Athanasius; Diazaraque, Ruth; Ledergerber, Bruno
2016-08-01
A cross-sectional survey was conducted to better understand why chronically HIV-1-infected individuals stratified by CD4 count (≤349; 350-499; ≥500 cells/μL) were not on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Before the consultation, treatment-naive patients and their physicians independently completed a 90-item-questionnaire about barriers and their readiness to start/defer ART. The study was carried out at 34 sites in nine countries in Europe and Australia. Between December 2011 and October 2012, 508 pairs of patient- and physician-questionnaires were completed. 426 (84 %) patients were male and 39 (8 %), 138 (27 %), and 330 (65 %) were in the three stratified groups based on CD4 count, respectively. In the category 'Body and symptoms' the most commonly identified reason for patients not to start was: "As long as I feel good I don't have to take medication" (44 %). Less than 20 % of respondents indicated fears of side effects and toxicity or problems to manage pills. Most patients were in the lowest stage of treatment-readiness (N = 323, 68 %), especially patients with CD4 cells ≥500 cells/μL (N = 240, 79 %). Physicians answered in 92 (18 %) cases that ART was not indicated for CD4 cells perception that patients were 'too depressed' (13 %) or that they had not known them long enough (13 %). Nowadays patient-barriers to ART are commonly related to health-and treatment-beliefs compared to fear of toxicity or ART manageability in the past. This new barrier pattern seems to reflect the era of well tolerated, easier ART regimens and has to be considered in light of the new recommendations to treat all HIV-infected individuals regardless of the CD4 cell count.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andrêza Batista Cheloni Vieira
2008-02-01
Full Text Available Ototoxicidade e terapia anti-retroviral parecem estar associadas. O objetivo desse estudo foi avaliar essa possível correlação. Foram avaliados 779 prontuários médicos de pacientes infectados pelo HIV e regularmente acompanhados, sendo 162 tratados com terapia anti-retroviral e 122 não tratados (controle. Pacientes em tratamento eram mais velhos (média 42 anos, com maior tempo de confirmação sorológica (80 meses e com menor carga viral (p=0,00. CD4+ foi semelhante entre os grupos (P=0,60. No grupo tratado, três (1,8% casos de perda auditiva idiopática e dois (1,3% de perda auditiva relacionada a otosclerose foram observadas e ambas iniciadas após terapia anti-retroviral. Nenhuma diferença estatística relacionada à perda auditiva idiopática foi encontrada entre os grupos. Enquanto estudos descritivos consideram possível ototoxidade associada à terapia anti-retroviral, esse possível efeito adverso não foi relacionado à terapia anti-retroviral neste estudo. Contrariamente, otosclerose poderia estar correlacionada à terapia anti-retroviral. Este assunto merece ser estudado.Ototoxicity and antiretroviral therapy seem to be associated. The aim of this study was to evaluate this possible correlation. Evaluations were carried out on 779 medical records from HIV-infected patients who were being regularly followed up, of whom 162 were being treated with antiretroviral therapy and 122 were untreated (controls. The patients undergoing treatment were older (mean: 42 years, had had serological confirmation for longer times (80 months and had smaller viral loads (P = 0.00. CD4+ was similar between the groups (P = 0.60. In the treated group, three cases (1.8% of idiopathic hearing loss and two (1.3% of otosclerosis-related hearing loss were observed, which both started after antiretroviral therapy. No statistical difference relating to idiopathic hearing loss was found between the groups. While descriptive studies consider possible
Exploration of pain in children on antiretroviral treatment in a ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Exploration of pain in children on antiretroviral treatment in a regional hospital in South Africa. M Azam, L Campbell, A Ross. Abstract. Background: Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease on antiretroviral therapy (ART) may experience pain for a variety of reasons, including the effects of the virus itself, ...
Population uptake of antiretroviral treatment through primary care in rural South Africa
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Bärnighausen Till W
2010-09-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background KwaZulu-Natal is the South African province worst affected by HIV and the focus of early modeling studies investigating strategies of antiretroviral treatment (ART delivery. The reality of antiretroviral roll-out through primary care has differed from that anticipated and real world data are needed to inform the planning of further scaling up of services. We investigated the factors associated with uptake of antiretroviral treatment through a primary healthcare system in rural South Africa. Methods Detailed demographic, HIV surveillance and geographic information system (GIS data were used to estimate the proportion of HIV positive adults accessing antiretroviral treatment within northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa in the period from initiation of antiretroviral roll-out until the end of 2008. Demographic, spatial and socioeconomic factors influencing the likelihood of individuals accessing antiretroviral treatment were explored using multivariable analysis. Results Mean uptake of ART among HIV positive resident adults was 21.0% (95%CI 20.1-21.9. Uptake among HIV positive men (19.2% was slightly lower than women (21.8%, P = 0.011. An individual's likelihood of accessing ART was not associated with level of education, household assets or urban/rural locale. ART uptake was strongly negatively associated with distance from the nearest primary healthcare facility (aOR = 0.728 per square-root transformed km, 95%CI 0.658-0.963, P = 0.002. Conclusions Despite concerns about the equitable nature of antiretroviral treatment rollout, we find very few differences in ART uptake across a range of socio-demographic variables in a rural South African population. However, even when socio-demographic factors were taken into account, individuals living further away from primary healthcare clinics were still significantly less likely to be accessing ART
Antiretroviral Drugs Used in the Treatment of HIV Infection
... HIV/AIDS Treatment Antiretroviral drugs used in the treatment of HIV infection Share Tweet Linkedin Pin it More sharing ... Pin it Email Print Drugs Used in the Treatment of HIV Infection All FDA-approved medicines used in the ...
Braga Ceccato, Maria das Graças; Acurcio, Francisco de Assis; Vallano, Antonio; Comini César, Cibele; Crosland Guimarães, Mark Drew
2009-01-01
The aim of this study was to evaluate factors associated with patients' comprehension of antiretroviral therapy (ART). Cross-sectional analysis in which patients at 2 HIV/AIDS public referral centers (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) were interviewed after initiating ART. Information was recorded on variables related to the patient's characteristics, the treatment prescribed, and the healthcare professional involved. A score indicating the patients' level of comprehension regarding the medications prescribed was obtained using a latent trait model estimated by the item response theory. A total of 406 patients were interviewed. Mean (SD) age was 35 (10) years, 227 were men (56%), 302 of Afro-American ethnicity (77%), and 213 had education (53%). The regression model determined that 52.25% of the variability of comprehension was explained by the individual's characteristics. Variables associated (Peducation (tablets, and the ART regimen prescribed. Comprehension of information about the ART regimen prescribed varies considerably between individuals. Nonetheless, several factors were found to be associated with the level of understanding: characteristics of the patient (education, clinical severity), characteristics of treatment (daily number of tablets, ART regimen prescribed), and contribution of healthcare professionals (information from physicians and pharmacists). Strategies to reinforce information about ART should be a priority for patients with a low level of understanding.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sinha Sanjeev
2011-11-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Rifampicin reduces the plasma concentrations of nevirapine in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV and tuberculosis (TB co-infected patients, who are administered these drugs concomitantly. We conducted a prospective interventional study to assess the efficacy of nevirapine-containing highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART when co-administered with rifampicin-containing antituberculosis treatment (ATT and also measured plasma nevirapine concentrations in patients receiving such a nevirapine-containing HAART regimen. Methods 63 cases included antiretroviral treatment naïve HIV-TB co-infected patients with CD4 counts less than 200 cells/mm3 started on rifampicin-containing ATT followed by nevirapine-containing HAART. In control group we included 51 HIV patients without tuberculosis and on nevirapine-containing HAART. They were assessed for clinical and immunological response at the end of 24 and 48 weeks. Plasma nevirapine concentrations were measured at days 14, 28, 42 and 180 of starting HAART. Results 97 out of 114 (85.1% patients were alive at the end of 48 weeks. The CD4 cell count showed a mean increase of 108 vs.113 cells/mm3 (p=0.83 at 24 weeks of HAART in cases and controls respectively. Overall, 58.73% patients in cases had viral loads of less than 400 copies/ml at the end of 48 weeks. The mean (± SD Nevirapine concentrations of cases and control at 14, 28, 42 and 180 days were 2.19 ± 1.49 vs. 3.27 ± 4.95 (p = 0.10, 2.78 ± 1.60 vs. 3.67 ± 3.59 (p = 0.08, 3.06 ± 3.32 vs. 4.04 ± 2.55 (p = 0.10 respectively and 3.04 μg/ml (in cases. Conclusions Good immunological and clinical response can be obtained in HIV-TB co-infected patients receiving rifampicin and nevirapine concomitantly despite somewhat lower nevirapine trough concentrations. This suggests that rifampicin-containing ATT may be co administered in resource limited setting with nevirapine-containing HAART regimen without substantial reduction in
Cost-Effectiveness of Antiretroviral Therapy for Multidrug-Resistant HIV: Past, Present, and Future
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Marianne Harris
2012-01-01
Full Text Available In the early years of the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART era, HIV with resistance to two or more agents in different antiretroviral classes posed a significant clinical challenge. Multidrug-resistant (MDR HIV was an important cause of treatment failure, morbidity, and mortality. Treatment options at the time were limited; multiple drug regimens with or without enfuvirtide were used with some success but proved to be difficult to sustain for reasons of tolerability, toxicity, and cost. Starting in 2006, data began to emerge supporting the use of new drugs from the original antiretroviral classes (tipranavir, darunavir, and etravirine and drugs from new classes (raltegravir and maraviroc for the treatment of MDR HIV. Their availability has enabled patients with MDR HIV to achieve full and durable viral suppression with more compact and cost-effective regimens including at least two and often three fully active agents. The emergence of drug-resistant HIV is expected to continue to become less frequent in the future, driven by improvements in the convenience, tolerability, efficacy, and durability of first-line HAART regimens. To continue this trend, the optimal rollout of HAART in both rich and resource-limited settings will require careful planning and strategic use of antiretroviral drugs and monitoring technologies.
among People Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment in Western Uganda
African Journals Online (AJOL)
In this paper, we use survey (n=87) and interview (n=30) data to investigate orientations towards future childbearing among people receiving antiretroviral treatment and their family members in western Uganda. We investigate how reproductive options are perceived, by those receiving treatment and those closest to them, ...
Nichols, Sharon L; Bethel, James; Kapogiannis, Bill G; Li, Tiandong; Woods, Steven P; Patton, E Doyle; Ren, Weijia; Thornton, Sarah E; Major-Wilson, Hanna O; Puga, Ana M; Sleasman, John W; Rudy, Bret J; Wilson, Craig M; Garvie, Patricia A
2016-04-01
Although youth living with behaviorally acquired HIV (YLWH) are at risk for cognitive impairments, the relationship of impairments to HIV and potential to improve with antiretroviral therapy (ART) are unclear. This prospective observational study was designed to examine the impact of initiation and timing of ART on neurocognitive functioning in YLWH in the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions. Treatment naïve YLWH age 18-24 completed baseline and four additional assessments of attention/working memory, complex executive, and motor functioning over 3 years. Group 1 co-enrolled in an early ART initiation study and initiated ART at enrollment CD4 >350 (n = 56); group 2 had CD4 >350 and were not initiating ART (n = 66); group 3 initiated ART with CD4 treatment guidelines at the time. Treatment was de-intensified to boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy at 48 weeks for those in group 1 with suppressed viral load. Covariates included demographic, behavioral, and medical history variables. Analyses used hierarchical linear modeling. All groups showed improved performance with peak at 96 weeks in all three functional domains. Trajectories of change were not significantly associated with treatment, timing of treatment initiation, or ART de-intensification. Demographic variables and comorbidities were associated with baseline functioning but did not directly interact with change over time. In conclusion, YLWH showed improvement in neurocognitive functioning over time that may be related to practice effects and nonspecific impact of study participation. Neither improvement nor decline in functioning was associated with timing of ART initiation or therapy de-intensification.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Reekie, J; Mocroft, A; Ledergerber, B
2010-01-01
OBJECTIVES: HIV-infected persons experience different patterns of viral suppression after initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The relationship between such differences and risk of virological failure after starting a new antiretroviral could help with patient monitoring strategi...
Perceived stigma and highly active antiretroviral treatment ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Perceived stigma and highly active antiretroviral treatment adherence among persons living with HIV/AIDS in the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital. ... Data on socio-demographic characteristics, stigma and adherence to drug regimen were collected using a validated self-administered questionnaire. Data were ...
Outcomes of antiretroviral treatment: a comparison between hospitals and health centers in Ethiopia.
Balcha, Taye T; Jeppsson, Anders
2010-01-01
the objective of this study was to compare the outcomes of antiretroviral therapy (ART) between hospital and health center levels in Ethiopia. medical records of 1709 ART patients followed for 24 months at 2 hospitals and 3 health centers in the Oromia region of Ethiopia were reviewed. Noted outcomes of ART were currently alive and on treatment; lost to follow-up (LTFU); transferred out (TO); and died (D). of 1709 HIV-positive patients started on ART between September 2006 and February 2007, 1044 (61%) remained alive and were on treatment after 24-month follow-up. In all, 835 (57%) of ART patients at hospitals and 209 (83%) at health centers were retained in the program. Of those who were alive and receiving ART, 79% of patients at health centers and 72% at hospitals were clinically or immunologically improving. In addition, 331 (23%) patients at hospitals were LFTU as compared to 24 (10%) of patients at health centers (relative risk [RR] at 95% confidence interval [CI]: .358 [.231-.555]). While 11% was the mortality rate at hospitals, 5% of patients at health centers also died (RR at 95% CI: .360 [.192-.673]). antiretroviral therapy at health centers was associated with more favorable outcomes than at hospitals.
Günthard, Huldrych F; Saag, Michael S; Benson, Constance A; del Rio, Carlos; Eron, Joseph J; Gallant, Joel E; Hoy, Jennifer F; Mugavero, Michael J; Sax, Paul E; Thompson, Melanie A; Gandhi, Rajesh T; Landovitz, Raphael J; Smith, Davey M; Jacobsen, Donna M; Volberding, Paul A
2016-07-12
New data and therapeutic options warrant updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) to treat or to prevent HIV infection in adults. To provide updated recommendations for the use of antiretroviral therapy in adults (aged ≥18 years) with established HIV infection, including when to start treatment, initial regimens, and changing regimens, along with recommendations for using ARVs for preventing HIV among those at risk, including preexposure and postexposure prophylaxis. A panel of experts in HIV research and patient care convened by the International Antiviral Society-USA reviewed data published in peer-reviewed journals, presented by regulatory agencies, or presented as conference abstracts at peer-reviewed scientific conferences since the 2014 report, for new data or evidence that would change previous recommendations or their ratings. Comprehensive literature searches were conducted in the PubMed and EMBASE databases through April 2016. Recommendations were by consensus, and each recommendation was rated by strength and quality of the evidence. Newer data support the widely accepted recommendation that antiretroviral therapy should be started in all individuals with HIV infection with detectable viremia regardless of CD4 cell count. Recommended optimal initial regimens for most patients are 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (InSTI). Other effective regimens include nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or boosted protease inhibitors with 2 NRTIs. Recommendations for special populations and in the settings of opportunistic infections and concomitant conditions are provided. Reasons for switching therapy include convenience, tolerability, simplification, anticipation of potential new drug interactions, pregnancy or plans for pregnancy, elimination of food restrictions, virologic failure, or drug toxicities. Laboratory assessments are recommended before treatment, and
Schomaker, Michael; Leroy, Valeriane; Wolfs, Tom; Technau, Karl-Günter; Renner, Lorna; Judd, Ali; Sawry, Shobna; Amorissani-Folquet, Madeleine; Noguera-Julian, Antoni; Tanser, Frank; Eboua, François; Navarro, Maria Luisa; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Amani-Bosse, Clarisse; Warszawski, Josiane; Phiri, Sam; N'Gbeche, Sylvie; Cox, Vivian; Koueta, Fla; Giddy, Janet; Sygnaté-Sy, Haby; Raben, Dorthe; Chêne, Geneviève; Davies, Mary-Ann
2017-04-01
There is limited knowledge about the optimal timing of antiretroviral treatment initiation in older children and adolescents. A total of 20 576 antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve patients, aged 1-16 years at enrolment, from 19 cohorts in Europe, Southern Africa and West Africa, were included. We compared mortality and growth outcomes for different ART initiation criteria, aligned with previous and recent World Health Organization criteria, for 5 years of follow-up, adjusting for all measured baseline and time-dependent confounders using the g-formula. Median (1st;3rd percentile) CD4 count at baseline was 676 cells/mm 3 (394; 1037) (children aged ≥ 1 and 10 years at enrolment we did not find any difference in mortality or growth with immediate ART initiation, with estimated differences of -0.1% (-0.2%; 0.6%) and -0.03 (-0.05; 0.00), respectively. Growth differences in children aged < 10 years persisted for treatment thresholds using higher CD4 values. Regular follow-up led to better height and mortality outcomes. Immediate ART is associated with lower mortality and better growth for up to 5 years in children < 10 years old. Our results on adolescents were inconclusive. © The Author 2016; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association
Reasons for not starting antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected individuals : a changing landscape
Fehr, Jan; Nicca, Dunja; Goffard, Jean Christophe; Haerry, David; Schlag, Michael; Papastamopoulos, Vasileios; Hoepelman, Andy; Skoutelis, Athanasius; Diazaraque, Ruth; Ledergerber, Bruno
Purpose A cross-sectional survey was conducted to better understand why chronically HIV-1-infected individuals stratified by CD4 count (≤349; 350–499; ≥500 cells/μL) were not on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods Before the consultation, treatment-naive patients and their physicians independently
When to start antiretroviral therapy and what to start with - A european perspective
Wit, Ferdinand W. N. M.; Reiss, Peter
2003-01-01
Although antiretroviral combination therapy has greatly improved the life expectancy of HIV-infected individuals, its use is hampered by considerable toxicity, the need for life-long near-perfect adherence to strict dosing regimens in order to avoid the emergence of drug resistance, and high cost.
Fogel, Jessica M; Hudelson, Sarah E; Ou, San-San; Hart, Stephen; Wallis, Carole; Morgado, Mariza G; Saravanan, Shanmugam; Tripathy, Srikanth; Hovind, Laura; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Sabin, Devin; McCauley, Marybeth; Gamble, Theresa; Zhang, Xinyi C; Eron, Joseph J; Gallant, Joel E; Kumwenda, Johnstone; Makhema, Joseph; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Hakim, James; Badal-Faesen, Sharlaa; Akelo, Victor; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Santos, Breno R; Godbole, Sheela V; Pilotto, Jose H; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Panchia, Ravindre; Mayer, Kenneth H; Chen, Ying Q; Cohen, Myron S; Eshleman, Susan H
2016-07-01
Early initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) reduces HIV transmission and has health benefits. HIV drug resistance can limit treatment options and compromise use of ART for HIV prevention. We evaluated drug resistance in 85 participants in the HIV Prevention Trials Network 052 trial who started ART at CD4 counts of 350-550 cells per cubic millimeter and failed ART by May 2011; 8.2% had baseline resistance and 35.3% had resistance at ART failure. High baseline viral load and less education were associated with emergence of resistance at ART failure. Resistance at ART failure was observed in 7 of 8 (87.5%) participants who started ART at lower CD4 cell counts.
Why HIV Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Treatment and/or ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Why HIV Positive Patients on Antiretroviral Treatment and/or Cotrimoxazole Prophylaxis Use Traditional Medicine: Perceptions of Health Workers, Traditional Healers and Patients: A Study in Two Provinces of South Africa.
[Child with HIV/AIDS: perception of the antiretroviral treatment].
da Motta, Maria da Graça Corso; Pedro, Eva Neri Rubim; Neves, Eliane Tatsch; Issi, Helena Becker; Ribeiro, Nair Regina Ritter; Wachholz, Neiva Isabel Raffo; Greff, Aramita Prates; Ribeiro, Aline Cammarano; de Paula, Cristiane Cardoso; Coelho, Débora Fernandes; de Padoin, Stela Maris Mello; Kreitchmann, Regis; Kruel, Aline Goulart; Poletto, Paula Manoela Batista
2012-12-01
This article presents a cutting from the multicentric study carried out in the municipalities of Porto Alegre and Santa Maria/ RS with the objective of unveiling the perception and the life experience of the child regarding the antiretroviral treatment. With qualitative approach, the study was carried out with seven children of five to ten years of age, in the period from 2006 to 2010, after approval by Committee National for Ethics in research and the Committees of Ethics in research. Based on the thematic analysis was obtained the results: the day-to-day life of the child with medicines; the family care upon the adhesion to the antiretroviral treatment; the professional care:perception of children with infection. Observation showed that the children face adversities, know and appreciate the treatment in spite of the paradoxical movement of rejection/acceptance expressed by the fight against the syndrome.
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Iris Chen
Full Text Available In HIV-infected children, viral diversity tends to increase with age in the absence of antiretroviral treatment (ART. We measured HIV diversity in African children (ages 6-36 months enrolled in a randomized clinical trial comparing two ART regimens (Cohort I of the P1060 trial. Children in this cohort were exposed to single dose nevirapine (sdNVP at birth.HIV diversity was measured retrospectively using a high resolution melting (HRM diversity assay. Samples were obtained from 139 children at the enrollment visit prior to ART initiation. Six regions of the HIV genome were analyzed: two in gag, one in pol, and three in env. A single numeric HRM score that reflects HIV diversity was generated for each region; composite HRM scores were also calculated (mean and median for all six regions.In multivariable median regression models using backwards selection that started with demographic and clinical variables, older age was associated with higher HRM scores (higher HIV diversity in pol (P = 0.005 and with higher mean (P = 0.014 and median (P<0.001 HRM scores. In multivariable models adjusted for age, pre-treatment HIV viral load, pre-treatment CD4%, and randomized treatment regimen, higher HRM scores in pol were associated with shorter time to virologic suppression (P = 0.016 and longer time to study endpoints (virologic failure [VF], VF/death, and VF/off study treatment; P<0.001 for all measures.In this cohort of sdNVP-exposed, ART-naïve African children, higher levels of HIV diversity in the HIV pol region prior to ART initiation were associated with better treatment outcomes.
Dual antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection.
Soriano, Vicente; Fernandez-Montero, Jose Vicente; Benitez-Gutierrez, Laura; Mendoza, Carmen de; Arias, Ana; Barreiro, Pablo; Peña, José M; Labarga, Pablo
2017-08-01
For two decades, triple combinations of antiretrovirals have been the standard treatment for HIV infection. The challenges of such lifelong therapy include long-term side effects, high costs and reduced drug adherence. The recent advent of more potent and safer antiretrovirals has renewed the interest for simpler HIV regimens. Areas covered: We discuss the pros and cons of dual antiretroviral therapies in both drug-naïve and in treatment-experienced patients with viral suppression (switch strategy). Expert opinion: Some dual antiretroviral regimens are safe and efficacious, particularly as maintenance therapy. At this time, combinations of dolutegravir plus rilpivirine represent the best dual regimen. Longer follow-up and larger study populations are needed before supporting dolutegravir plus lamivudine. In contrast, dual therapy based on maraviroc is less effective. Although dual regimens with boosted protease inhibitors plus either lamivudine or raltegravir may be effective, they are penalized by metabolic side effects and risk for drug interactions. The newest dual regimens could save money, reduce toxicity and spare drug options for the future. For the first time in HIV therapeutics, less can be more. Dual therapy switching has set up a new paradigm in HIV treatment that uses induction-maintenance.
Estimation of adult antiretroviral treatment coverage in South Africa ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The unmet need for treatment in adults is estimated using a Markov model of HIV progression in adults, combined with estimates of annual new HIV infections from a national AIDS and demographic model. Results. By the middle of 2008, 568 000 adults and children were receiving antiretroviral treatment in South Africa, ...
Modelling the relationship between antiretroviral treatment and HIV ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This paper shows how two publicly available epidemiological modelling packages, namely the Spectrum AIDS Impact Model and the ASSA2003 AIDS and Demographic Model, predict very different impacts from rolling out highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) on new HIV infections. Using South Africa as a case ...
Determinants of Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment among HIV ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This study investigated factors of adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), factors or variables that can discriminate between adherent and non-adherent patients on ART were selected. Simple structured questionnaire was employed. The study sample consisted of 145 HIV patients who received ART in the Shashemene ...
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Hind Satti
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although the importance of concurrent treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB and HIV co-infection has been increasingly recognized, there have been few studies reporting outcomes of MDR-TB and HIV co-treatment. We report final outcomes of comprehensive, integrated MDR-TB and HIV treatment in Lesotho and examine factors associated with death or treatment failure. METHODS: We reviewed clinical charts of all adult patients who initiated MDR-TB treatment in Lesotho between January 2008 and September 2009. We calculated hazard ratios (HR and used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to identify predictors of poor outcomes. RESULTS: Of 134 confirmed MDR-TB patients, 83 (62% were cured or completed treatment, 46 (34% died, 3 (2% transferred, 1 (1% defaulted, and 1 (1% failed treatment. Treatment outcomes did not differ significantly by HIV status. Among the 94 (70% patients with HIV co-infection, 53% were already on antiretroviral therapy (ART before MDR-TB treatment initiation, and 43% started ART a median of 16 days after the start of the MDR-TB regimen. Among HIV co-infected patients who died, those who had not started ART before MDR-TB treatment had a shorter median time to death (80 days vs. 138 days, p=0.065. In multivariable analysis, predictors of increased hazard of failure or death were low and severely low body mass index (HR 2.75, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.27-5.93; HR 5.50, 95% CI 2.38-12.69, and a history of working in South Africa (HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.24-4.52. CONCLUSIONS: Favorable outcomes can be achieved in co-infected patients using a community-based treatment model when both MDR-TB and HIV disease are treated concurrently and treatment is initiated promptly.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Eaton, Jeffrey W; Menzies, Nicolas A; Stover, John
2014-01-01
therapy accordingly. We aimed to assess the potential health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of various eligibility criteria for adult antiretroviral therapy and expanded treatment coverage. METHODS: We used several independent mathematical models in four settings-South Africa (generalised...... epidemic, moderate antiretroviral therapy coverage), Zambia (generalised epidemic, high antiretroviral therapy coverage), India (concentrated epidemic, moderate antiretroviral therapy coverage), and Vietnam (concentrated epidemic, low antiretroviral therapy coverage)-to assess the potential health benefits......, costs, and cost-effectiveness of various eligibility criteria for adult antiretroviral therapy under scenarios of existing and expanded treatment coverage, with results projected over 20 years. Analyses assessed the extension of eligibility to include individuals with CD4 counts of 500 cells per μ...
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Andrea A. Howard
2016-06-01
Full Text Available Background: Initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART early during tuberculosis (TB treatment increases survival; however, implementation is suboptimal. Implementation science studies are needed to identify interventions to address this evidence-to-program gap. Objective: The Start TB Patients on ART and Retain on Treatment (START Study is a mixed-methods, cluster-randomized trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability of a combination intervention package (CIP to improve early ART initiation, retention, and TB treatment success among TB/HIV patients in Berea District, Lesotho. Design: Twelve health facilities were randomized to receive the CIP or standard of care after stratification by facility type (hospital or health center. The CIP includes nurse training and mentorship, using a clinical algorithm; transport reimbursement and health education by village health workers (VHW for patients and treatment supporters; and adherence support using text messaging and VHW. Routine data were abstracted for all newly registered TB/HIV patients; anticipated sample size was 1,200 individuals. A measurement cohort of TB/HIV patients initiating ART was recruited; the target enrollment was 384 individuals, each to be followed for the duration of TB treatment (6–9 months. Inclusion criteria were HIV-infected; on TB treatment; initiated ART within 2 months of TB treatment initiation; age ≥18; English- or Sesotho-speaking; and capable of informed consent. The exclusion criterion was multidrug-resistant TB. Three groups of key informants were recruited from intervention clinics: early ART initiators; non/late ART initiators; and health care workers. Primary outcomes include ART initiation, retention, and TB treatment success. Secondary outcomes include time to ART initiation, adherence, change in CD4+ count, sputum smear conversion, cost-effectiveness, and acceptability. Follow-up and data abstraction are complete
Modification of First-line Antiretroviral Therapy in Treatment-naive, HIV Positive Patients
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Smita Shenoy
2017-10-01
Full Text Available Introduction: Modification of initial Antiretroviral Therapy (ART program is an important issue in HIV infected patients as the number of ART regimens available is limited. Hence, there is a need to understand the factors that affect modification and therefore, the durability of the initial antiretroviral regimen. Aim: To study the type of modification of first line ART in treatment-naive HIV positive patients and factors influencing it. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out in the HIV clinic of a tertiary care hospital, using data obtained from the case records of the subjects who were initiated on ART between January 2012 to December 2014. Data on patient baseline characteristics, proportion of patients who required modification, type and time of modification was collected. The determinants of time to modification were analysed using Chi-square test. Binomial logistic regression was utilized to assess independent risk factors for change in regimen. Results: Out of 200 case records analysed, 54 patients had to undergo a modification in their initial regimen. The mean age of patients was 44.68 ± 11.31 years. Majority of the patients were males. The most common reason for modification was Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs (79.63% followed by treatment failure (9.25%. In 85.18% cases, modification involved substitution. Occurrence of ADRs and non-tenofovir based first-line regimens were associated with higher likelihood of substitution in regimen (p<0.05. The median time (IQR to modification was 173 (152.25, 293.50 days. Conclusion: ADRs and the use of non-tenofovir based regimens resulted in significantly higher rates of modification of antiretroviral therapy. There should be monitoring of patients on ART to detect ADRs at the earliest and to obtain increased use of single tablet containing tenofovir based regimen to improve durability of first line regimens.
Providing insecticide treated bed nets in antiretroviral treatment ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
HIV-replication.5-13 Mathematical models show that repeated ... antiretroviral treatment clinics in Malawi: a pilot ... related disease or AIDS.3 In addition, there are between 300 - ... and growing evidence of interactive pathology.1,2. HIV ..... by the HIV Unit and its partners. ... procurement and supply chain systems developed.
Vietnamese Women's Struggle to Access Antiretroviral Drugs in a Context of Free Treatment
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nguyen, Nam Thi Thu; Rasch, Vibeke; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian
2013-01-01
This qualitative study aims to explore how HIV positive women living in a northern province of Vietnam experience seeking antiretroviral (ARV) treatment in the public health system, and how they address obstacles encountered along the way. Despite the fact that antiretroviral drugs were freely pr...
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William Worodria
2011-01-01
Full Text Available Commencement of antiretroviral treatment (ART in severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected persons is associated with unmasking of subclinical disease. The subset of patients that are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB disease while on ART have been classified as ART-associated TB. Few studies have reported the incidence of ART-associated TB and unmasking TB-IRIS according to the International Network for the Study of HIV-Associated IRIS (INSHI consensus definition. To determine the incidence and predictors of ART-associated TB, we screened 219 patients commencing ART at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Kampala, Uganda for TB by symptoms, sputum microscopy, and chest X-rays and followed them for one year. Fourteen (6.4% patients were diagnosed with TB during followup. Eight (3.8% patients had ART-associated TB (incidence rate of 4.3 per 100 person years; of these, three patients fulfilled INSHI criteria for unmasking TB-associated IRIS (incidence rate of 1.6 per 100 person years. A body mass index of less than 18.5 kg/m2 BMI (HR 5.85 95% CI 1.24–27.46, P=.025 and a C-reactive protein greater than 5 mg/L (HR 8.23 95% CI 1.36–38.33, P=.020 were risk factors for ART-associated TB at multivariate analysis. In conclusion, with systematic TB screening (including culture and chest X-ray, the incidence of ART-associated TB is relatively low in settings with high HIV and TB prevalence.
Effect Of Acess To Antiretroviral Therapy On Stigma, Jimma
African Journals Online (AJOL)
JU
with HIV/AIDS was low 45 (16.6%) when compared with the fear of being stigmatized (perceived stigma) which was195 (72.2%). ... attitudinal change on stigma with access to antiretroviral treatment. There was a statistically significant association ..... All other ethnicities and nationalities. § PLWHA on follow up but not started ...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bailey Kerry A
2010-08-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Antiretroviral treatment services delivered in hospital settings in Africa increasingly lack capacity to meet demand and are difficult to access by patients. We evaluate the effectiveness of nurse led primary care based antiretroviral treatment by comparison with usual hospital care in a typical rural sub Saharan African setting. Methods We undertook a prospective, controlled evaluation of planned service change in Lubombo, Swaziland. Clinically stable adults with a CD4 count > 100 and on antiretroviral treatment for at least four weeks at the district hospital were assigned to either nurse led primary care based antiretroviral treatment care or usual hospital care. Assignment depended on the location of the nearest primary care clinic. The main outcome measures were clinic attendance and patient experience. Results Those receiving primary care based treatment were less likely to miss an appointment compared with those continuing to receive hospital care (RR 0·37, p p = 0·001. Those receiving primary care based, nurse led care were more likely to be satisfied in the ability of staff to manage their condition (RR 1·23, p = 0·003. There was no significant difference in loss to follow-up or other health related outcomes in modified intention to treat analysis. Multilevel, multivariable regression identified little inter-cluster variation. Conclusions Clinic attendance and patient experience are better with nurse led primary care based antiretroviral treatment care than with hospital care; health related outcomes appear equally good. This evidence supports efforts of the WHO to scale-up universal access to antiretroviral treatment in sub Saharan Africa.
Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Ribaudo, Heather J; Swindells, Susan; Eron, Joseph; Chen, Ying Q; Wang, Lei; Ou, San-San; Anderson, Maija; McCauley, Marybeth; Gamble, Theresa; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeshwaran; Hakim, James G; Kumwenda, Johnstone; Pilotto, Jose H S; Godbole, Sheela V; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; de Melo, Marineide Gonçalves; Mayer, Kenneth H; Eshleman, Susan H; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Makhema, Joseph; Mills, Lisa A; Panchia, Ravindre; Sanne, Ian; Gallant, Joel; Hoffman, Irving; Taha, Taha E; Nielsen-Saines, Karin; Celentano, David; Essex, Max; Havlir, Diane; Cohen, Myron S
2014-01-01
Summary Background Use of antiretroviral treatment for HIV-1 infection has decreased AIDS-related morbidity and mortality and prevents sexual transmission of HIV-1. However, the best time to initiate antiretroviral treatment to reduce progression of HIV-1 infection or non-AIDS clinical events is unknown. We reported previously that early antiretroviral treatment reduced HIV-1 transmission by 96%. We aimed to compare the effects of early and delayed initiation of antiretroviral treatment on clinical outcomes. Methods The HPTN 052 trial is a randomised controlled trial done at 13 sites in nine countries. We enrolled HIV-1-serodiscordant couples to the study and randomly allocated them to either early or delayed antiretroviral treatment by use of permuted block randomisation, stratified by site. Random assignment was unblinded. The HIV-1-infected member of every couple initiated antiretroviral treatment either on entry into the study (early treatment group) or after a decline in CD4 count or with onset of an AIDS-related illness (delayed treatment group). Primary events were AIDS clinical events (WHO stage 4 HIV-1 disease, tuberculosis, and severe bacterial infections) and the following serious medical conditions unrelated to AIDS: serious cardiovascular or vascular disease, serious liver disease, end-stage renal disease, new-onset diabetes mellitus, and non-AIDS malignant disease. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00074581. Findings 1763 people with HIV-1 infection and a serodiscordant partner were enrolled in the study; 886 were assigned early antiretroviral treatment and 877 to the delayed treatment group (two individuals were excluded from this group after randomisation). Median CD4 counts at randomisation were 442 (IQR 373–522) cells per μL in patients assigned to the early treatment group and 428 (357–522) cells per μL in those allocated delayed antiretroviral treatment. In the delayed group
Estimates of eligibility for antiretroviral treatment (ART) and ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The study assessed the proportion of HIV-infected educators that need antiretroviral treatment (ART) according to current criteria, and estimated the impact of ART on AIDS mortality by modelling scenarios with and without access to ART. Specimens for HIV testing were obtained from 17 088 educators and a sub-sample of ...
Häggblom, Amanda; Santacatterina, Michele; Neogi, Ujjwal; Gisslen, Magnus; Hejdeman, Bo; Flamholc, Leo; Sönnerborg, Anders
2017-01-01
Switch from first line antiretroviral therapy (ART) to second-line ART is common in clinical practice. However, there is limited knowledge of to which extent different reason for therapy switch are associated with differences in long-term consequences and sustainability of the second line ART. Data from 869 patients with 14601 clinical visits between 1999-2014 were derived from the national cohort database. Reason for therapy switch and viral load (VL) levels at first-line ART failure were compared with regard to outcome of second line ART. Using the Laplace regression model we analyzed the median, 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th percentile of time to viral failure (VF). Most patients (n = 495; 57.0%) switched from first-line to second-line ART without VF. Patients switching due to detectable VL with (n = 124; 14.2%) or without drug resistance mutations (DRM) (n = 250; 28.8%) experienced VF to their second line regimen sooner (median time, years: 3.43 (95% CI 2.90-3.96) and 3.20 (95% 2.65-3.75), respectively) compared with those who switched without VF (4.53 years). Furthermore level of VL at first-line ART failure had a significant impact on failure of second-line ART starting after 2.5 years of second-line ART. In the context of life-long therapy, a median time on second line ART of 4.53 years for these patients is short. To prolong time on second-line ART, further studies are needed on the reasons for therapy changes. Additionally patients with a high VL at first-line VF should be more frequently monitored the period after the therapy switch.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Amanda Häggblom
Full Text Available Switch from first line antiretroviral therapy (ART to second-line ART is common in clinical practice. However, there is limited knowledge of to which extent different reason for therapy switch are associated with differences in long-term consequences and sustainability of the second line ART.Data from 869 patients with 14601 clinical visits between 1999-2014 were derived from the national cohort database. Reason for therapy switch and viral load (VL levels at first-line ART failure were compared with regard to outcome of second line ART. Using the Laplace regression model we analyzed the median, 10th, 20th, 30th and 40th percentile of time to viral failure (VF.Most patients (n = 495; 57.0% switched from first-line to second-line ART without VF. Patients switching due to detectable VL with (n = 124; 14.2% or without drug resistance mutations (DRM (n = 250; 28.8% experienced VF to their second line regimen sooner (median time, years: 3.43 (95% CI 2.90-3.96 and 3.20 (95% 2.65-3.75, respectively compared with those who switched without VF (4.53 years. Furthermore level of VL at first-line ART failure had a significant impact on failure of second-line ART starting after 2.5 years of second-line ART.In the context of life-long therapy, a median time on second line ART of 4.53 years for these patients is short. To prolong time on second-line ART, further studies are needed on the reasons for therapy changes. Additionally patients with a high VL at first-line VF should be more frequently monitored the period after the therapy switch.
Török, M. Estee; Yen, Nguyen Thi Bich; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Mai, Nguyen Thi Hoang; Phu, Nguyen Hoan; Mai, Pham Phuong; Dung, Nguyen Thi; Van Vinh Chau, Nguyen; Bang, Nguyen Duc; Tien, Nguyen Anh; Minh, N. H.; Hien, Nguyen Quang; Thai, Phan Vuong Khac; Dong, Doan The; Anh, Do Thi Tuong; Thoa, Nguyen Thi Cam; Hai, Nguyen Ngoc; Lan, Nguyen Ngoc; Lan, Nguyen Thi Ngoc; Quy, Hoang Thi; Dung, Nguyen Huy; Hien, Tran Tinh; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Simmons, Cameron Paul; de Jong, Menno; Wolbers, Marcel; Farrar, Jeremy James
2015-01-01
Background The optimal time to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–associated tuberculous meningitis is unknown. Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of immediate versus deferred ART in patients with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis to determine whether immediate ART reduced the risk of death. Antiretroviral drugs (zidovudine, lamivudine, and efavirenz) were started either at study entry or 2 months after randomization. All patients were treated with standard antituberculosis treatment, adjunctive dexamethasone, and prophylactic co-trimoxazole and were followed up for 12 months. We conducted intention-to-treat, per-protocol, and prespecified subgroup analyses. Results A total of 253 patients were randomized, 127 in the immediate ART group and 126 in the deferred ART group; 76 and 70 patients died within 9 months in the immediate and deferred ART groups, respectively. Immediate ART was not significantly associated with 9-month mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI], .81–1.55; P = .50) or the time to new AIDS events or death (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, .87–1.55; P = .31). The percentage of patients with severe (grade 3 or 4) adverse events was high in both arms (90% in the immediate ART group and 89% in the deferred ART group; P = .84), but there were significantly more grade 4 adverse events in the immediate ART arm (102 in the immediate ART group vs 87 in the deferred ART group; P = .04). Conclusions Immediate ART initiation does not improve outcome in patients presenting with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis. There were significantly more grade 4 adverse events in the immediate ART arm, supporting delayed initiation of ART in HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis. Clinical Trials Registration ISRCTN63659091. PMID:21596680
Guevara-Silva, E A
2014-05-01
HIV-associated cognitive impairment occurs even in the early stages of infection. Short-term memory, psychomotor speed, attention, and executive functioning are the main capacities affected. Controversy exists regarding whether highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is helpful in combating this process. The objective of the present study is to determine the association between cognitive impairment and HAART in HIV-infected patients from Hospital Regional de Huacho. Prospective study of HIV patients meeting criteria to start HAART. Twenty-one HIV-positive patients were recruited between April and July 2011. Researchers administered a standardised neuropsychological test battery before and 4 weeks after onset of HAART. Psychomotor speed, executive function, short term memory (visual and verbal), attention, and visuospatial performance were evaluated. Nineteen patients completed the study (14 males and 5 females). In the pre-HAART evaluation, most patients scored below average on the executive function and psychomotor speed subtests. Psychomotor speed and immediate visual memory improved significantly after four months of treatment with HAART. Some degree of cognitive decline may present even in the early and asymptomatic stages of HIV infection. The benefits of antiretroviral treatment for cognitive performance can be detected after only a few weeks of follow-up. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Zambia: a qualitative study
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Patients\\' adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important for effective medical treatment of HIV/AIDS. We conducted a qualitative interview study in the Copperbelt Province of Zambia in 2006. The aim of the study was to explore patients\\' and health care professionals\\' perceived barriers and facilitators to patients\\' ...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
May, M; Sterne, J; Costagliola, D
2006-01-01
BACKGROUND: Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for the treatment of HIV infection was introduced a decade ago. We aimed to examine trends in the characteristics of patients starting HAART in Europe and North America, and their treatment response and short-term prognosis. METHODS: We......, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002-03. The primary endpoints were the hazard ratios for AIDS and for death from all causes in the first year of HAART, which were estimated using Cox regression. RESULTS: The proportion of heterosexually infected patients increased from 20% in 1995-96 to 47% in 2002...
Neuropsychological functioning and antiretroviral treatment in HIV/AIDS: a review.
Cysique, Lucette A; Brew, Bruce J
2009-06-01
This article presents a review of studies that have investigated the neuropsychological effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV-1 infection. It provides a brief overview of the era of monotherapy, dual-therapy, and an extended overview of the current era of combination antiretroviral therapy (CART). This review highlights that while CART has had a dramatic effect on the incidence and the severity of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), HAND, in its mild form, still remains prevalent. New causes of this sustained prevalence are poor CNS penetration of some antiretroviral agents, drug resistance, poor adherence, potential neurotoxicity, co-morbidities such as the long-term CART side effects in relation to cardio-vascular disease, and chronic HIV brain infection that may facilitate the expression of new forms of neurodegenerative processes. The review emphasizes the need to address methodological limitations of published studies and the need for large and representative cross-disciplinary longitudinal investigations across the HIV illness span.
Fidler, Sarah; Olson, Ashley D; Bucher, Heiner C; Fox, Julie; Thornhill, John; Morrison, Charles; Muga, Roberto; Phillips, Andrew; Frater, John; Porter, Kholoud
2017-02-01
Few individuals commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in primary HIV infection (PHI) maintain undetectable viremia after treatment cessation. Associated factors remain unclear given the importance of the phenomenon to cure research. Using CASCADE data of seroconverters starting ART in PHI (≤6 months from seroconversion), we estimated proportions experiencing viral blips (>400 copies followed by HIV-RNA/mL without alteration of regimen) while on ART. We used Cox models to examine the association between time from ART stop to loss of control (2 consecutive measurements >1000 copies per milliliter) and magnitude and frequency of blips while on ART, time from seroconversion to ART, time on ART, adjusting for mean number of HIV-RNA measurements/year while on ART, and other confounders. Seven hundred seventy-eight seroconverters started ART in PHI with ≥3 HIV-RNA measurements. Median interquartile range (IQR) ART duration was 16.2 (8.0-35.9) months, within which we observed 13% with ≥1 blip. Of 228 who stopped ART, 119 rebounded; time to loss of control was associated with longer interval between seroconversion and ART initiation [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.16 per month; 1.04, 1.28], and blips while on ART (HR = 1.71 per blip; 95% confidence interval = 0.94 to 3.10). Longer time on ART (HR = 0.84 per additional month; 0.76, 0.92) was associated with lower risk of losing control. Of 228 stopping ART, 22 (10%) maintained post treatment control (PTC), ie, HIV-RNA HIV viral blips on therapy are associated with subsequent viral rebound on stopping ART among individuals treated in PHI. Longer duration on ART is associated with a greater chance of PTC.
Delays in switching patients onto second-line antiretroviral treatment ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Background: South Africa has one of the largest antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes globally. In addition to increasing access to ART, it is important that the health system also focuses on the appropriate management of patients who fail first-line ART. Delays in switching patients onto second-line ART can adversely ...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
PrayGod, George; Blevins, M; Woodd, Susannah
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The effects of inflammation on nutritional rehabilitation after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) are not well understood. We assessed the relationship between inflammation and body composition among patients enrolled in the Nutritional Support for African Adults Starting...... gains. Further studies are warranted to determine whether interventions to reduce systemic inflammation will enhance gains in fat-free mass.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition advance online publication, 20 January 2016; doi:10.1038/ejcn.2015.221....
When to start antiretroviral therapy in infants and children
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Mark F Cotton
2009-12-01
Full Text Available This articles provides a background for antiretroviral therapy in infants and children, incorporating both old and new data. There is increasing data favouring early therapy for all age groups. Below a year of age, all HIV-infected infants should commence therapy and thereafter at higher CD4 thresholds than previous recommendations
Johnson, Leigh F; Davies, Mary-Ann; Moultrie, Harry; Sherman, Gayle G; Bland, Ruth M; Rehle, Thomas M; Dorrington, Rob E; Newell, Marie-Louise
2012-05-01
Guidelines for treatment of pediatric HIV have recently changed to recommend that all infants who are identified as HIV-infected should start antiretroviral treatment (ART) immediately, regardless of their immunologic or clinical status. This study aims to assess the likely impact of this change in guideline in South Africa. A mathematical model was developed to simulate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, disease progression, and death of HIV-infected children guidelines for infants will have a significant impact on pediatric AIDS mortality at young ages, but further efforts are required to reduce the substantial growing AIDS mortality in older children.
Hitti, Jane; Halvas, Elias K; Zheng, Lu; Panousis, Constantinos G; Kabanda, Joseph; Taulo, Frank; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Pape, Jean William; Lalloo, Umesh; Sprenger, Heather; Klingman, Karin L; Chan, Ellen S; McMahon, Deborah; Mellors, John W
2014-11-01
Intrapartum single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) reduces HIV-1 perinatal transmission but selects NVP resistance among mothers and infants. We evaluated the frequency of antiretroviral resistance among infants with intrauterine HIV-1 infection exposed to sdNVP and maternal antenatal or breastfeeding antiretroviral therapy. This analysis included 429 infants from sub-Saharan Africa, India and Haiti whose 422 mothers received sdNVP plus maternal study treatment. At entry mothers had CD4>250/μL and were ART-naïve except for antenatal ZDV per local standard of care. Maternal study treatment started intrapartum and included ZDV/3TC, TDF/FTC or LPV/r for 7 or 21 days in a randomized factorial design. Infants received sdNVP study treatment and ZDV if local standard of care. Infant HIV RNA or DNA PCR and samples for genotype were obtained at birth and weeks 2, 4 and 12; infants who ever breast-fed were also tested at weeks 16, 24, 48 and 96. Samples from HIV-1-infected infants were tested for drug resistance by population genotype (ViroSeq). NVP or NRTI resistance mutations were assessed using the IAS-USA mutation list. Perinatal HIV-1 transmission occurred in 17 (4.0%) infants including 12 intrauterine infections. Resistance mutations were detected among 5 (42%) intrauterine-infected infants; of these, 3 had mutations conferring resistance to NVP alone, 1 had resistance to NRTI alone, and 1 had dual-class resistance mutations. Among the 2 infants with NRTI mutations, one (K70R) was likely maternally transmitted and one (K65R) occurred in the context of breastfeeding exposure to maternal antiretroviral therapy. Infants with intrauterine HIV infection are at risk of acquiring resistance mutations from exposure to maternal antiretroviral medications intrapartum and/or during breastfeeding. New approaches are needed to lower the risk of antiretroviral resistance in these infants.
Simmons, Bryony; Hill, Andrew; Ford, Nathan; Ruxrungtham, Kiat; Ananworanich, Jintanat
2014-01-01
Antiretrovirals are available at low prices in sub-Saharan Africa, but these prices may not be consistently available for middle-income countries in other regions with large HIV epidemics. Over 30% of HIV infected people live in countries outside sub-Saharan Africa. Several key antiretrovirals are still on patent, with generic production restricted. We assessed price variations for key antiretroviral drugs inside versus outside sub-Saharan Africa. HIV drug prices used in national programmes (2010-2014) were extracted from the WHO Global Price Reporting Mechanism database for all reporting middle-income countries as classified by the World Bank. Treatment costs (branded and generic) were compared for countries inside sub-Saharan Africa versus those outside. Five key second-line antiretrovirals were analysed: abacavir, atazanavir, darunavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, raltegravir. Prices of branded antiretrovirals were significantly higher outside sub-Saharan Africa (psub-Saharan Africa versus $4689 (IQR $4075-5717) in non-African middle-income countries, an increase of 541%. However, when supplied by generic companies, most antiretrovirals were similarly priced between countries in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions. Pharmaceutical companies are selling antiretrovirals to non-African middle-income countries at prices 74-541% higher than African countries with similar gross national incomes. However, generic companies are selling most of these drugs at similar prices across regions. Mechanisms to ensure fair pricing for patented antiretrovirals across both African and non-African middle-income countries need to be improved, to ensure sustainable treatment access.
Gilles, Kate P; Zimba, Chifundo; Mofolo, Innocent; Bobrow, Emily; Hamela, Gloria; Martinson, Francis; Hoffman, Irving; Hosseinipour, Mina
2011-03-01
Delayed antiretroviral initiation is associated with increased mortality, but individuals frequently delay seeking treatment. To increase early antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrollment of HIV-positive women, antenatal clinics are implementing regular, postpartum CD4 count testing. We examined factors influencing women's utilization of extended CD4 count testing. About 53 in-depth interviews were conducted with nurses, patients, social support persons, and government health officials at three antenatal clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi. Counseling and positive interactions with staff emerged as facilitating factors. Women wanted to know their CD4 count, but didn't understand the importance of early ART initiation. Support from husbands facilitated women's return to the clinic. Reminders were perceived as helpful but ineffectively employed. Staff identified lack of communication, difficulty in tracking, and referring women as barriers. Counseling messages should emphasize the importance of starting ART early. Clinics should focus on male partner involvement, case management, staff communication, and appointment reminders. Follow-up should be offered at multiple service points.
Gupta, Ravindra K.; Jordan, Michael R.; Sultan, Binta J.; Hill, Andrew; Davis, Daniel H. J.; Gregson, John; Sawyer, Anthony W.; Hamers, Raph L.; Ndembi, Nicaise; Pillay, Deenan; Bertagnolio, Silvia
2012-01-01
Background The emergence and spread of high levels of HIV-1 drug resistance in resource-limited settings where combination antiretroviral treatment has been scaled up could compromise the effectiveness of national HIV treatment programmes. We aimed to estimate changes in the prevalence of HIV-1 drug
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bacha Tigist
2012-08-01
to have treatment failure retrospectively by the authors based on their records. Hence, they were not detected and these patients were not offered second line ARTs. Conclusions Having chronic malnutrition, low CD4 at base line, chronic diarrhea after initiation of first line ART, substitution of ART drugs and age less than 3 years old were found to be independent predictors of first line ART failure in children. Most of the first line ART failure cases were not detected early and those that were detected were not switched to second line drugs in a timely fashion. Children with the above risk factors should be closely monitored for a timely switch to second line highly active anti-retroviral therapy.
Bhargava, Alok; Booysen, Frederik Le Roux; Walsh, Corinna M
2018-03-01
For patients with AIDS receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in South Africa via public clinics, improvements in nutritional status and economic productivity are likely to depend on adherence to drug regimen and quality of diet reflected in protein and micronutrient intakes. This study randomized 643 patients receiving ART from public clinics in the Free State Province into a Control group, a treatment group receiving adherence support, and a treatment group receiving adherence support and a nutritious food supplement. The data on food insecurity levels and time spent on various activities were analyzed for assessing the impact of the intervention programs. The main results were, first, changes between survey rounds 1 and 3 were significant at the 5% level for outcomes such as food insecurity levels and CD4 cell counts. Moreover, there was a significant reduction in food insecurity levels of patients with BMI less than 25 who received the nutritious food supplement. Second, the estimated parameters from models for patients' food insecurity levels showed that household incomes were significantly associated with lower food insecurity levels. Third, patients' BMI was a significant predictor of time spent on sedentary, moderate and overall activity levels, and it was important to separately evaluate the effects of BMI for under-weight and over-weight patients. Overall, the results indicated the need for reducing food insecurity levels, and for designing different interventions for under-weight and over-weight patients with AIDS for enhancing their labor productivity.
The influence of antiretroviral treatment on willingness to test: a ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Previous quantitative studies suggest a mutually reinforcing relationship between HIV counselling and testing (HCT) and antiretroviral treatment (ART). HCT is the entry into ART, and access to ART appears to increase HIV-testing uptake in settings with historically low uptake. Adopting a qualitative approach, this study ...
A simple model of HIV epidemic in Italy: The role of the antiretroviral treatment.
Papa, Federico; Binda, Francesca; Felici, Giovanni; Franzetti, Marco; Gandolfi, Alberto; Sinisgalli, Carmela; Balotta, Claudia
2018-02-01
In the present paper we propose a simple time-varying ODE model to describe the evolution of HIV epidemic in Italy. The model considers a single population of susceptibles, without distinction of high-risk groups within the general population, and accounts for the presence of immigration and emigration, modelling their effects on both the general demography and the dynamics of the infected subpopulations. To represent the intra-host disease progression, the untreated infected population is distributed over four compartments in cascade according to the CD4 counts. A further compartment is added to represent infected people under antiretroviral therapy. The per capita exit rate from treatment, due to voluntary interruption or failure of therapy, is assumed variable with time. The values of the model parameters not reported in the literature are assessed by fitting available epidemiological data over the decade 2003÷2012. Predictions until year 2025 are computed, enlightening the impact on the public health of the early initiation of the antiretroviral therapy. The benefits of this change in the treatment eligibility consist in reducing the HIV incidence rate, the rate of new AIDS cases, and the rate of death from AIDS. Analytical results about properties of the model in its time-invariant form are provided, in particular the global stability of the equilibrium points is established either in the absence and in the presence of infected among immigrants.
Bouteloup, V; Sabin, C; Mocroft, A; Gras, L; Pantazis, N; Le Moing, V; d'Arminio Monforte, A; Mary-Krause, M; Roca, B; Miro, J M; Battegay, M; Brockmeyer, N; Berenguer, J; Morlat, P; Obel, N; De Wit, S; Fätkenheuer, G; Zangerle, R; Ghosn, J; Pérez-Hoyos, S; Campbell, M; Prins, M; Chêne, G; Meyer, L; Dorrucci, M; Torti, C; Thiébaut, R
2017-01-01
The aim of this work was to provide a reference for the CD4 T-cell count response in the early months after the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-1-infected patients. All patients in the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) cohort who were aged ≥ 18 years and started cART for the first time between 1 January 2005 and 1 January 2010 and who had at least one available measurement of CD4 count and a viral load ≤ 50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL at 6 months (± 3 months) after cART initiation were included in the study. Unadjusted and adjusted references curves and predictions were obtained using quantile regressions. A total of 28 992 patients were included in the study. The median CD4 T-cell count at treatment initiation was 249 [interquartile range (IQR) 150, 336] cells/μL. The median observed CD4 counts at 6, 9 and 12 months were 382 (IQR 256, 515), 402 (IQR 274, 543) and 420 (IQR 293, 565) cells/μL. The two main factors explaining the variation of CD4 count at 6 months were AIDS stage and CD4 count at cART initiation. A CD4 count increase of ≥ 100 cells/mL is generally required in order that patients stay 'on track' (i.e. with a CD4 count at the same percentile as when they started), with slightly higher gains required for those starting with CD4 counts in the higher percentiles. Individual predictions adjusted for factors influencing CD4 count were more precise. Reference curves aid the evaluation of the immune response early after antiretroviral therapy initiation that leads to viral control. © 2016 British HIV Association.
Gaps in the Implementation of Anti-Retroviral Treatment: A Case for ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
... of Anti-Retroviral Treatment: A Case for Addressing Gender and Mental Health ... to score successes in ensuring adherence to ART as well as reducing new HIV ... lack of established clinical infrastructure, negative social stigma and the cost ...
Response to combination antiretroviral therapy: variation by age
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lundgren, Jens
2008-01-01
-naive individuals starting combination antiretroviral therapy from 1998 to 2006. OUTCOME MEASURES: Time from combination antiretroviral therapy initiation to HIV RNA less than 50 copies/ml (virological response), CD4 increase of more than 100 cells/microl (immunological response) and new AIDS/death were analysed...... response. The probability of virological response was lower in those aged 6-12 (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.87) and 13-17 (0.78) years, but was higher in those aged 50-54 (1.24), 55-59 (1.24) and at least 60 (1.18) years. The probability of immunological response was higher in children and younger adults...... and reduced in those 60 years or older. Those aged 55-59 and 60 years or older had poorer clinical outcomes after adjusting for the latest CD4 cell count. CONCLUSION: Better virological responses but poorer immunological responses in older individuals, together with low precombination antiretroviral therapy...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
José Roberto Maggi Fernandes
2009-06-01
Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar a proporção de início tardio da terapia anti-retroviral (TARV e seus fatores associados. Estudo de corte transversal com pacientes de dois serviços públicos de referência (n = 310 em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Atraso no início da TARV foi definido como ter contagem de linfócitos T CD4+ The main objective was to assess the proportion of delayed initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART and associated factors. This was a cross-sectional study of 310 patients enrolled in two public health centers in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Delayed ART initiation was defined as starting treatment with a CD4 count lower than 200 cells/mm³ or clinical symptoms of severe immunodepression at the time of first antiretroviral prescription. The majority of participants were males (63.9%, had no health insurance (76.1%, and started ART less than 120 days after the first medical visit (75.2%. The proportion of delayed ART initiation was 68.4%. Unemployment, referral by a health professional for HIV testing, fewer than two medical visits in the six months prior to ART initiation, and time between first medical visit and ART initiation less than 120 days were independently associated with the outcome. Our results suggest that every patient 13 to 64 years of age should be offered HIV testing, which could increase the rate of early HIV diagnosis, and thus patients that tested positive could benefit from timely follow-up and antiretroviral therapy.
Bennett, Diane E; Jordan, Michael R; Bertagnolio, Silvia; Hong, Steven Y; Ravasi, Giovanni; McMahon, James H; Saadani, Ahmed; Kelley, Karen F
2012-05-01
The World Health Organization developed a set of human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) to assess antiretroviral therapy clinic and program factors associated with HIVDR. EWIs are monitored by abstracting data routinely recorded in clinical records, and the results enable clinics and program managers to identify problems that should be addressed to minimize preventable emergence of HIVDR in clinic populations. As of June 2011, 50 countries monitored EWIs, covering 131 686 patients initiating antiretroviral treatment between 2004 and 2009 at 2107 clinics. HIVDR prevention is associated with patient care (appropriate prescribing and patient monitoring), patient behavior (adherence), and clinic/program management efforts to reduce treatment interruptions (follow up, retention on first-line ART, procurement and supply management of antiretroviral drugs). EWIs measure these factors and the results have been used to optimize patient and population treatment outcomes.
When to start antiretroviral therapy in infants and children | Cotton ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
We review the background and key studies that inform decisions on when to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) in infants and children. The World Health Organization staging system from 2006 was based on conditions commonly seen in Africa and provided an impetus for advancing ART in children. Because of poor ...
Access to antiretroviral therapy among HIV/AIDS patients in Chiang Mai province, Thailand.
Himakalasa, Woraluck; Grisurapong, Siriwan; Phuangsaichai, Sasipen
2013-01-01
The objective of this study is to investigate the access to antiretroviral treatment among human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients in Chiang Mai province, Thailand. Access to antiretroviral treatment is defined in terms of availability, affordability, and acceptability. The data for the study were collected during the period of April 1, 2012-May 31, 2012 from a sample of 380 HIV/AIDS patients in eight hospitals who had received antiretroviral treatment for more than 6 months at the time of data collection. The results of the study show that for most patients, the average traveling time to access health care was acceptable, but the nearly half day waiting time caused them to be absent from their work. In particular, it took longer for patients in the rural and lower income groups to access the treatment than the other groups. Their travel times and food costs relating to the treatment were found to be relatively high and therefore these patients had a higher tendency to borrow or seek financial assistance from their relatives. However, due to improvements in the access to treatment, most patients were satisfied with the services they received. The results imply that policy should be implemented to raise the potential of subdistrict hospitals where access to antiretroviral treatment is available, with participating HIV/AIDS patients acting as volunteers in providing services and other forms of health promotion to new patients. Privacy issues could be reduced if the antiretroviral treatment was isolated from other health services. Additionally, efforts to educate HIV/AIDS patients and society at large should be made.
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Sandra Lopez-Verdin
Full Text Available Introduction: Oral candidiasis is an opportunistic infection that is readily detectable in the clinic. It has been used to assess the immune status of HIV patients as well as the effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Objective: To determine the frequency of oral candidiasis infection among various indicators associated with antiretroviral therapy effectiveness. Material and methods: Cross-sectional and analytical study, in which groups were initially created based on the use or not of antiretroviral therapy. Participants were subjected to questions on factors related to Candida infection, salivary flow measurements and a clinical examination of the oral cavity to determine the frequency of candidiasis Results: The difference in the frequency of oral candidiasis between groups with and without antiretroviral therapy was significant (OR 2.6 IC95% 1.5-4.4. There were also a significant association with decreased number of CD4 lymphocytes.. Discussion: Resistance to anti-retroviral therapy constitutes one of the fundamental barriers to a successful treatment in patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, as do toxicities and adherence problems. Clinical markers such oral candidiasis is an easily and accesible parameter for the early detection of treatment failure.
Martín, María Teresa; del Cacho, Elena; López, Ester; Codina, Carles; Tuset, Montserrat; de Lazzari, Elisa; Miró, Josep M; Gatell, Josep M; Ribas, Josep
2007-06-23
To evaluate the relationship between perceived adverse side effects (AE) and non-adherence associated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). For 6 consecutive months, patients taking HAART who came to the Pharmacy Department were interviewed. In the questionnaire they had to answer if they had experienced any AE over the past 6 months, what did they do in response to AE and what was the clinical evolution. Adherence was measured by pill counts or by pharmacy records (when pill counts were not possible). Of 1,936 interviewed patients, 661 (34.1%) reported AE over the past 6 months. The type of antiretroviral drug regimen and starting, re-starting or changing HAART over the past 6 months were significantly associated with AE. Patients who reported AE were 1.4 times more likely to be non-adherents. The most frequently reported AE were diarrhea followed by central nervous system abnormalities and by other gastrointestinal disturbances. In patients starting HAART, 62% of AE improved or disappeared during the first 4 weeks of therapy. Patients who report AE have worst adherence. AE are more frequent in patients starting HAART but in most cases they improve with time and/or symptomatic therapy.
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Nguyen, Nam Thi Thu; Rasch, Vibeke; Bygbjerg, Ib Christian
2012-01-01
There is a need to understand how social and cultural expectations of being a woman shape the challenges women face when trying to access antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to continue the treatment over time. Based on a 7-month prospective study of 15 HIV-infected women, the particular challenges ...
Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation in adults with HIV ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Timing of antiretroviral therapy initiation in adults with HIV-associated tuberculosis: Outcomes of therapy in an urban hospital in KwaZulu-Natal. ... We aimed to compare clinical outcomes of patients with HIV-associated TB who commenced ART at different stages of TB therapy. Methods. A retrospective chart review was ...
Immunological Analysis of Treatment Interruption After Early Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Schellens, Ingrid M. M.; Pogany, Katalin; Westerlaken, Geertje H. A.; Borghans, José A. M.; Miedema, Frank; van Valkengoed, Irene G. M.; Kroon, Frank P.; Lange, Joep M. A.; Brinkman, Kees; Prins, Jan M.; van Baarle, Debbie
2010-01-01
We longitudinally evaluated HIV-specific T-cell immunity after discontinuation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). After treatment interruption (TI), some individuals could maintain a low plasma viral load ( <15,000 copies/mL), whereas others could not (>50,000 copies/mL). Before HAART
Scheduling with target start times
Hoogeveen, J.A.; Velde, van de S.L.; Klein Haneveld, W.K.; Vrieze, O.J.; Kallenberg, L.C.M.
1997-01-01
We address the single-machine problem of scheduling n independent jobs subject to target start times. Target start times are essentially release times that may be violated at a certain cost. The goal is to minimize an objective function that is composed of total completion time and maximum
Barriers to Antiretroviral Initiation in HIV-1-Discordant Couples
Guthrie, Brandon L.; Choi, Robert Y.; Liu, Amy Y.; Mackelprang, Romel D.; Rositch, Anne F.; Bosire, Rose; Manyara, Lucy; Gatuguta, Anne; Kiarie, James N.; Farquhar, Carey
2011-01-01
BACKGROUND In Kenya and much of sub-Saharan Africa, nearly half of all couples affected by HIV are discordant. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) slows disease progression in HIV-1-infected individuals, and reduces transmission to uninfected partners. We examined time to ART initiation and factors associated with delayed initiation in HIV-1-discordant couples in Nairobi. METHODS HIV-1-discordant couples were enrolled and followed quarterly for up to 2 years. Clinical staff administered questionnaires and conducted viral loads and CD4 counts. Participants with a CD4 count meeting ART criteria were referred to a nearby PEPFAR-funded treatment center. Barriers to ART initiation among participants with a CD4 count eligible for ART were assessed by Cox regression. RESULTS Of 439 HIV-1-infected participants (63.6% females and 36.4% males) 146 met CD4 count criteria for ART during follow-up. Median time from meeting CD4 criteria until ART initiation was 8.9 months, with 42.0% of eligible participants on ART by 6 months and 63.4% on ART by 1 year. The CD4 count at the time of eligibility was inversely associated with time to ART initiation (HR=0.49, p< 0.001). Compared to homeowners, those paying higher rents started ART 48% more slowly (p=0.062) and those paying lower rents started 71% more slowly (p=0.002). CONCLUSIONS Despite access to regular health care, referrals to treatment centers, and free access to ART, over a third of participants with an eligible CD4 count had not started ART within 1 year. Factors of lower socioeconomic status may slow ART initiation and targeted approaches are needed to avoid delays in treatment initiation. PMID:21826010
When to Start Antiretroviral Therapy
... illnesses and coinfections Recent HIV infection Pregnancy All pregnant women with HIV should take HIV medicines to prevent mother-to- ... protect the health of the pregnant woman. All pregnant women with HIV should start taking HIV medicines as soon as ...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Sujal M Parikh
Full Text Available Clinical and immunological data about HIV in older adults from low and middle income countries is scarce. We aimed to describe differences between younger and older adults with HIV starting antiretroviral therapy in two low-income African countries.HIV clinics in Uganda and Zimbabwe.Secondary exploratory cross-sectional analysis of the DART randomized controlled trial.Clinical and laboratory characteristics were compared between adults aged 18-49 years (younger and ≥ 50 years (older, using two exploratory multivariable logistic regression models, one with HIV viral load (measured in a subset pre-ART and one without.A total of 3316 eligible participants enrolled in DART were available for analysis; 219 (7% were ≥ 50 years and 1160 (35% were male. Across the two adjusted regression models, older adults had significantly higher systolic blood pressure, lower creatinine clearance and were consistently less likely to be females compared to younger adults with HIV. Paradoxically, the models separately suggested that older adults had statistically significant (but not clinically important higher CD4+ cell counts and higher plasma HIV-1 viral copies at initiation. Crude associations between older age and higher baseline hemoglobin, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure and lower WHO clinical stage were not sustained in the adjusted analysis.Our study found clinical and immunological differences between younger and older adults, in a cohort of Africans starting antiretroviral therapy. Further investigations should explore how these differences could be used to ensure equity in service delivery and affect outcomes of antiretroviral therapy.
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Bannister, Wendy P; Kirk, Ole; Gatell, Jose M
2006-01-01
BACKGROUND: Changes in virologic response to initial combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) over calendar time may indicate improvements in cART or emergence of primary resistance. Regional variations may identify differences in available antiretroviral drugs or patient management. METHODS: Vi...... rates Udgivelsesdato: 2006/6...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Deeks Steven G
2005-08-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background The neurofilament is a major structural component of myelinated axons. Increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF concentrations of the light chain of the neurofilament protein (NFL can serve as a sensitive indicator of central nervous system (CNS injury. To assess whether interrupting antiretroviral treatment of HIV infection might have a deleterious effect on the CNS, we measured NFL levels in HIV-infected subjects interrupting therapy. We identified subjects who had CSF HIV RNA concentrations below 50 copies/mL at the time combination antiretroviral therapy was interrupted, and for whom CSF samples were available before and after the interruption. Results A total of 8 subjects were studied. The median (range CSF NFL level at baseline was Conclusion These findings suggest that resurgence of active HIV replication may result in measurable, albeit subclinical, CNS injury. Further studies are needed to define the frequency and pathobiological importance of the increase in CSF NFL.
Naidoo, Kogieleum; Grobler, Anneke C; Deghaye, Nicola; Reddy, Tarylee; Gengiah, Santhanalakshmi; Gray, Andrew; Karim, Salim Abdool
2015-01-01
Objective Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) during tuberculosis (TB) treatment improves survival in TB-HIV co-infected patients. In patients with CD4+ counts benefit of early ART initiation. The purpose of this study was to assess the costs and cost effectiveness of starting ART at various time points during TB treatment in patients with CD4+ counts ≥50cells/mm3. Methods In the SAPiT trial, 642 HIV-TB co-infected patients were randomized to three arms, either receiving ART within 4 weeks of starting TB treatment (early treatment arm; Arm-1), after the intensive phase of TB treatment (late treatment arm; Arm-2), or after completing TB treatment (sequential arm; Arm-3). Direct healthcare costs were measured from a provider perspective using a micro-costing approach. The incremental cost per death averted was calculated using the trial outcomes. Results For patients with CD4+ count≥50cells/mm3, median monthly variable costs per patient were $116, $113 and $102 in Arms-1, -2 and -3, respectively. There were 12 deaths in 177 patients in Arm-1, 8 deaths in 180 patients in the Arm-2 and 19 deaths in 172 patients in Arm-3. While the costs were lower in Arm-3, it had a substantially higher mortality rate. The incremental cost per death averted associated with moving from Arm-3 to Arm-2 was $4199. There was no difference in mortality between Arm-1 and Arm-2, but Arm-1 was slightly more expensive. Conclusions Initiation of ART after the completion of the intensive phase of TB treatment is cost effective for patients with CD4+ counts≥50cells/mm3. PMID:26167618
Ayalew, Mohammed Biset; Kumilachew, Dawit; Belay, Assefa; Getu, Samson; Teju, Derso; Endale, Desalegn; Tsegaye, Yemisirach; Wale, Zebiba
2016-01-01
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores immune function and reduces HIV-related adverse outcomes. But treatment failure erodes this advantage and leads to an increased morbidity and compromised quality of life in HIV patients. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with first-line ART failure in HIV patients at the University of Gondar Teaching Hospital. A retrospective study was conducted on 340 adults who had started ART during the period of September 2011 to May 2015. Data regarding patients' sociodemographics, baseline characteristics, and treatment-related information were collected through review of their medical charts. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Descriptive statistics, cross-tabs, and binary and multiple logistic regressions were utilized. Pfailure. The median duration of treatment failure from initiation of treatment was 17.5 months (8-36 months). Poor adherence to treatment and low baseline CD4 cell count were found to be significant predictors of treatment failure. The prevalence of first-line ART failure was 4.1%. Treatment failure was most likely to occur for the patients who had poor drug adherence and those who were delayed to start ART till their CD4 cell count became very low (<100 cells/mm(3)).
Scaling-up antiretroviral therapy in Malawi.
Jahn, Andreas; Harries, Anthony D; Schouten, Erik J; Libamba, Edwin; Ford, Nathan; Maher, Dermot; Chimbwandira, Frank
2016-10-01
In Malawi, health-system constraints meant that only a fraction of people infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and in immediate need of antiretroviral treatment (ART) received treatment. In 2004, the Malawian Ministry of Health launched plans to scale-up ART nationwide, adhering to the principle of equity to ensure fair geographical access to therapy. A public health approach was used with standardized training and treatment and regular supervision and monitoring of the programme. Before the scale-up, an estimated 930 000 people in Malawi were HIV-infected, with 170 000 in immediate need of ART. About 3000 patients were on ART in nine clinics. By December 2015, cumulatively 872 567 patients had been started on ART from 716 clinics, following national treatment protocols and using the standard monitoring system. Strong national leadership allowed the ministry of health to implement a uniform system for scaling-up ART and provided benchmarks for implementation on the ground. New systems of training staff and accrediting health facilities enabled task-sharing and decentralization to peripheral health centres and a standardized approach to starting and monitoring ART. A system of quarterly supervision and monitoring, into which operational research was embedded, ensured stocks of drug supplies at facilities and adherence to national treatment guidelines.
Start time delays in operating room: Different perspectives
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Babita Gupta
2011-01-01
Full Text Available Background: Healthcare expenditure is a serious concern, with escalating costs failing to meet the expectations of quality care. The treatment capacities are limited in a hospital setting and the operating rooms (ORs. Their optimal utilization is vital in efficient hospital management. Starting late means considerable wait time for staff, patients and waste of resources. We planned an audit to assess different perspectives of the residents in surgical specialities and anesthesia and OR staff nurses so as to know the causative factors of operative delay. This can help develop a practical model to decrease start time delays in operating room (ORs. Aims: An audit to assess different perspectives of the Operating room (OR staff with respect to the varied causative factors of operative delay in the OR. To aid in the development of a practical model to decrease start time delays in ORs and facilitate on-time starts at Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma centre (JPNATC, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, New Delhi. Methods: We prepared a questionnaire seeking the five main reasons of delay as per their perspective. Results: The available data was analysed. Analysis of the data demonstrated the common causative factors in start time operative delays as: a lack of proper planning, deficiencies in team work, communication gap and limited availability of trained supporting staff. Conclusions: The preparation of the equipment and required material for the OR cases must be done well in advance. Utilization of newer technology enables timely booking and scheduling of cases. Improved inter-departmental coordination and compliance with preanesthetic instructions needs to be ensured. It is essential that the anesthesiologists perform their work promptly, well in time . and supervise the proceedings as the OR manager. This audit is a step forward in defining the need of effective OR planning for continuous quality improvement.
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Micheli Valeria
2011-06-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV-1 genotypic susceptibility scores (GSSs were proven to be significant prognostic factors of fixed time-point virologic outcomes after combination antiretroviral therapy (cART switch/initiation. However, their relative-hazard for the time to virologic failure has not been thoroughly investigated, and an expert system that is able to predict how long a new cART regimen will remain effective has never been designed. Methods We analyzed patients of the Italian ARCA cohort starting a new cART from 1999 onwards either after virologic failure or as treatment-naïve. The time to virologic failure was the endpoint, from the 90th day after treatment start, defined as the first HIV-1 RNA > 400 copies/ml, censoring at last available HIV-1 RNA before treatment discontinuation. We assessed the relative hazard/importance of GSSs according to distinct interpretation systems (Rega, ANRS and HIVdb and other covariates by means of Cox regression and random survival forests (RSF. Prediction models were validated via the bootstrap and c-index measure. Results The dataset included 2337 regimens from 2182 patients, of which 733 were previously treatment-naïve. We observed 1067 virologic failures over 2820 persons-years. Multivariable analysis revealed that low GSSs of cART were independently associated with the hazard of a virologic failure, along with several other covariates. Evaluation of predictive performance yielded a modest ability of the Cox regression to predict the virologic endpoint (c-index≈0.70, while RSF showed a better performance (c-index≈0.73, p Conclusions GSSs of cART and several other covariates were investigated using linear and non-linear survival analysis. RSF models are a promising approach for the development of a reliable system that predicts time to virologic failure better than Cox regression. Such models might represent a significant improvement over the current methods for monitoring and optimization of cART.
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Lundgren, Jens Dilling; Mocroft, Amanda; Gatell, Jose M
2002-01-01
The risk of clinical progression for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons receiving treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is poorly defined. From an inception cohort of 8457 HIV-infected persons, 2027 patients who started HAART during prospective follow-up wer...
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Douglas C Heimburger
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa have high rates of mortality in the initial weeks of treatment. We assessed the association of serum phosphate with early mortality among HIV-infected adults with severe malnutrition and/or advanced immunosuppression. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: An observational cohort of 142 HIV-infected adults initiating ART in Lusaka, Zambia with body mass index (BMI <16 kg/m(2 or CD4(+ lymphocyte count <50 cells/microL, or both, was followed prospectively during the first 12 weeks of ART. Detailed health and dietary intake history, review of systems, physical examination, serum metabolic panel including phosphate, and serum ferritin and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP were monitored. The primary outcome was mortality. Baseline serum phosphate was a significant predictor of mortality; participants alive at 12 weeks had a median value of 1.30 mmol/L (interquartile range [IQR]: 1.04, 1.43, compared to 1.06 mmol/L (IQR: 0.89, 1.27 among those who died (p<0.01. Each 0.1 mmol/L increase in baseline phosphate was associated with an incremental decrease in mortality (AHR 0.83; 95% CI 0.72 to 0.95. The association was independent of other metabolic parameters and known risk factors for early ART-associated mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. While participant attrition represented a limitation, it was consistent with local program experience. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Low serum phosphate at ART initiation was an independent predictor of early mortality among HIV patients starting ART with severe malnutrition or advanced immunosuppression. This may represent a physiologic phenomenon similar to refeeding syndrome, and may lead to therapeutic interventions that could reduce mortality.
Wright, Edwina J; Grund, Birgit; Robertson, Kevin R; Cysique, Lucette; Brew, Bruce J; Collins, Gary L; Poehlman-Roediger, Mollie; Vjecha, Michael J; Penalva de Oliveira, Augusto César; Standridge, Barbara; Carey, Cate; Avihingsanon, Anchalee; Florence, Eric; Lundgren, Jens D; Arenas-Pinto, Alejandro; Mueller, Nicolas J; Winston, Alan; Nsubuga, Moses S; Lal, Luxshimi; Price, Richard W
2018-05-15
To compare the effect of immediate versus deferred antiretroviral treatment (ART) on neuropsychological test performance in treatment-naive HIV-positive adults with more than 500 CD4 cells/μl. Randomized trial. The START parent study randomized participants to commence immediate versus deferred ART until CD4 less than 350 cells/μl. The START Neurology substudy used eight neuropsychological tests, at baseline, months 4, 8, 12 and annually, to compare groups for changes in test performance. Test results were internally standardized to z-scores. The primary outcome was the average of the eight test z-scores (QNPZ-8). Mean changes in QNPZ-8 from baseline were compared by intent-to-treat using longitudinal mixed models. Changes from baseline to specific time points were compared using ANCOVA models. The 592 participants had a median age of 34 years; median baseline CD4 count was 629 cells/μl; the mean follow-up was 3.4 years. ART was used for 94 and 32% of accrued person-years in the immediate and deferred groups, respectively. There was no difference between the immediate and deferred ART groups in QNPZ-8 change through follow-up [-0.018 (95% CI -0.062 to 0.027, P = 0.44)], or at any visit. However, QNPZ-8 scores increased in both arms during the first year, by 0.22 and 0.24, respectively (P < 0.001 for increase from baseline). We observed substantial improvement in neurocognitive test performance during the first year in both study arms, underlining the importance of using a control group in studies assessing neurocognitive performance over time. Immediate ART neither benefitted nor harmed neurocognitive performance in individuals with CD4 cell counts above 500 cells/μl.
Later Start, Longer Sleep: Implications of Middle School Start Times
Temkin, Deborah A.; Princiotta, Daniel; Ryberg, Renee; Lewin, Daniel S.
2018-01-01
Background: Although adolescents generally get less than the recommended 9 hours of sleep per night, research and effort to delay school start times have generally focused on high schools. This study assesses the relation between school start times and sleep in middle school students while accounting for potentially confounding demographic…
Long-Acting Antiretrovirals: Where Are We now?
Nyaku, Amesika N; Kelly, Sean G; Taiwo, Babafemi O
2017-04-01
Current HIV treatment options require daily use of combination antiretroviral drugs. Many persons living with HIV experience treatment fatigue and suboptimal adherence as a result. Long-acting antiretroviral drugs are being developed to expand options for HIV treatment. Here, we review the agents in development, and evaluate data from recent clinical trials. In addition, we anticipate challenges to successful widespread use of long-acting antiretrovirals. Parenteral nanosuspensions of cabotegravir and rilpivirine, and dapivirine vaginal ring are the farthest in clinical development. Long-acting modalities in earlier development stages employ drug-loaded implants, microparticles, or targeted mutagenesis, among other innovations. Long-acting antiretroviral drugs promise new options for HIV prevention and treatment, and ways to address poor adherence and treatment fatigue. Further studies will identify the long-acting agents or combinations that are suitable for routine use. Creative solutions will be needed for anticipated implementation challenges.
Sutcliffe, Catherine G; Bolton-Moore, Carolyn; van Dijk, Janneke H; Cotham, Matt; Tambatamba, Bushimbwa; Moss, William J
2010-07-30
Since 2003 pediatric antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs have scaled-up in sub-Saharan Africa and should be evaluated to assess progress and identify areas for improvement. We evaluated secular trends in the characteristics and treatment outcomes of children in three pediatric ART clinics in urban and rural areas in Zambia. Routinely collected data were analyzed from three ART programs in rural (Macha and Mukinge) and urban (Lusaka) Zambia between program implementation and July 2008. Data were obtained from electronic medical record systems and medical record abstraction, and were categorized by year of program implementation. Characteristics of all HIV-infected and exposed children enrolled in the programs and all children initiating treatment were compared by year of implementation. Age decreased and immunologic characteristics improved in all groups over time in both urban and rural clinics, with greater improvement observed in the rural clinics. Among children both eligible and ineligible for ART at clinic enrollment, the majority started treatment within a year. A high proportion of children, particularly those ineligible for ART at clinic enrollment, were lost to follow-up prior to initiating ART. Among children initiating ART, clinical and immunologic outcomes after six months of treatment improved in both urban and rural clinics. In the urban clinics, mortality after six months of treatment declined with program duration, and in the rural clinics, the proportion of children defaulting by six months increased with program duration. Treatment programs are showing signs of progress in the care of HIV-infected children, particularly in the rural clinics where scale-up increased rapidly over the first three years of program implementation. However, continued efforts to optimize care are needed as many children continue to enroll in ART programs at a late stage of disease and thus are not receiving the full benefits of treatment.
Suaysod, Rapeepan; Ngo-Giang-Huong, Nicole; Salvadori, Nicolas; Cressey, Tim R; Kanjanavanit, Suparat; Techakunakorn, Pornchai; Krikajornkitti, Sawitree; Srirojana, Sakulrat; Laomanit, Laddawan; Chalermpantmetagul, Suwalai; Lallemant, Marc; Le Cœur, Sophie; McIntosh, Kenneth; Traisathit, Patrinee; Jourdain, Gonzague
2015-07-01
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected children failing second-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) have no access to third-line antiretroviral drugs in many resource-limited settings. It is important to identify risk factors for second-line regimen failure. HIV-infected children initiating protease inhibitor (PI)-containing second-line ART within the Program for HIV Prevention and Treatment observational cohort study in Thailand between 2002 and 2010 were included. Treatment failure was defined as confirmed HIV type 1 RNA load >400 copies/mL after at least 6 months on second-line regimen or death. Adherence was assessed by drug plasma levels and patient self-report. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for failure. A total of 111 children started a PI-based second-line regimen, including 59 girls (53%). Median first-line ART duration was 1.9 years (interquartile range [IQR], 1.4-3.3 years), and median age at second-line initiation was 10.7 years (IQR, 6.3-13.4 years). Fifty-four children (49%) experienced virologic failure, and 2 (2%) died. The risk of treatment failure 24 months after second-line initiation was 41%. In multivariate analyses, failure was independently associated with exposure to first-line ART for >2 years (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.8; P = .03), age >13 years (aHR, 2.9; P < .001), body mass index-for-age z score < -2 standard deviations at second-line initiation (aHR, 2.8; P = .03), and undetectable drug levels within 6 months following second-line initiation (aHR, 4.5; P < .001). Children with longer exposure to first-line ART, entry to adolescence, underweight, and/or undetectable drug levels were at higher risk of failing second-line ART and thus should be closely monitored. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Deisy Viviana Cardona-Duque; Oscar Adolfo Medina-Pérez; Sandra Milena Herrera-Castaño; Paula Andrea Orozco-Gómez
2017-01-01
Introduction: HIV/AIDS is a chronic disease; therefore, recognizing which factors favor adherence to antiretroviral treatment is necessary. Objective: To determine the association between adherence to antiretroviral treatment and depression, anxiety, perception of social support and sociodemographic variables in people living with HIV/AIDS in Quindío, Colombia. Materials and methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was performed in an intentional sample of 70 adults, who were ap...
Moving forward with treatment options for HIV-infected children.
Beghin, Jean-Christophe; Yombi, Jean Cyr; Ruelle, Jean; Van der Linden, Dimitri
2018-01-01
Current international guidelines recommend to treat all HIV-1 infected patients regardless of CD4 cell count. Despite the remarkable worldwide progress for universal access to antiretroviral during the last decade, the pediatric population remains fragile due to lack of randomized studies, inappropriate antiretroviral formulations, adherence difficulties, drug toxicity and development of resistance. Areas covered: This review summarizes the latest recommendations and advances for the treatment of HIV-infected children and highlights the potential complications of a lifelong antiretroviral treatment initiated early in life. Expert opinion: International guidelines recommend to start combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) as fast as possible in all children diagnosed with HIV-1. The principal goal is to improve survival and reduce mortality as well as rapidly decrease HIV reservoirs. This remains a challenge in resource-limited settings were diagnostic tools and treatment access may be limited. Different new strategies are in the pipeline such as immunotherapy in combination with very early cART initiation to seek remission or functional cure. For the time being and awaiting for long term remission or cure, there is a need for further pharmacokinetics studies, more pediatric formulations with improved palatability and implementation of randomized trials for the newer antiretroviral drugs.
Anderegg, Nanina; Johnson, Leigh F; Zaniewski, Elizabeth; Althoff, Keri N; Balestre, Eric; Law, Matthew; Nash, Denis; Shepherd, Bryan E; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; Egger, Matthias
2017-04-01
To estimate mortality in HIV-positive patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) and to discuss different approaches to calculating correction factors to account for loss to follow-up. A total of 222 096 adult HIV-positive patients who started ART 2009-2014 in clinics participating in the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS collaboration in 43 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and North America were included. To allow for underascertainment of deaths due to loss to follow-up, two correction factors (one for the period 0-6 months on ART and one for later periods) or 168 correction factors (combinations of two sexes, three time periods after ART initiation, four age groups, and seven CD4 groups) based on tracing patients lost in Kenya and data linkages in South Africa were applied. Corrected mortality rates were compared with a worst case scenario assuming all patients lost to follow-up had died. Loss to follow-up differed between regions; rates were lowest in central Africa and highest in east Africa. Compared with using two correction factors (1.64 for the initial ART period and 2.19 for later), applying 168 correction factors (range 1.03-4.75) more often resulted in implausible mortality rates that exceeded the worst case scenario. Corrected mortality rates varied widely, ranging from 0.2 per 100 person-years to 54 per 100 person-years depending on region and covariates. Implausible rates were less common with the simpler approach based on two correction factors. The corrected mortality rates will be useful to international agencies, national programmes, and modellers.
Ventelou, Bruno; Moatti, Jean-Paul; Videau, Yann; Kazatchkine, Michel
2008-01-02
Macroeconomic policy requirements may limit the capacity of national and international policy-makers to allocate sufficient resources for scaling-up access to HIV care and treatment in developing countries. An endogenous growth model, which takes into account the evolution of society's human capital, was used to assess the macroeconomic impact of policies aimed at scaling-up access to HIV/AIDS treatment in six African countries (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe). The model results showed that scaling-up access to treatment in the affected population would limit gross domestic product losses due to AIDS although differently from country to country. In our simulated scenarios of access to antiretroviral therapy, only 10.3% of the AIDS shock is counterbalanced in Zimbabwe, against 85.2% in Angola and even 100.0% in Benin (a total recovery). For four out of the six countries (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast), the macro-economic gains of scaling-up would become potentially superior to its associated costs in 2010. Despite the variability of HIV prevalence rates between countries, macro-economic estimates strongly suggest that a massive investment in scaling-up access to HIV treatment may efficiently counteract the detrimental long-term impact of the HIV pandemic on economic growth, to the extent that the AIDS shock has not already driven the economy beyond an irreversible 'no-development epidemiological trap'.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
El-Sadr, WM; Lundgren, Jens Dilling; Neaton, JD
2006-01-01
had a CD4+ cell count of more than 350 per cubic millimeter to the continuous use of antiretroviral therapy (the viral suppression group) or the episodic use of antiretroviral therapy (the drug conservation group). Episodic use involved the deferral of therapy until the CD4+ count decreased to less......BACKGROUND: Despite declines in morbidity and mortality with the use of combination antiretroviral therapy, its effectiveness is limited by adverse events, problems with adherence, and resistance of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: We randomly assigned persons infected with HIV who...... the risk of adverse events that have been associated with antiretroviral therapy. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00027352 [ClinicalTrials.gov].). Copyright 2006 Massachusetts Medical Society....
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rehman, Andrea M; Woodd, Susannah; PrayGod, George
2015-01-01
in malnourished patients starting ART and that vitamin and mineral supplementation would improve appetite and permit nutritional recovery. DESIGN:: The randomised controlled Nutritional Support for Africans Starting Antiretroviral Therapy (NUSTART) trial was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania and Lusaka, Zambia. ART......-upper-arm circumference. CONCLUSIONS:: Provision of high levels of vitamins and minerals to patients referred for ART, delivered with substantial macronutrients, increased nutritional recovery but did not appear to act through treatment group differences in appetite.This is an open access article distributed under......BACKGROUND:: The evidence base for effects of nutritional interventions for malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited and inconclusive. OBJECTIVE:: We hypothesised that both vitamin and mineral deficiencies and poor appetite limit weight gain...
Cromer, Deborah; Pinkevych, Mykola; Rasmussen, Thomas A; Lewin, Sharon R; Kent, Stephen J; Davenport, Miles P
2017-12-15
A number of treatment strategies are currently being developed to promote antiretroviral therapy-free HIV cure or remission. While complete elimination of the HIV reservoir would prevent recurrence of infection, it is not clear how different remission lengths would affect viral rebound and transmission. In this work, we use a stochastic model to show that a treatment that achieves a 1-year average time to viral remission will still lead to nearly a quarter of subjects experiencing viral rebound within the first 3 months. Given quarterly viral testing intervals, this leads to an expected 39 (95% uncertainty interval [UI], 22 to 69) heterosexual transmissions and up to 262 (95% UI, 107 to 534) homosexual transmissions per 1,000 treated subjects over a 10-year period. Thus, a balance between high initial treatment levels, risk of recrudescence, and risk of transmission should be considered when assessing the "useful" or optimal length of antiretroviral therapy-free HIV remission to be targeted. We also investigate the trade-off between increasing the average duration of remission versus the risk of treatment failure (viral recrudescence) and the need for retreatment. To minimize drug exposure, we found that the optimal target of antilatency interventions is a 1,700-fold reduction in the size of the reservoir, which leads to an average time to recrudescence of 30 years. Interestingly, this is a significantly lower level of reduction than that required for complete elimination of the viral reservoir. Additionally, we show that when shorter periods are targeted, there is a real probability of viral transmission occurring between tests for viral rebound. IMPORTANCE Current treatment of HIV involves patients taking antiretroviral therapy to ensure that the level of virus remains very low or undetectable. Continuous therapy is required, as the virus persists in a latent state within cells, and when therapy is stopped, the virus rebounds, usually within 2 weeks. A major
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bannister, W; Kirk, O; Gatell, J
2006-01-01
BACKGROUND: Changes in virologic response to initial combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) over calendar time may indicate improvements in cART or emergence of primary resistance. Regional variations may identify differences in available antiretroviral drugs or patient management. METHODS.......026) and time (P changes were observed (south, P = 0.061; central west, P ....001; north: P = 0.070; east, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There was some evidence of regional differences in initial virologic response to cART. Improvements over time were observed, suggesting that so far, the effect of primary resistance has not been of sufficient magnitude to prevent increasing suppression...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Bernaschi Massimo
2009-10-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background The optimal stage for initiating antiretroviral therapies in HIV-1 bearing patients is still a matter of debate. Methods We present computer simulations of HIV-1 infection aimed at identifying the pro et contra of immediate as compared to deferred Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART. Results Our simulations highlight that a prompt specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes response is detected when therapy is delayed. Compared to very early initiation of HAART, in deferred treated patients CD8+ T cells manage to mediate the decline of viremia in a shorter time and, at interruption of therapy, the virus experiences a stronger immune pressure. We also observe, however, that the immunological effects of the therapy fade with time in both therapeutic regimens. Thus, within one year from discontinuation, viral burden recovers to the value at which it would level off in the absence of therapy. In summary, simulations show that immediate therapy does not prolong the disease-free period and does not confer a survival benefit when compared to treatment started during the chronic infection phase. Conclusion Our conclusion is that, since there is no therapy to date that guarantees life-long protection, deferral of therapy should be preferred in order to minimize the risk of adverse effects, the occurrence of drug resistances and the costs of treatment.
Global response to HIV: treatment as prevention, or treatment for treatment?
Sigaloff, Kim C. E.; Lange, Joep M. A.; Montaner, Julio
2014-01-01
The concept of "treatment as prevention" has emerged as a means to curb the global HIV epidemic. There is, however, still ongoing debate about the evidence on when to start antiretroviral therapy in resource-poor settings. Critics have brought forward multiple arguments against a "test and treat"
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Engsig, F N; Omland, Lars Haukali Hvass; Larsen, M V
2010-01-01
According to the Swiss Federal Commission for HIV/AIDS, HIV-infected patients on successful antiretroviral treatment have a negligible risk of transmitting HIV sexually. We estimated the risk that patients considered to have an undetectable viral load (VL) are actually viraemic.......According to the Swiss Federal Commission for HIV/AIDS, HIV-infected patients on successful antiretroviral treatment have a negligible risk of transmitting HIV sexually. We estimated the risk that patients considered to have an undetectable viral load (VL) are actually viraemic....
Evaluation of inadequate anti-retroviral treatment in patients with HIV/AIDS
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Leonardo Carvalho da Fonseca
2012-04-01
Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Since the emergence of antiretroviral therapy, the survival of patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus has increased. Non-adherence to this therapy is directly related to treatment failure, which allows the emergence of resistant viral strains. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study of the antiretroviral dispensing records of 229 patients from the Center for Health Care, University Hospital, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, was conducted between January and December 2009. RESULTS: The study aimed to evaluate patient compliance and determine if there was an association between non-adherence and the therapy. Among these patients, 63.8% were men with an average age of 44.0 ± 9.9 years. The most used treatment was a combination of 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors with 1 non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (55.5% or with 2 protease inhibitors (28.8%. It was found that patients taking lopinavir/ritonavir with zidovudine and lamivudine had a greater frequency of inadequate treatment than those taking atazanavir with zidovudine and lamivudine (85% and 83.3%, respectively. Moreover, when the combination of zidovudine/ lamivudine was used, the patients were less compliant (χ2 = 4.468, 1 degree of freedom, p = 0.035. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of patients failed to correctly adhere to their treatment; therefore, it is necessary to implement strategies that lead to improved compliance, thus ensuring therapeutic efficacy and increased patient survival.
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Mark Holodniy
2011-03-01
Full Text Available Guidance is needed on best medical management for advanced HIV disease with multidrug resistance (MDR and limited retreatment options. We assessed two novel antiretroviral (ARV treatment approaches in this setting.We conducted a 2×2 factorial randomized open label controlled trial in patients with a CD4 count≤300 cells/µl who had ARV treatment (ART failure requiring retreatment, to two options (a re-treatment with either standard (≤4 ARVs or intensive (≥5 ARVs ART and b either treatment starting immediately or after a 12-week monitored ART interruption. Primary outcome was time to developing a first AIDS-defining event (ADE or death from any cause. Analysis was by intention to treat. From 2001 to 2006, 368 patients were randomized. At baseline, mean age was 48 years, 2% were women, median CD4 count was 106/µl, mean viral load was 4.74 log(10 copies/ml, and 59% had a prior AIDS diagnosis. Median follow-up was 4.0 years in 1249 person-years of observation. There were no statistically significant differences in the primary composite outcome of ADE or death between re-treatment options of standard versus intensive ART (hazard ratio 1.17; CI 0.86-1.59, or between immediate retreatment initiation versus interruption before re-treatment (hazard ratio 0.93; CI 0.68-1.30, or in the rate of non-HIV associated serious adverse events between re-treatment options.We did not observe clinical benefit or harm assessed by the primary outcome in this largest and longest trial exploring both ART interruption and intensification in advanced MDR HIV infection with poor retreatment options.Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00050089.
Zhuang, Yuchuan; Qiu, Xing; Wang, Lu; Ma, Qing; Mapstone, Mark; Luque, Amneris; Weber, Miriam; Tivarus, Madalina; Miller, Eric; Arduino, Roberto C; Zhong, Jianhui; Schifitto, Giovanni
2017-10-01
Our study aimed to investigate the short-term effect of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) on cognitive performance and functional and structural connectivity and their relationship to plasma levels of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. Seventeen ARV treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals (baseline mean CD4 cell count, 479 ± 48 cells/mm 3 ) were age matched with 17 HIV-uninfected individuals. All subjects underwent a detailed neurocognitive and functional assessment and magnetic resonance imaging. HIV-infected subjects were scanned before starting cART and 12 weeks after initiation of treatment. Uninfected subjects were assessed once at baseline. Functional connectivity (FC) was assessed within the default mode network while structural connectivity was assessed by voxel-wise analysis using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) and probabilistic tractography within the DMN. Tenofovir and emtricitabine blood concentration were measured at week 12 of cART. Prior to cART, HIV-infected individuals had significantly lower cognitive performance than control subjects as measured by the total Z-score from the neuropsychological tests assessing six cognitive domains (p = 0.020). After 12 weeks of cART treatment, there remained only a weak cognitive difference between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected subjects (p = 0.057). Mean FC was lower in HIV-infected individuals compared with those uninfected (p = 0.008), but FC differences became non-significant after treatment (p = 0.197). There were no differences in DTI metrics between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals using the TBSS approach and limited evidence of decreased structural connectivity within the DMN in HIV-infected individuals. Tenofovir and emtricitabine plasma concentrations did not correlate with either cognitive performance or imaging metrics. Twelve weeks of cART improves cognitive performance and functional connectivity in ARV treatment-naïve HIV-infected individuals with relatively
Efek Samping Obat terhadap Kepatuhan Pengobatan Antiretroviral Orang dengan HIV/AIDS
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Fachri Latif
2014-12-01
Full Text Available Tingkat kepatuhan pengobatan antiretroviral di Indonesia sangat rendah, yaitu 40 - 70%, yang masih di bawah target nasional dengan tingkat kepatuhan 95%. Berbeda dengan rata-rata nasional, Puskesmas Jumpandang Baru justru memiliki tingkat kepatuhan pengobatan antiretroviral pasien HIV/AIDS di atas 95%. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis faktor yang paling berpengaruh terhadap kepatuhan pengobatan antiretroviral orang dengan HIV/AIDS (ODHA. Jenis penelitian bersifat observasional analitik dengan pendekatan potong lintang. Populasi penelitian adalah 121 ODHA yang aktif menjalani pengobatan antiretroviral di Puskesmas Jumpandang Baru yang dipilih dengan menggunakan teknik exhaustive sampling. Sampel dalam penelitian ini adalah 121 sampel. Penelitian dilakukan pada 22 April hingga 28 Juni 2014 di klinik Voluntary Counseling and Test Puskesmas Jumpandang Baru Makassar. Analisis data menggunakan uji kai kuadrat dan regresi logistik. Hasil uji kai kuadrat menunjukkan ada hubungan antara pengetahuan, persepsi, riwayat efek samping obat, dukungan keluarga dan teman, serta interaksi antara pasien dengan petugas layanan antiretroviral terhadap kepatuhan pengobatan antiretroviral ODHA. Analisis regresi logistik menunjukan bahwa pengetahuan yang baik, persepsi positif terhadap pengobatan, serta efek samping obat yang tidak dirasakan adalah faktor yang berhubungan dengan kepatuhan pengobatan antiretroviral. Penelitian ini menunjukkan ODHA yang tidak merasakan efek samping obat memiliki kecenderungan terbesar untuk patuh terhadap pengobatan antiretroviral dengan OR sebesar 13,452. Drug Side Effects on Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment among People Living with HIV/AIDS The rate of adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Indonesia is very low, at 40 - 70%, which is still below our national target (95%. Different phenomena happens at Jumpandang Baru Primary Health Care, whose level of antiretroviral treatment adherence above 95%. This study aimed to
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Baxter, J D; Dunn, D; White, E
2015-01-01
OBJECTIVES: HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in treatment-naïve individuals is a well-described phenomenon. Baseline genotypic resistance testing is considered standard of care in most developed areas of the world. The aim of this analysis was to characterize HIV-1 TDR and the use of resis......OBJECTIVES: HIV-1 transmitted drug resistance (TDR) in treatment-naïve individuals is a well-described phenomenon. Baseline genotypic resistance testing is considered standard of care in most developed areas of the world. The aim of this analysis was to characterize HIV-1 TDR and the use...... on a modified 2009 World Health Organization definition to reflect newer resistance mutations. RESULTS: Baseline resistance testing was available in 1946 study participants. Higher rates of testing occurred in Europe (86.7%), the USA (81.3%) and Australia (89.9%) as compared with Asia (22.2%), South America (1...
ORIGINAL ARTICLES Antiretroviral treatment for children
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Kaplan-Meier survival estimate for 407 children at 1 year was. 84% (95% ... highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to 3 million people living with HIV I AIDS in ... 5 Furthermore, improvements in growth and body composition parameters,.
Shringarpure, K.; Modi, B.; Sharma, R.; Rewari, B. B.; Shah, A. N.; Verma, P. B.; Dongre, A. R.; Kumar, A. M. V.
2017-01-01
Setting: Five purposively selected antiretroviral therapy (ART) centres in Gujarat, India. Objectives: To assess the proportion of ART-eligible people living with the human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) who were not initiated on ART within 2 months of being recorded as eligible, to identify factors associated with non-initiation and to explore reasons from the provider's perspective. Design: We used a mixed-methods design (triangulation) of 1) a quantitative phase involving record reviews and cohort analysis (Poisson regression) of PLHIV registered during April 2014–March 2015, and 2) a qualitative phase involving one-to-one interviews with 25 providers. Results: Of 2079 ART-eligible PLHIV, 339 (16%) were not started on ART within 2 months. PLHIV with CD4 counts of bedridden or registered with certain ART centres were more likely not to be initiated on ART. Qualitative results were categorised into two broad themes: government health system- and patient-related challenges, which validated and complemented the quantitative findings. Conclusion: Several patient subgroups at greater risk of ART non-initiation were identified, along with reasons for risk; this has important programme implications for achieving the UNAIDS 90–90–90 goal, and particularly the second 90 component of having 90% of diagnosed PLHIV start ART. PMID:29201653
Virologic outcomes in early antiretroviral treatment: HPTN 052.
Eshleman, Susan H; Wilson, Ethan A; Zhang, Xinyi C; Ou, San-San; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; Eron, Joseph J; McCauley, Marybeth; Gamble, Theresa; Gallant, Joel E; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Hakim, James G; Kalonga, Ben; Pilotto, Jose H; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Godbole, Sheela V; Chotirosniramit, Nuntisa; Santos, Breno Riegel; Shava, Emily; Mills, Lisa A; Panchia, Ravindre; Mwelase, Noluthando; Mayer, Kenneth H; Chen, Ying Q; Cohen, Myron S; Fogel, Jessica M
2017-05-01
The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 052 trial demonstrated that early antiretroviral therapy (ART) prevented 93% of HIV transmission events in serodiscordant couples. Some linked infections were observed shortly after ART initiation or after virologic failure. To evaluate factors associated with time to viral suppression and virologic failure in participants who initiated ART in HPTN 052. 1566 participants who had a viral load (VL) > 400 copies/mL at enrollment were included in the analyses. This included 832 in the early ART arm (CD4 350-550 cells/mm 3 at ART initiation) and 734 in the delayed ART arm (204 with a CD4 1000 copies/mL > 24 weeks after ART initiation. Overall, 93% of participants achieved viral suppression by 12 months. The annual incidence of virologic failure was 3.6%. Virologic outcomes were similar in the two study arms. Longer time to viral suppression was associated with younger age, higher VL at ART initiation, and region (Africa vs. Asia). Virologic failure was strongly associated with younger age, lower educational level, and lack of suppression by three months; lower VL and higher CD4 at ART initiation were also associated with virologic failure. Several clinical and demographic factors were identified that were associated with longer time to viral suppression and virologic failure. Recognition of these factors may help optimize ART for HIV treatment and prevention.
Adherence to anti-retroviral drugs in pregnant and lactating HIV ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Background: Anti-retroviral drugs reduce morbidity and mortality due to HIV and prevent transmission from mother to child. But compliance on anti-retroviral treatment is an essential element for the success of therapeutic goals. Objective: To assess the level of compliance of anti-retroviral treatment in pregnant and lactating ...
Mathibe, Maphuthego D; Hendricks, Stephen J H; Bergh, Anne-Marie
2015-10-02
Primary Health Care (PHC) clinicians and patients are major role players in the South African antiretroviral treatment programme. Understanding their perceptions and experiences of integrated care and the management of people living with HIV and AIDS in PHC facilities is necessary for successful implementation and sustainability of integration. This study explored clinician perceptions and patient experiences of integration of antiretroviral treatment in PHC clinics. An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted in four city of Tshwane PHC facilities. Two urban and two rural facilities following different models of integration were included. A self-administered questionnaire with open-ended items was completed by 35 clinicians and four focus group interviews were conducted with HIV-positive patients. The data were coded and categories were grouped into sub-themes and themes. Workload, staff development and support for integration affected clinicians' performance and viewpoints. They perceived promotion of privacy, reduced discrimination and increased access to comprehensive care as benefits of service integration. Delays, poor patient care and patient dissatisfaction were viewed as negative aspects of integration. In three facilities patients were satisfied with integration or semi-integration and felt common queues prevented stigma and discrimination, whilst the reverse was true in the facility with separate services. Single-month issuance of antiretroviral drugs and clinic schedule organisation was viewed negatively, as well as poor staff attitudes, poor communication and long waiting times. Although a fully integrated service model is preferable, aspects that need further attention are management support from health authorities for health facilities, improved working conditions and appropriate staff development opportunities.
Association of HIV diversity and virologic outcomes in early antiretroviral treatment: HPTN 052.
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Philip J Palumbo
Full Text Available Higher HIV diversity has been associated with virologic outcomes in children on antiretroviral treatment (ART. We examined the association of HIV diversity with virologic outcomes in adults from the HPTN 052 trial who initiated ART at CD4 cell counts of 350-550 cells/mm3. A high resolution melting (HRM assay was used to analyze baseline (pre-treatment HIV diversity in six regions in the HIV genome (two in gag, one in pol, and three in env from 95 participants who failed ART. We analyzed the association of HIV diversity in each genomic region with baseline (pre-treatment factors and three clinical outcomes: time to virologic suppression after ART initiation, time to ART failure, and emergence of HIV drug resistance at ART failure. After correcting for multiple comparisons, we did not find any association of baseline HIV diversity with demographic, laboratory, or clinical characteristics. For the 18 analyses performed for clinical outcomes evaluated, there was only one significant association: higher baseline HIV diversity in one of the three HIV env regions was associated with longer time to ART failure (p = 0.008. The HRM diversity assay may be useful in future studies exploring the relationship between HIV diversity and clinical outcomes in individuals with HIV infection.
Association of HIV diversity and virologic outcomes in early antiretroviral treatment: HPTN 052.
Palumbo, Philip J; Wilson, Ethan A; Piwowar-Manning, Estelle; McCauley, Marybeth; Gamble, Theresa; Kumwenda, Newton; Makhema, Joseph; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Hakim, James G; Hosseinipour, Mina C; Melo, Marineide G; Godbole, Sheela V; Pilotto, Jose H; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Panchia, Ravindre; Chen, Ying Q; Cohen, Myron S; Eshleman, Susan H; Fogel, Jessica M
2017-01-01
Higher HIV diversity has been associated with virologic outcomes in children on antiretroviral treatment (ART). We examined the association of HIV diversity with virologic outcomes in adults from the HPTN 052 trial who initiated ART at CD4 cell counts of 350-550 cells/mm3. A high resolution melting (HRM) assay was used to analyze baseline (pre-treatment) HIV diversity in six regions in the HIV genome (two in gag, one in pol, and three in env) from 95 participants who failed ART. We analyzed the association of HIV diversity in each genomic region with baseline (pre-treatment) factors and three clinical outcomes: time to virologic suppression after ART initiation, time to ART failure, and emergence of HIV drug resistance at ART failure. After correcting for multiple comparisons, we did not find any association of baseline HIV diversity with demographic, laboratory, or clinical characteristics. For the 18 analyses performed for clinical outcomes evaluated, there was only one significant association: higher baseline HIV diversity in one of the three HIV env regions was associated with longer time to ART failure (p = 0.008). The HRM diversity assay may be useful in future studies exploring the relationship between HIV diversity and clinical outcomes in individuals with HIV infection.
Bioanalysis, metabolism & clinical pharmacology of antiretroviral drugs
Heine, R. ter
2009-01-01
The aims of all studies described in this thesis were to develop new bioanalytical and more patient friendly methods for studying the clinical pharmacology of antiretroviral drugs and to ultimately improve antiretroviral treatment.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Matthias Stoll
Full Text Available UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND/AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to determine the cost impacts of antiretroviral drugs by analysing a long-term follow-up of direct costs for combined antiretroviral therapy, cART, -regimens in the nationwide long-term observational multi-centre German HIV ClinSurv Cohort. The second aim was to develop potential cost saving strategies by modelling different treatment scenarios. METHODS: Antiretroviral regimens (ART from 10,190 HIV-infected patients from 11 participating ClinSurv study centres have been investigated since 1996. Biannual data cART-initiation, cART-changes, surrogate markers, clinical events and the Centre of Disease Control- (CDC-stage of HIV disease are reported. Treatment duration was calculated on a daily basis via the documented dates for the beginning and end of each antiretroviral drug treatment. Prices were calculated for each individual regimen based on actual office sales prices of the branded pharmaceuticals distributed by the license holder including German taxes. RESULTS: During the 13-year follow-up period, 21,387,427 treatment days were covered. Cumulative direct costs for antiretroviral drugs of €812,877,356 were determined according to an average of €42.08 per day (€7.52 to € 217.70. Since cART is widely used in Germany, the costs for an entire regimen increased by 13.5%. Regimens are more expensive in the advanced stages of HIV disease. The potential for cost savings was calculated using non-nucleotide-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor, NNRTI, more frequently instead of ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor, PI/r, in first line therapy. This calculation revealed cumulative savings of 10.9% to 19.8% of daily treatment costs (50% and 90% substitution of PI/r, respectively. Substituting certain branded drugs by generic drugs showed potential cost savings of between 1.6% and 31.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Analysis of the data of this nationwide study reflects disease-specific health services research
Stoll, Matthias; Kollan, Christian; Bergmann, Frank; Bogner, Johannes; Faetkenheuer, Gerd; Fritzsche, Carlos; Hoeper, Kirsten; Horst, Heinz-August; van Lunzen, Jan; Plettenberg, Andreas; Reuter, Stefan; Rockstroh, Jürgen; Stellbrink, Hans-Jürgen; Hamouda, Osamah; Bartmeyer, Barbara
2011-01-01
BACKGROUND/AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to determine the cost impacts of antiretroviral drugs by analysing a long-term follow-up of direct costs for combined antiretroviral therapy, cART, -regimens in the nationwide long-term observational multi-centre German HIV ClinSurv Cohort. The second aim was to develop potential cost saving strategies by modelling different treatment scenarios. Antiretroviral regimens (ART) from 10,190 HIV-infected patients from 11 participating ClinSurv study centres have been investigated since 1996. Biannual data cART-initiation, cART-changes, surrogate markers, clinical events and the Centre of Disease Control- (CDC)-stage of HIV disease are reported. Treatment duration was calculated on a daily basis via the documented dates for the beginning and end of each antiretroviral drug treatment. Prices were calculated for each individual regimen based on actual office sales prices of the branded pharmaceuticals distributed by the license holder including German taxes. During the 13-year follow-up period, 21,387,427 treatment days were covered. Cumulative direct costs for antiretroviral drugs of €812,877,356 were determined according to an average of €42.08 per day (€7.52 to € 217.70). Since cART is widely used in Germany, the costs for an entire regimen increased by 13.5%. Regimens are more expensive in the advanced stages of HIV disease. The potential for cost savings was calculated using non-nucleotide-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitor, NNRTI, more frequently instead of ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor, PI/r, in first line therapy. This calculation revealed cumulative savings of 10.9% to 19.8% of daily treatment costs (50% and 90% substitution of PI/r, respectively). Substituting certain branded drugs by generic drugs showed potential cost savings of between 1.6% and 31.8%. Analysis of the data of this nationwide study reflects disease-specific health services research and will give insights into the cost impacts of
Nyirenda, Christopher; Zulu, Isaac; Kabagambe, Edmond K; Bagchi, Shashwatee; Potter, Dara; Bosire, Claire; Krishnasami, Zipporah; Heimburger, Douglas C
2009-01-01
High mortality rates have been reported in the first 90 days of antiretroviral therapy in Zambia and other low-income countries. We report a case of acute hypophosphataemia and hypokalaemia in the first week of antiretroviral therapy in a patient with extreme AIDS wasting. Given its occurrence in an extremely wasted patient, it may be physiologically similar to refeeding syndrome but other causes could be relevant as well. Acute hypophosphataemia may contribute to early antiretroviral therapy associated mortality in low-income countries. PMID:21686792
Martínez-Martín, P; Hernández, B; Ricart, J
2014-04-01
Several therapeutic options are available for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD).There is no reliable information about which factors are involved in the choice of treatment. To identify factors contributing to the decision to start treatment with levodopa/carbidopa/entacapone (LCE) in patients with PD. We completed a descriptive cross-sectional retrospective multicentre study of patients with idiopathic PD receiving LCE. Clinical data were collected with special attention to factors that could potentially determine when to initiate treatment with LCE in normal clinical practice. We studied 1050 patients with a mean age of 71.3±8.7 years (58.2% men). Average time from onset of symptoms to diagnosis was 13.8±12.9 months, with a latency time of 74.5±53.6 months before starting LCE treatment. The most common initial symptoms were tremor (70.6%), reduced dexterity (43.2%) and slowness of movement (41.5%). At the start of LCE treatment, most patients were in Hoehn and Yahr stage 2 (57.5%), with an average rating of 73.4% on the Schwab & England scale. Eight hundred twenty two patients (78.3%) received treatment with other drugs before starting LCE (mean time between starting any PD treatment and starting LCE was 40.5±47.2 months). Clinical factors with a moderate, marked, or crucial effect on the decision to start LCE treatment were bradykinesia (84.7%), daytime rigidity (72.2%), general decline (72.2%), difficulty walking (66.4%), tremor (62.7%), nocturnal rigidity (56.1%), and postural instability (53%). Difficulty performing activities of daily living was the only psychosocial factor identified as having an influence on the decision (84.3%). The decision to start patients with idiopathic PD on LCE treatment is mainly determined by motor deficits and disabilities associated with disease progression. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.
[Policy dilemmas in providing antiretroviral treatment in Brazil].
do Lago, Regina Ferro; Costa, Nilson do Rosário
2010-11-01
This paper addresses institutional constraints that have affected Brazilian politics regarding provision of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) to HIV/Aids patients. We analyzed the normative conflict resulting from international agreements on intellectual property rights, especially patent protection, and the constitutional rights of Brazilian patients to universal and free access to ART. These constraints have not substantially changed the Brazilian public policy yet, but they may impact the future sustainability of this policy. As the main barrier to the production of patented drugs is not technological but institutional, Brazilian government faces a dilemma. It may either abide by existing monopolistic restrictions or it may incite competitiveness of domestic industries and developing countries in the pharmaceutical market.
Vella, Stefano; Schwartländer, Bernard; Sow, Salif Papa; Eholie, Serge Paul; Murphy, Robert L
2012-06-19
HIV/AIDS not only represents the most severe epidemic in modern times, but also the greatest public health challenge in history. The response of the scientific community has been impressive and in just a few years, turned an inevitably fatal disease into a chronic manageable although not yet curable condition. The development of antiretroviral therapy is not only the history of scientific advancements: it is the result of the passionate 'alliance' towards a common goal between researchers, doctors and nurses, pharmaceutical industries, regulators, public health officials and the community of HIV-infected patients, which is rather unique in the history of medicine. In addition, the rapid and progressive development of antiretroviral therapy has not only proven to be life-saving for many millions but has been instrumental in unveiling the inequities in access to health between rich and poor countries of the world. Optimal benefits indeed, are not accessible to all people living with HIV, with challenges to coverage and sustainability in low and middle income countries. This paper will review the progress made, starting from the initial despairing times, till the current battle towards universal access to treatment and care for all people living with HIV.
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Ayalu A Reda
Full Text Available Antiretroviral treatment (ART has been introduced in Ethiopia a decade ago and continues to be scaled up. However, there is dearth of literature on the impact of ART on changes in CD4 lymphocyte count and weight among patients on treatment.To determine the predictors of change in CD4 lymphocyte count and weight among HIV/AIDS infected patients taking antiretroviral treatment in eastern Ethiopia.A retrospective cohort study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients taking ART from 2005 to 2010. A sample of 1540 HIV infected adult patients who started antiretroviral therapy in hospitals located in eastern Ethiopia were included in the study. The primary outcomes of interest were changes in CD4 count and weight. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses were performed to examine the outcomes among the cohort.Both the median CD4 lymphocyte counts and weight showed improvements in the follow up periods. The multivariate analysis shows that the duration of ART was an important predictor of improvements in CD4 lymphocyte count (beta 7.91; 95% CI 7.48-8.34; p 0.000 and weight (beta 0.15; 95% CI 0.13-0.18; p 0.000. Advanced WHO clinical stage, lower baseline CD4 cell count, and baseline hemoglobin levels were factors associated with decline in weight. Actively working patients had higher CD4 lymphocyte count and weight compared to those that were ambulatory (p<0.05.We detected a substantial increment in weight and CD4 lymphocyte count among the patients who were taking ART in eastern Ethiopia. Patients who are of older age, with low initial CD4 lymphocyte count, late stage of the WHO clinical stages and lower hemoglobin level may need special attention. The reasons for the improved findings on CD4 count and weight throughout the five years of follow up merit further investigation.
2016-08-01
Asian countries have seen the expansion of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) over the past decade. The TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) was established in 2003 comprising 23 urban referral sites in 13 countries across the region. We examined trends in treatment outcomes in patients who initiated cART between 2003 and 2013. Time of cART initiation was grouped into three periods: 2003-2005, 2006-2009, and 2010-2013. We analyzed trends in undetectable viral load (VL; defined as VL treatment outcomes, with older age and higher CD4 counts being associated with undetectable VL. Survival and VL response on cART have improved over the past decade in TAHOD, although CD4 count at cART initiation remained low. Greater effort should be made to facilitate earlier HIV diagnosis and linkage to care and treatment, to achieve greater improvements in treatment outcomes.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nakagawa, Fumiyo; Lodwick, Rebecca; Costagliola, Dominique
2012-01-01
Despite the increasing success of antiretroviral therapy (ART), virologic failure of the 3 original classes [triple-class virologic failure, (TCVF)] still develops in a small minority of patients who started therapy in the triple combination ART era. Trends in the incidence and prevalence of TCVF...
Antiretroviral therapy programme on control of HIV transmission in ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Antiretroviral therapy programme on control of HIV transmission in Morogoro municipality, Tanzania: A challenge for development. ... The government and partners should improve access to ART services to enable many PLHIV to access the services. Key words: Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment, ...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Mocroft, A; Horban, A; Clumeck, N
2006-01-01
increase) response in antiretroviral-naïve patients starting either a single protease inhibitor (PI; n = 183), a ritonavir-boosted PI regimen (n = 197), or a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based cART regimen (n = 447) after January 1, 2000, and the odds of lack of virologic...... or immunologic response at 3 years after starting cART. METHOD: Cox proportional hazards models and logistic regression. RESULTS: After adjustment, compared to patients taking an NNRTI-regimen, patients taking a single-PI regimen were significantly less likely to achieve a viral load (VL)
Medication possession ratio predicts antiretroviral regimens persistence in Peru.
Salinas, Jorge L; Alave, Jorge L; Westfall, Andrew O; Paz, Jorge; Moran, Fiorella; Carbajal-Gonzalez, Danny; Callacondo, David; Avalos, Odalie; Rodriguez, Martin; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Echevarria, Juan; Willig, James H
2013-01-01
In developing nations, the use of operational parameters (OPs) in the prediction of clinical care represents a missed opportunity to enhance the care process. We modeled the impact of multiple measurements of antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence on antiretroviral treatment outcomes in Peru. Retrospective cohort study including ART naïve, non-pregnant, adults initiating therapy at Hospital Nacional Cayetano Heredia, Lima-Peru (2006-2010). Three OPs were defined: 1) Medication possession ratio (MPR): days with antiretrovirals dispensed/days on first-line therapy; 2) Laboratory monitory constancy (LMC): proportion of 6 months intervals with ≥1 viral load or CD4 reported; 3) Clinic visit constancy (CVC): proportion of 6 months intervals with ≥1 clinic visit. Three multi-variable Cox proportional hazard (PH) models (one per OP) were fit for (1) time of first-line ART persistence and (2) time to second-line virologic failure. All models were adjusted for socio-demographic, clinical and laboratory variables. 856 patients were included in first-line persistence analyses, median age was 35.6 years [29.4-42.9] and most were male (624; 73%). In multivariable PH models, MPR (per 10% increase HR=0.66; 95%CI=0.61-0.71) and LMC (per 10% increase 0.83; 0.71-0.96) were associated with prolonged time on first-line therapies. Among 79 individuals included in time to second-line virologic failure analyses, MPR was the only OP independently associated with prolonged time to second-line virologic failure (per 10% increase 0.88; 0.77-0.99). The capture and utilization of program level parameters such as MPR can provide valuable insight into patient-level treatment outcomes.
Eaton, Jeffrey W; Menzies, Nicolas A; Stover, John; Cambiano, Valentina; Chindelevitch, Leonid; Cori, Anne; Hontelez, Jan A C; Humair, Salal; Kerr, Cliff C; Klein, Daniel J; Mishra, Sharmistha; Mitchell, Kate M; Nichols, Brooke E; Vickerman, Peter; Bakker, Roel; Bärnighausen, Till; Bershteyn, Anna; Bloom, David E; Boily, Marie-Claude; Chang, Stewart T; Cohen, Ted; Dodd, Peter J; Fraser, Christophe; Gopalappa, Chaitra; Lundgren, Jens; Martin, Natasha K; Mikkelsen, Evelinn; Mountain, Elisa; Pham, Quang D; Pickles, Michael; Phillips, Andrew; Platt, Lucy; Pretorius, Carel; Prudden, Holly J; Salomon, Joshua A; van de Vijver, David A M C; de Vlas, Sake J; Wagner, Bradley G; White, Richard G; Wilson, David P; Zhang, Lei; Blandford, John; Meyer-Rath, Gesine; Remme, Michelle; Revill, Paul; Sangrujee, Nalinee; Terris-Prestholt, Fern; Doherty, Meg; Shaffer, Nathan; Easterbrook, Philippa J; Hirnschall, Gottfried; Hallett, Timothy B
2014-01-01
New WHO guidelines recommend initiation of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-positive adults with CD4 counts of 500 cells per μL or less, a higher threshold than was previously recommended. Country decision makers have to decide whether to further expand eligibility for antiretroviral therapy accordingly. We aimed to assess the potential health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of various eligibility criteria for adult antiretroviral therapy and expanded treatment coverage. We used several independent mathematical models in four settings-South Africa (generalised epidemic, moderate antiretroviral therapy coverage), Zambia (generalised epidemic, high antiretroviral therapy coverage), India (concentrated epidemic, moderate antiretroviral therapy coverage), and Vietnam (concentrated epidemic, low antiretroviral therapy coverage)-to assess the potential health benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of various eligibility criteria for adult antiretroviral therapy under scenarios of existing and expanded treatment coverage, with results projected over 20 years. Analyses assessed the extension of eligibility to include individuals with CD4 counts of 500 cells per μL or less, or all HIV-positive adults, compared with the previous (2010) recommendation of initiation with CD4 counts of 350 cells per μL or less. We assessed costs from a health-system perspective, and calculated the incremental cost (in US$) per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted to compare competing strategies. Strategies were regarded very cost effective if the cost per DALY averted was less than the country's 2012 per-head gross domestic product (GDP; South Africa: $8040; Zambia: $1425; India: $1489; Vietnam: $1407) and cost effective if the cost per DALY averted was less than three times the per-head GDP. In South Africa, the cost per DALY averted of extending eligibility for antiretroviral therapy to adult patients with CD4 counts of 500 cells per μL or less ranged from $237 to $1691 per
HIV-1 viral escape in cerebrospinal fluid of subjects on suppressive antiretroviral treatment.
Edén, Arvid; Fuchs, Dietmar; Hagberg, Lars; Nilsson, Staffan; Spudich, Serena; Svennerholm, Bo; Price, Richard W; Gisslén, Magnus
2010-12-15
Occasional cases of viral escape in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) despite suppression of plasma human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA have been reported. We investigated CSF viral escape in subjects treated with commonly used antiretroviral therapy regimens in relation to intrathecal immune activation and central nervous system penetration effectiveness (CPE) rank. Sixty-nine neurologically asymptomatic subjects treated with antiretroviral therapy >6 months and plasma HIV-1 RNA penetration effectiveness rank was not a significant predictor of detectable CSF virus or CSF neopterin levels. Viral escape in CSF is more common than previously reported, suggesting that low-grade central nervous system infection may continue in treated patients. Although these findings need extension in longitudinal studies, they suggest the utility of monitoring CSF responses, as new treatment combinations and strategies modify clinical practice.
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Maphuthego D. Mathibe
2015-10-01
Full Text Available Background: Primary Health Care (PHC clinicians and patients are major role players in the South African antiretroviral treatment programme. Understanding their perceptions and experiences of integrated care and the management of people living with HIV and AIDS in PHC facilities is necessary for successful implementation and sustainability of integration. Objective: This study explored clinician perceptions and patient experiences of integration of antiretroviral treatment in PHC clinics. Method: An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted in four city of Tshwane PHC facilities. Two urban and two rural facilities following different models of integration were included. A self-administered questionnaire with open-ended items was completed by 35 clinicians and four focus group interviews were conducted with HIV-positive patients. The data were coded and categories were grouped into sub-themes and themes. Results: Workload, staff development and support for integration affected clinicians’ performance and viewpoints. They perceived promotion of privacy, reduced discrimination and increased access to comprehensive care as benefits of service integration. Delays, poor patient care and patient dissatisfaction were viewed as negative aspects of integration. In three facilities patients were satisfied with integration or semi-integration and felt common queues prevented stigma and discrimination, whilst the reverse was true in the facility with separate services. Single-month issuance of antiretroviral drugs and clinic schedule organisation was viewed negatively, as well as poor staff attitudes, poor communication and long waiting times. Conclusion: Although a fully integrated service model is preferable, aspects that need further attention are management support from health authorities for health facilities, improved working conditions and appropriate staff development opportunities.
Dybul, Mark; Fauci, Anthony S; Bartlett, John G; Kaplan, Jonathan E; Pau, Alice K
2002-05-17
The availability of an increasing number of antiretroviral agents and the rapid evolution of new information has introduced substantial complexity into treatment regimens for persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 1996, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation convened the Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV to develop guidelines for clinical management of HIV-infected adults and adolescents (CDC. Report of the NIH Panel To Define Principles of Therapy of HIV Infection and Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-infected adults and adolescents. MMWR 1998;47[RR-5]:1-41). This report, which updates the 1998 guidelines, addresses 1) using testing for plasma HIV ribonucleic acid levels (i.e., viral load) and CD4+ T cell count; 2) using testing for antiretroviral drug resistance; 3) considerations for when to initiate therapy; 4) adherence to antiretroviral therapy; 5) considerations for therapy among patients with advanced disease; 6) therapy-related adverse events; 7) interruption of therapy; 8) considerations for changing therapy and available therapeutic options; 9) treatment for acute HIV infection; 10) considerations for antiretroviral therapy among adolescents; 11) considerations for antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women; and 12) concerns related to transmission of HIV to others. Antiretroviral regimens are complex, have serious side effects, pose difficulty with adherence, and carry serious potential consequences from the development of viral resistance because of nonadherence to the drug regimen or suboptimal levels of antiretroviral agents. Patient education and involvement in therapeutic decisions is critical. Treatment should usually be offered to all patients with symptoms ascribed to HIV infection. Recommendations for offering antiretroviral therapy among asymptomatic patients require analysis of real and potential risks and benefits. Treatment should
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Kimmel April D
2012-09-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background In resource-limited settings, HIV budgets are flattening or decreasing. A policy of discontinuing antiretroviral therapy (ART after HIV treatment failure was modeled to highlight trade-offs among competing policy goals of optimizing individual and population health outcomes. Methods In settings with two available ART regimens, we assessed two strategies: (1 continue ART after second-line failure (Status Quo and (2 discontinue ART after second-line failure (Alternative. A computer model simulated outcomes for a single cohort of newly detected, HIV-infected individuals. Projections were fed into a population-level model allowing multiple cohorts to compete for ART with constraints on treatment capacity. In the Alternative strategy, discontinuation of second-line ART occurred upon detection of antiretroviral failure, specified by WHO guidelines. Those discontinuing failed ART experienced an increased risk of AIDS-related mortality compared to those continuing ART. Results At the population level, the Alternative strategy increased the mean number initiating ART annually by 1,100 individuals (+18.7% to 6,980 compared to the Status Quo. More individuals initiating ART under the Alternative strategy increased total life-years by 15,000 (+2.8% to 555,000, compared to the Status Quo. Although more individuals received treatment under the Alternative strategy, life expectancy for those treated decreased by 0.7 years (−8.0% to 8.1 years compared to the Status Quo. In a cohort of treated patients only, 600 more individuals (+27.1% died by 5 years under the Alternative strategy compared to the Status Quo. Results were sensitive to the timing of detection of ART failure, number of ART regimens, and treatment capacity. Although we believe the results robust in the short-term, this analysis reflects settings where HIV case detection occurs late in the disease course and treatment capacity and the incidence of newly detected patients are
A Randomized Trial of Time-Limited Antiretroviral Therapy in Acute/Early HIV Infection.
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Joseph B Margolick
Full Text Available It has been proposed that initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART very soon after establishment of HIV infection may be beneficial by improving host control of HIV replication and delaying disease progression.People with documented HIV infection of less than 12 months' duration in Baltimore MD and seven Canadian sites were randomized to either a observation and deferred ART, or b immediate treatment with ART for 12 months. All subjects not receiving ART were followed quarterly and permanent ART was initiated according to contemporaneous treatment guidelines. The endpoint of the trial was total ART-free time from study entry until initiation of permanent ART.One hundred thirteen people were randomized, 56 to the observation arm and 57 to the immediate treatment arm. Twenty-three had acute (<2 months infection and 90 early (2-12 months infection. Of those randomized to the immediate treatment arm, 37 completed 12 months of ART according to protocol, 9 declined to stop ART after 12 months, and 11 were nonadherent to the protocol or lost to follow-up. Comparing those in the observation arm to either those who completed 12 months of ART or all 56 who were randomized to immediate ART, there was no significant difference between the arms in treatment-free interval after study entry, which was about 18 months in both arms.This study did not find a benefit from administration of a brief, time-limited (12-month course of ART in acute or early HIV infection.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00106171.
Improving adherence to antiretroviral therapy
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Nischal K
2005-01-01
Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy (ART has transformed HIV infection into a treatable, chronic condition. However, the need to continue treatment for decades rather than years, calls for a long-term perspective of ART. Adherence to the regimen is essential for successful treatment and sustained viral control. Studies have indicated that at least 95% adherence to ART regimens is optimal. It has been demonstrated that a 10% higher level of adherence results in a 21% reduction in disease progression. The various factors affecting success of ART are social aspects like motivation to begin therapy, ability to adhere to therapy, lifestyle pattern, financial support, family support, pros and cons of starting therapy and pharmacological aspects like tolerability of the regimen, availability of the drugs. Also, the regimen′s pill burden, dosing frequency, food requirements, convenience, toxicity and drug interaction profile compared with other regimens are to be considered before starting ART. The lack of trust between clinician and patient, active drug and alcohol use, active mental illness (e.g. depression, lack of patient education and inability of patients to identify their medications, lack of reliable access to primary medical care or medication are considered to be predictors of inadequate adherence. Interventions at various levels, viz. patient level, medication level, healthcare level and community level, boost adherence and overall outcome of ART.
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Alibhai Arif
2011-11-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Improved availability of antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa is intended to benefit all eligible HIV-infected patients; however in reality antiretroviral services are mainly offered in urban hospitals. Poor rural patients have difficulty accessing the drugs, making the provision of antiretroviral therapy inequitable. Initial tests of community-based treatment programs in Uganda suggest that home-based treatment of HIV/AIDS may equal hospital-based treatment; however the literature reveals limited experiences with such programs. The research This intervention study aimed to; 1 assess the effectiveness of a rural community-based ART program in a subcounty (Rwimi of Uganda; and 2 compare treatment outcomes and mortality in a rural community-based antiretroviral therapy program with a well-established hospital-based program. Ethics approvals were obtained in Canada and Uganda. Results and outcomes Successful treatment outcomes after two years in both the community and hospital cohorts were high. All-cause mortality was similar in both cohorts. However, community-based patients were more likely to achieve viral suppression and had good adherence to treatment. The community-based program was slightly more cost-effective. Per capita costs in both settings were unsustainable, representing more than Uganda’s Primary Health Care Services current expenditures per person per year for all health services. The unpaid community volunteers showed high participation and low attrition rates for the two years that this program was evaluated. Challenges and successes Key successes of this study include the demonstration that antiretroviral therapy can be provided in a rural setting, the creation of a research infrastructure and culture within Kabarole’s health system, and the establishment of a research collaboration capable of enriching the global health graduate program at the University of Alberta. Challenging questions about the
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Okomo Uduak
2012-10-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV infection among children, particularly those under 24 months of age, is often rapidly progressive; as a result guidelines recommend earlier access to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART for HIV infected children. Losses to follow-up (LTFU and death in the interval between diagnosis and initiation of ART profoundly limit this strategy. This study explores correlates of LTFU and death prior to ART initiation among children. Methods The study is based on 337 HIV-infected children enrolled into care at an urban centre in The Gambia, including those alive and in care when antiretroviral therapy became available and those who enrolled later. Children were followed until they started ART, died, transferred to another facility, or were LTFU. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to determine the hazard of death or LTFU according to the baseline characteristics of the children. Results Overall, 223 children were assessed as eligible for ART based on their clinical and/or immunological status among whom 73 (32.7% started treatment, 15 (6.7% requested transfer to another health facility, 105 (47.1% and 30 (13.5% were lost to follow-up and died respectively without starting ART. The median survival following eligibility for children who died without starting treatment was 2.8 months (IQR: 0.9 - 5.8 with over half (60% of all deaths occurring at home. ART-eligible children less than 2 years of age and those in WHO stage 3 or 4 were significantly more likely to be LTFU when compared with their respective comparison groups. The overall pre-treatment mortality rate was 25.7 per 100 child-years of follow-up (95% CI 19.9 - 36.8 and the loss to programme rate was 115.7 per 100 child-years of follow-up (95% CI 98.8 - 137. In the multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, significant independent predictors of loss to programme were being less than 2 years of age and WHO stage 3 or 4. The Adjusted Hazard Ratio
Tran, Bach Xuan; Hwang, Jongnam; Nguyen, Long Hoang; Nguyen, Anh Tuan; Latkin, Noah Reed Knowlton; Tran, Ngoc Kim; Minh Thuc, Vu Thi; Nguyen, Huong Lan Thi; Phan, Huong Thu Thi; Le, Huong Thi; Tran, Tho Dinh; Latkin, Carl A
2016-01-01
Ensuring an equal benefit across different patient groups is necessary while scaling up free-of-charge antiretroviral treatment (ART) services. This study aimed to measure the disparity in access, adherence, and outcomes of ART in Vietnam and the effects of socioeconomic status (SES) characteristics on the levels of inequality. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1133 PLWH in Vietnam. ART access, adherence, and treatment outcomes were self-reported using a structured questionnaire. Wealth-related inequality was calculated using a concentration index, and a decomposition analysis was used to determine the contribution of each SES variable to inequality in access, adherence, and outcomes of ART. Based on SES, minor inequality was found in ART access and adherence while there was considerable inequality in ART outcomes. Poor people were more likely to start treatment early, while rich people had better adherence and overall treatment outcomes. Decomposition revealed that occupation and education played important roles in inequality in ART access, adherence, and treatment outcomes. The findings suggested that health services should be integrated into the ART regimen. Furthermore, occupational orientation and training courses should be provided to reduce inequality in ART access, adherence, and treatment outcomes.
Platelet count kinetics following interruption of antiretroviral treatment.
Zetterberg, Eva; Neuhaus, Jacqueline; Baker, Jason V; Somboonwit, Charurut; Llibre, Josep M; Palfreeman, Adrian; Chini, Maria; Lundgren, Jens D
2013-01-02
To investigate the mechanisms of platelet kinetics in the Strategies for Management of Antiretroviral Therapy (SMART) study that demonstrated excess mortality with CD4 guided episodic antiretroviral therapy (ART) drug conservation compared with continuous treatment viral suppression. Follow-up analyses of stored plasma samples demonstrated increased activation of both inflammatory and coagulation pathways after stopping ART. SMART patients from sites that determined platelets routinely. Platelet counts were retrospectively collected from 2206 patients from visits at study entry, and during follow-up. D-dimer levels were measured at study entry, month 1, and 2. Platelet levels decreased in the drug conservation group following randomization, but remained stable in the viral suppression group [median (IQR) decline from study entry to month 4: -24 000/μl (-54 000 to 4000) vs. 3000 (-22 000 to 24 000), respectively, P conservation vs. the viral suppression arm (unadjusted drug conservation/viral suppression [HR (95%CI) = 1.8 (1.2-2.7)]. The decline in platelet count among drug conservation participants on fully suppressive ART correlated with the rise in D-dimer from study entry to either month 1 or 2 (r = -0.41; P = 0.02). Among drug conservation participants who resumed ART 74% recovered to their study entry platelet levels. Interrupting ART increases the risk of thrombocytopenia, but reinitiation of ART typically reverses it. Factors contributing to declines in platelets after interrupting ART may include activation of coagulation pathways or HIV-1 replication itself. The contribution of platelets in HIV-related procoagulant activity requires further study.
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Walter Kipp
Full Text Available In sub-Saharan Africa, a shortage of trained health professionals and limited geographical access to health facilities present major barriers to the expansion of antiretroviral therapy (ART. We tested the utility of a health centre (HC/community-based approach in the provision of ART to persons living with HIV in a rural area in western Uganda.The HIV treatment outcomes of the HC/community-based ART program were evaluated and compared with those of an ART program at a best-practice regional hospital. The HC/community-based cohort comprised 185 treatment-naïve patients enrolled in 2006. The hospital cohort comprised of 200 patients enrolled in the same time period. The HC/community-based program involved weekly home visits to patients by community volunteers who were trained to deliver antiretroviral drugs to monitor and support adherence to treatment, and to identify and report adverse reactions and other clinical symptoms. Treatment supporters in the homes also had the responsibility to remind patients to take their drugs regularly. ART treatment outcomes were measured by HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL after two years of treatment. Adherence was determined through weekly pill counts.Successful ART treatment outcomes in the HC/community-based cohort were equivalent to those in the hospital-based cohort after two years of treatment in on-treatment analysis (VL≤400 copies/mL, 93.0% vs. 87.3%, p = 0.12, and in intention-to-treat analysis (VL≤400 copies/mL, 64.9% and 62.0%, p = 0.560. In multivariate analysis patients in the HC/community-based cohort were more likely to have virologic suppression compared to hospital-based patients (adjusted OR = 2.47, 95% CI 1.01-6.04.Acceptable rates of virologic suppression were achieved using existing rural clinic and community resources in a HC/community-based ART program run by clinical officers and supported by lay volunteers and treatment supporters. The results were equivalent to those of a
Grant, Robert M; Smith, Dawn K
2015-12-01
Best practices for integrating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing and antiretroviral interventions for prevention and treatment are suggested based on research evidence and existing normative guidance. The goal is to provide high-impact prevention services during periods of substantial risk. Antiretroviral medications are recommended for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and treatment of HIV infection. We reviewed research evidence and current normative guidelines to identify best practices for integrating these high-impact prevention strategies. More sensitive HIV tests used for screening enable earlier diagnosis and treatment of HIV infection, more appropriate counseling, and help limit drug resistance. A fully suppressive PEP regimen should be initiated based on exposure history or physical findings when sensitive diagnostic testing is delayed or not available and antibody tests are negative. Transitions from PEP to PrEP are often warranted because HIV exposure events may continue to occur. This algorithmic approach to integrating PEP, PrEP, and early treatment decisions may increase the uptake of these interventions by a greater number and diversity of knowledgeable healthcare providers.
Preliminary investigation of adherence to antiretroviral therapy ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Treatment of HIV with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has resulted in declining morbidity and mortality rates from HIV-associated diseases, but concerns regarding access and adherence are growing. To determine the adherence level and the reasons for non-adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among ...
First-line antiretroviral drug discontinuations in children.
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Melony Fortuin-de Smidt
Full Text Available There are a limited number of paediatric antiretroviral drug options. Characterising the long term safety and durability of different antiretrovirals in children is important to optimise management of HIV infected children and to determine the estimated need for alternative drugs in paediatric regimens. We describe first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART durability and reasons for discontinuations in children at two South African ART programmes, where lopinavir/ritonavir has been recommended for children <3 years old since 2004, and abacavir replaced stavudine as the preferred nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in 2010.We included children (<16 years at ART initiation who initiated ≥3 antiretrovirals between 2004-2014 with ≥1 follow-up visit on ART. We estimated the incidence of first antiretroviral discontinuation using Kaplan-Meier analysis. We determined the reasons for antiretroviral discontinuations using competing risks analysis. We used Cox regression to identify factors associated with treatment-limiting toxicity.We included 3579 children with median follow-up duration of 41 months (IQR 14-72. At ART initiation, median age was 44 months (IQR 13-89 and median CD4 percent was 15% (IQR 9-21%. At three and five years on ART, 72% and 26% of children respectively remained on their initial regimen. By five years on ART, the most common reasons for discontinuations were toxicity (32%, treatment failure (18%, treatment simplification (5%, drug interactions (3%, and other or unspecified reasons (18%. The incidences of treatment limiting toxicity were 50.6 (95% CI 46.2-55.4, 1.6 (0.5-4.8, 2.0 (1.2-3.3, and 1.3 (0.6-2.8 per 1000 patient years for stavudine, abacavir, efavirenz and lopinavir/ritonavir respectively.While stavudine was associated with a high risk of treatment-limiting toxicity, abacavir, lopinavir/ritonavir and efavirenz were well-tolerated. This supports the World Health Organization recommendation to replace stavudine with
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Parczewski Miłosz
2012-12-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background HIV integrase inhibitor use is limited by low genetic barrier to resistance and possible cross-resistance among representatives of this class of antiretrovirals. The aim of this study was to analyse integrase sequence variability among antiretroviral treatment naive and experienced patients with no prior integrase inhibitor (InI exposure and investigate development of the InI drug resistance mutations following the virologic failure of the raltegravir containing regimen. Methods Sequencing of HIV-1 integrase region from plasma samples of 80 integrase treatment naive patients and serial samples from 12 patients with observed virologic failure on raltegravir containing treatment whenever plasma vireamia exceeded >50 copies/ml was performed. Drug resistance mutations were called with Stanford DB database and grouped into major and minor variants. For subtyping bootstrapped phylogenetic analysis was used; Bayesian Monte Carlo Marcov Chain (MCMC model was implemented to infer on the phylogenetic relationships between the serial sequences from patients failing on raltegravir. Results Majority of the integrase region sequences were classified as subtype B; the remaining ones being subtype D, C, G, as well as CRF01_AE , CRF02_AG and CRF13_cpx recombinants. No major integrase drug resistance mutations have been observed in InI-treatment naive patients. In 30 (38.5% cases polymorphic variation with predominance of the E157Q mutation was observed. This mutation was more common among subtype B (26 cases, 54.2% than non-B sequences (5 cases, 16.7%, p=0.00099, OR: 5.91 (95% CI:1.77-22.63]. Other variants included L68V, L74IL, T97A, E138D, V151I, R263K. Among 12 (26.1% raltegravir treated patients treatment failure was observed; major InI drug resistance mutations (G140S, Q148H and N155H, V151I, E92EQ, V151I, G163R were noted in four of these cases (8.3% of the total InI-treated patients. Time to the development of drug resistance ranged
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Olivia Keiser
2008-07-01
Full Text Available The provision of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART in resource-limited settings follows a public health approach, which is characterised by a limited number of regimens and the standardisation of clinical and laboratory monitoring. In industrialized countries doctors prescribe from the full range of available antiretroviral drugs, supported by resistance testing and frequent laboratory monitoring. We compared virologic response, changes to first-line regimens, and mortality in HIV-infected patients starting HAART in South Africa and Switzerland.We analysed data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study and two HAART programmes in townships of Cape Town, South Africa. We included treatment-naïve patients aged 16 y or older who had started treatment with at least three drugs since 2001, and excluded intravenous drug users. Data from a total of 2,348 patients from South Africa and 1,016 patients from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study were analysed. Median baseline CD4+ T cell counts were 80 cells/mul in South Africa and 204 cells/mul in Switzerland. In South Africa, patients started with one of four first-line regimens, which was subsequently changed in 514 patients (22%. In Switzerland, 36 first-line regimens were used initially, and these were changed in 539 patients (53%. In most patients HIV-1 RNA was suppressed to 500 copies/ml or less within one year: 96% (95% confidence interval [CI] 95%-97% in South Africa and 96% (94%-97% in Switzerland, and 26% (22%-29% and 27% (24%-31%, respectively, developed viral rebound within two years. Mortality was higher in South Africa than in Switzerland during the first months of HAART: adjusted hazard ratios were 5.90 (95% CI 1.81-19.2 during months 1-3 and 1.77 (0.90-3.50 during months 4-24.Compared to the highly individualised approach in Switzerland, programmatic HAART in South Africa resulted in similar virologic outcomes, with relatively few changes to initial regimens. Further innovation and resources are
Egger, Matthias; Spycher, Ben D.; Sidle, John; Weigel, Ralf; Geng, Elvin H.; Fox, Matthew P.; MacPhail, Patrick; van Cutsem, Gilles; Messou, Eugène; Wood, Robin; Nash, Denis; Pascoe, Margaret; Dickinson, Diana; Etard, Jean-François; McIntyre, James A.; Brinkhof, Martin W. G.
2011-01-01
Background The World Health Organization estimates that in sub-Saharan Africa about 4 million HIV-infected patients had started antiretroviral therapy (ART) by the end of 2008. Loss of patients to follow-up and care is an important problem for treatment programmes in this region. As mortality is high in these patients compared to patients remaining in care, ART programmes with high rates of loss to follow-up may substantially underestimate mortality of all patients starting ART. Methods and Findings We developed a nomogram to correct mortality estimates for loss to follow-up, based on the fact that mortality of all patients starting ART in a treatment programme is a weighted average of mortality among patients lost to follow-up and patients remaining in care. The nomogram gives a correction factor based on the percentage of patients lost to follow-up at a given point in time, and the estimated ratio of mortality between patients lost and not lost to follow-up. The mortality observed among patients retained in care is then multiplied by the correction factor to obtain an estimate of programme-level mortality that takes all deaths into account. A web calculator directly calculates the corrected, programme-level mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We applied the method to 11 ART programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. Patients retained in care had a mortality at 1 year of 1.4% to 12.0%; loss to follow-up ranged from 2.8% to 28.7%; and the correction factor from 1.2 to 8.0. The absolute difference between uncorrected and corrected mortality at 1 year ranged from 1.6% to 9.8%, and was above 5% in four programmes. The largest difference in mortality was in a programme with 28.7% of patients lost to follow-up at 1 year. Conclusions The amount of bias in mortality estimates can be large in ART programmes with substantial loss to follow-up. Programmes should routinely report mortality among patients retained in care and the proportion of patients lost. A simple
Ananworanich, Jintanat; Melvin, Diane; Amador, Jose T. R.; Childs, Tristan; Medin, Gabriela; Boscolo, Valentina; Compagnucci, Alexandra; Kanjanavanit, Suparat; Montero, Samuel; Gibb, Diana M.; Aboulker, J. -P.; Babiker, A.; Belfrage, E.; Bernardi, S.; Bologna, R.; Burger, D.; Butler, K.; Castelli-Gattinara, G.; Castro, H.; Clayden, P.; Compagnucci, A.; Cressey, T.; Darbyshire, J. H.; Debré, M.; de Groot, R.; della Negra, M.; Di Biagio, A.; de Rossi, A.; Duicelescu, D.; Faye, A.; Giaquinto, C.; Giacomet, V.; Gibb, D. M.; Grosch-Wörner, I.; Hainault, M.; Klein, N.; Lallemant, M.; Levy, J.; Lyall, H.; Marczynska, M.; Marques, L.; Mardarescu, M.; Mellado Peña, M. J.; Nadal, D.; Nastouli, E.; Naver, L.; Niehues, T.; Peckham, C.; Pillay, D.; Popieska, J.; Ramos Amador, J. T.; Rojo Conejo, P.; Rosado, L.; Rosso, R.; Rudin, C.; Scherpbier, H. J.; Sharland, M.; Stevanovic, M.; Thorne, C.; Tovo, P. A.; Tudor-Williams, G.; Turkova, A.; Valerius, N.; Volokha, A.; Walker, A. S.; Welch, S.; Wintergerst, U.; Aboulker, J. P.; Burger, D. M.; Green, H.; Harper, L.; Mofenson, L.; Moye, J.; Saïdi, Y.; Cressey, T. R.; Jacqz-Aigrain, E.; Khoo, S.; Regazzi, M.; Tréluyer, J. M.; Ngo-Giang-Huong, N.; Muñoz Fernandez, M. A.; Hill, C.; Lepage, P.; Pozniak, A.; Vella, S.; Chêne, G.; Vesikari, T.; Hadjou, G.; Léonardo, S.; Riault, Y.; Bleier, J.; Buck, L.; Duong, T.; Farrelly, L.; Forcat, S.; Harrison, L.; Horton, J.; Johnson, D.; Montero, S.; Taylor, C.; Chalermpantmetagul, S.; Peongjakta, R.; Khamjakkaew, W.; Than-in-at, K.; Chailert, S.; Jourdain, G.; Le Coeur, S.; Floret, D.; Costanzo, P.; Le Thi, T. T.; Monpoux, F.; Mellul, S.; Caranta, I.; Boudjoudi, N.; Firtion, G.; Denon, M.; Charlemaine, E.; Picard, F.; Hellier, E.; Heuninck, C.; Damond, F.; Alexandre, G.; Tricoire, J.; Antras, M.; Lachendowier, C.; Nicot, F.; Krivine, A.; Rivaux, D.; Notheis, G.; Strotmann, G.; Schlieben, S.; Rampon, O.; Boscolo, V.; Zanchetta, M.; Ginocchio, F.; Viscoli, C.; Martino, A.; Pontrelli, G.; Baldassar, S.; Concato, C.; Mazza, A.; Rossetti, G.; Dobosz, S.; Oldakowska, A.; Popielska, J.; Kaflik, M.; Stanczak, J.; Stanczack, G.; Dyda, T.; Kruk, M.; González Tomé, M. I.; Delgado García, R.; Fernandez Gonzalez, M. T.; Medin, G.; Mellado Peña, M. José; Martín Fontelos, P.; Garcia Mellado, M. I.; Medina, A. F.; Ascencion, B.; Garcia Bermejo, I.; Navarro Gomez, D. M. L.; Saavedra, J.; Prieto, C.; Jimenez, J. L.; Muñoz-Fernandez, M. A.; Garcia Torre, A.; de José Gómez, M. I.; García Rodriguez, M. C.; Moreno Pérez, D.; Núñez Cuadros, E.; Asensi-Botet, F.; Otero Reigada, C.; Pérez Tamarit, M. D.; Vilalta, R.; Molina Moreno, J. M.; Rainer, Truninger; Schupbach, J.; Rutishauser, M.; Bunupuradah, T.; Butterworth, O.; Phasomsap, C.; Prasitsuebsai, W.; Chuanjaroen, T.; Jupimai, T.; Ubolyam, S.; Phanuphak, P.; Puthanakit, T.; Pancharoen, C.; Mai, Chaing; Kanjanavanit, S.; Namwong, T.; Punsakoon, W.; Payakachat, S.; Chutima, D.; Raksasang, M.; Foster, C.; Hamadache, D.; Campbell, S.; Newbould, C.; Monrose, C.; Abdulla, A.; Walley, A.; Melvin, D.; Patel, D.; Kaye, S.; Seery, P.; Rankin, A.; Wildfire, A.; Novelli, V.; Shingadia, D.; Moshal, K.; Flynn, J.; Clapson, M.; Allen, A.; Spencer, L.; Rackstraw, C.; Ward, B.; Parkes, K.; Depala, M.; Jacobsen, M.; Poulsom, H.; Barkley, L.; Miah, J.; Lurie, P.; Keane, C.; McMaster, P.; Phipps, M.; Orendi, J.; Farmer, C.; Liebeschuetz, S.; Sodeinde, O.; Wong, S.; Bostock, V.; Heath, Y.; Scott, S.; Gandhi, K.; Lewis, P.; Daglish, J.; Miles, K.; Summerhill, L.; Subramaniam, B.; Weiner, L.; Famiglietti, M.; Rana, S.; Yu, P.; Roa, J.; Puga, A.; Haerry, A.
2016-01-01
Objective: Understanding the effects of antiretroviral treatment (ART) interruption on neurocognition and quality of life (QoL) are important for managing unplanned interruptions and planned interruptions in HIV cure research. Design: Children previously randomized to continuous (continuous ART, n =
Guidelines for antiretroviral therapy in adults
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G Meintjes
2012-08-01
Full Text Available These guidelines are intended as an update to those published in the Southern African Journal of HIV Medicine in January 2008. Since the release of the previous guidelines, the scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART in Southern Africa has continued to grow. Cohort studies from the region show excellent clinical outcomes; however, ART is still being started late (in advanced disease, resulting in relatively high early mortality rates. New data on antiretroviral (ARV tolerability in the region and several new ARV drugs have become available. Although currently few in number, some patients in the region are failing protease inhibitor (PI-based second-line regimens. To address this, guidelines on third-line (or ‘salvage’ therapy have been expanded.
Houston, Eric; McKirnan, David J.; Cervone, Daniel; Johnson, Matthew S.; Sandfort, Theo G.M.
2011-01-01
Using multidimensional scaling analysis (MDS), this study examined how patient conceptualisations of treatment motivation compare with theoretically-based assumptions used in current assessment approaches. Patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS (n = 39) rated for similarity all possible pairings of 23 treatment descriptions, including descriptors of intrinsic, extrinsic, approach, and avoidance motivation. MDS analyses revealed that patient perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation often differ from those based on definitions derived from common interpretations of self-determination theory. Findings also showed that patients reported motivation for avoiding treatment when they associated their medication regimens with side effects and other negatively-valenced outcomes. The study describes new applications of MDS in assessing how patients perceive the relationship between treatment behaviours and specific forms of motivation, such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. In addition, the study suggests how MDS may be used to develop behavioural strategies aimed at helping patients follow their regimens consistently by identifying treatment conceptualisations and contexts that facilitate or impede adherence. PMID:21942538
Houston, Eric; McKirnan, David J; Cervone, Daniel; Johnson, Matthew S; Sandfort, Theo G M
2012-01-01
Using multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis, this study examined how patient conceptualisations of treatment motivation compare with theoretically based assumptions used in current assessment approaches. Patients undergoing antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS (n=39) rated for similarity between all possible pairings of 23 treatment descriptions, including descriptors of intrinsic, extrinsic, approach and avoidance motivation. MDS analyses revealed that patient perceptions of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations often differ from those based on definitions derived from common interpretations of self-determination theory. Findings also showed that patients reported motivation for avoiding treatment when they associated their medication regimens with side effects and other negatively valenced outcomes. The study describes new applications of MDS in assessing how patients perceive the relationship between treatment behaviours and specific forms of motivation, such as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations. In addition, the study suggests how MDS may be used to develop behavioural strategies aimed at helping patients follow their regimens consistently by identifying treatment conceptualisations and contexts that facilitate or impede adherence.
Török, M. Estee; Yen, Nguyen Thi Bich; Chau, Tran Thi Hong; Mai, Nguyen Thi Hoang; Phu, Nguyen Hoan; Mai, Pham Phuong; Dung, Nguyen Thi; Chau, Nguyen Van Vinh; Bang, Nguyen Duc; Tien, Nguyen Anh; Minh, N. H.; Hien, Nguyen Quang; Thai, Phan Vuong Khac; Dong, Doan The; Anh, Do Thi Tuong; Thoa, Nguyen Thi Cam; Hai, Nguyen Ngoc; Lan, Nguyen Ngoc; Lan, Nguyen Thi Ngoc; Quy, Hoang Thi; Dung, Nguyen Huy; Hien, Tran Tinh; Chinh, Nguyen Tran; Simmons, Cameron Paul; de Jong, Menno; Wolbers, Marcel; Farrar, Jeremy James
2011-01-01
The optimal time to initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated tuberculous meningitis is unknown. We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of immediate versus deferred ART in patients with HIV-associated tuberculous meningitis to
Long, Lawrence C.; Rosen, Sydney B.; Brennan, Alana; Moyo, Faith; Sauls, Celeste; Evans, Denise; Modi, Shookdev L.; Sanne, Ian; Fox, Matthew P.
2016-01-01
Background In 2010 South Africa revised its HIV treatment guidelines to allow the initiation and management of patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) by nurses, rather than solely doctors, under a program called NIMART (Nurse Initiated and Managed Antiretroviral Therapy). We compared the outcomes and costs of NIMART between the two major public sector HIV treatment delivery models in use in South Africa today, primary health clinics and hospital-based HIV clinics. Methods and findings The s...
Sleep, sleepiness and school start times: a preliminary study.
Dexter, Donn; Bijwadia, Jagdeep; Schilling, Dana; Applebaugh, Gwendolyn
2003-01-01
High school students are reported to be excessively sleepy, resulting in decreased academic performance, increased psycho-social problems and increased risk of morbidity and mortality from accidents. Early school start times have been noted to contribute to this problem. This report attempts to confirm the relationship of early school start times with decreased sleep and increased sleepiness. We examined sophomore and junior students in 2 local high schools with different start times and measured the amount of time slept and sleepiness. We found that students at the early start school reported reduced sleep time and more sleepiness than their counterparts at the later starting school. Early school start times are associated with student reports of less sleep and increased sleepiness. Further studies in larger groups are recommended in view of the potential significant impact of sleep deprivation in this age group.
De Costa, Ayesha; Shet, Anita; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Ashorn, Per; Eriksson, Bo; Bogg, Lennart; Diwan, Vinod K
2010-03-26
Poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment has been a public health challenge associated with the treatment of HIV. Although different adherence-supporting interventions have been reported, their long term feasibility in low income settings remains uncertain. Thus, there is a need to explore sustainable contextual adherence aids in such settings, and to test these using rigorous scientific designs. The current ubiquity of mobile phones in many resource-constrained settings, make it a contextually appropriate and relatively low cost means of supporting adherence. In India, mobile phones have wide usage and acceptability and are potentially feasible tools for enhancing adherence to medications. This paper presents the study protocol for a trial, to evaluate the influence of mobile phone reminders on adherence to first-line antiretroviral treatment in South India. 600 treatment naïve patients eligible for first-line treatment as per the national antiretroviral treatment guidelines will be recruited into the trial at two clinics in South India. Patients will be randomized into control and intervention arms. The control arm will receive the standard of care; the intervention arm will receive the standard of care plus mobile phone reminders. Each reminder will take the form of an automated call and a picture message. Reminders will be delivered once a week, at a time chosen by the patient. Patients will be followed up for 24 months or till the primary outcome i.e. virological failure, is reached, whichever is earlier. Self-reported adherence is a secondary outcome. Analysis is by intention-to-treat. A cost-effectiveness study of the intervention will also be carried out. Stepping up telecommunications technology in resource-limited healthcare settings is a priority of the World Health Organization. The trial will evaluate if the use of mobile phone reminders can influence adherence to first-line antiretrovirals in an Indian context.
Single start multiple stop time digitizer
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Deshpande, P.A.; Mukhopadhyay, P.K.; Gopalakrishnan, K.R.
1997-01-01
A single start multiple stop time digitizer has been developed which can digitize the time between a start pulse and multiple stop pulses. The system has been designed as a PC add on card. The resolution of the instrument is 10 nSecs and the maximum length of time that it can measure is 1.28 milliseconds. Apart from time digitization, it can also resolve the height of the incoming pulses into 64 levels. After each input pulse the system dead time is less than 300 nSecs. The driver software for this card has been developed on DOS platform. It uses graphical user interface to provide a user friendly environment. The system is intended to be used in time of flight mass spectroscopy experiments. It can also be used for time of flight experiments in nuclear physics. (author). 2 figs
Daniels, Johnny Flippie; Khogali, Mohammed; Mohr, Erika; Cox, Vivian; Moyo, Sizulu; Edginton, Mary; Hinderaker, Sven Gudmund; Meintjes, Graeme; Hughes, Jennifer; De Azevedo, Virginia; van Cutsem, Gilles; Cox, Helen Suzanne
2015-01-01
Khayelitsha, South Africa, with high burdens of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) and HIV co-infection. To describe time to antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation among HIV-infected RR-TB patients initiating RR-TB treatment and to assess the association between time to ART initiation and treatment outcomes. A retrospective cohort study of patients with RR-TB and HIV co-infection not on ART at RR-TB treatment initiation. Of the 696 RR-TB and HIV-infected patients initiated on RR-TB treatment between 2009 and 2013, 303 (44%) were not on ART when RR-TB treatment was initiated. The median CD4 cell count was 126 cells/mm3. Overall 257 (85%) patients started ART during RR-TB treatment, 33 (11%) within 2 weeks, 152 (50%) between 2-8 weeks and 72 (24%) after 8 weeks. Of the 46 (15%) who never started ART, 10 (21%) died or stopped RR-TB treatment within 4 weeks and 16 (37%) had at least 4 months of RR-TB treatment. Treatment success and mortality during treatment did not vary by time to ART initiation: treatment success was 41%, 43%, and 50% among patients who started ART within 2 weeks, between 2-8 weeks, and after 8 weeks (p = 0.62), while mortality was 21%, 13% and 15% respectively (p = 0.57). Mortality was associated with never receiving ART (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 6.0, CI 2.1-18.1), CD4 count ≤100 (aHR 2.1, CI 1.0-4.5), and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) with second-line resistance (aHR 2.5, CI 1.1-5.4). Despite wide variation in time to ART initiation among RR-TB patients, no differences in mortality or treatment success were observed. However, a significant proportion of patients did not initiate ART despite receiving >4 months of RR-TB treatment. Programmatic priorities should focus on ensuring all patients with RR-TB/HIV co-infection initiate ART regardless of CD4 count, with special attention for patients with CD4 counts ≤ 100 to initiate ART as soon as possible after RR-TB treatment initiation.
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Charles B Holmes
Full Text Available The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART, yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at higher risk for program attrition.We used the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS- East Africa (IeDEA-EA to conduct a retrospective cohort study including HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The cohort consecutively included HIV-infected individuals 13 years or older starting ART 2004-2014. We examined trends over time in the proportion pregnant, their characteristics and program attrition rates compared to others initiating and already receiving ART. 156,474 HIV-infected individuals (67.0% women started ART. The proportion of individuals starting ART who were pregnant women rose from 5.3% in 2004 to 12.2% in 2014. Mean CD4 cell counts at ART initiation, weighted for annual program size, increased from 2004 to 2014, led by non-pregnant women (annual increase 20 cells/mm3 and men (17 cells/mm3 annually, with lower rates of change in pregnant women (10 cells/mm3 per year (p<0.0001. There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of program attrition at 6 months among pregnant women starting ART and non-pregnant women. However, healthy pregnant women starting ART (WHO stage 1/2 had a higher rate of attrition rate (9.6%, compared with healthy non-pregnant women (6.5%; in contrast among women with WHO stage 3/4 disease, pregnant women had lower attrition (8.4% than non-pregnant women (14.4%. Among women who initiated ART when healthy and remained in care for six months, subsequent six-month attrition was slightly higher among pregnant women at ART start (3.5% compared to those who were not pregnant (2.4%, (absolute
Holmes, Charles B; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T; Elul, Batya; Bukusi, Elizabeth; Ssali, John; Kambugu, Andrew; Musick, Beverly S; Cohen, Craig; Williams, Carolyn; Diero, Lameck; Padian, Nancy; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara K
2018-01-01
The World Health Organization now recommends initiating all pregnant women on life-long antiretroviral therapy (ART), yet there is limited information about the characteristics and program outcomes of pregnant women already on ART in Africa. Our hypothesis was that pregnant women comprised an increasing proportion of those starting ART, and that sub-groups of these women were at higher risk for program attrition. We used the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS- East Africa (IeDEA-EA) to conduct a retrospective cohort study including HIV care and treatment programs in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The cohort consecutively included HIV-infected individuals 13 years or older starting ART 2004-2014. We examined trends over time in the proportion pregnant, their characteristics and program attrition rates compared to others initiating and already receiving ART. 156,474 HIV-infected individuals (67.0% women) started ART. The proportion of individuals starting ART who were pregnant women rose from 5.3% in 2004 to 12.2% in 2014. Mean CD4 cell counts at ART initiation, weighted for annual program size, increased from 2004 to 2014, led by non-pregnant women (annual increase 20 cells/mm3) and men (17 cells/mm3 annually), with lower rates of change in pregnant women (10 cells/mm3 per year) (p<0.0001). There was no significant difference in the cumulative incidence of program attrition at 6 months among pregnant women starting ART and non-pregnant women. However, healthy pregnant women starting ART (WHO stage 1/2) had a higher rate of attrition rate (9.6%), compared with healthy non-pregnant women (6.5%); in contrast among women with WHO stage 3/4 disease, pregnant women had lower attrition (8.4%) than non-pregnant women (14.4%). Among women who initiated ART when healthy and remained in care for six months, subsequent six-month attrition was slightly higher among pregnant women at ART start (3.5%) compared to those who were not pregnant (2.4%), (absolute
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Bryan P. Fitzgerald
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH is a life-threatening, rapidly progressive hematologic disorder involving uncontrolled immune system activation. HLH has been associated with viral infections, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infections. We report a case of a critically ill 30-year-old female who was hospitalized with HIV-associated HLH, with a CD4 count of 4 cells/mL and HIV viral load of 1,842,730 copies/mL. After ruling out other potential infectious causes of HLH, antiretroviral therapy (ART was initiated with darunavir, ritonavir, tenofovir, and emtricitabine. Within one week of initiation of ART, the patient began to improve clinically and hematologically and was stable enough for discharge from the hospital three weeks after starting therapy. This case suggests that treatment with ART in patients with HIV-associated HLH should be considered even in critically ill patients with low CD4 counts.
Sadashiv, Mucheli Shravan; Rupali, Priscilla; Manesh, Abi; Kannangai, Rajesh; Abraham, Ooriapadickal Cherian; Pulimood, Susanne A; Karthik, Rajiv; Rajkumar, S; Thomas, Kurien
2017-12-01
Since the time of NACO Antiretroviral (ART) roll-out, generic ART has been the mainstay of therapy. There are many studies documenting the efficacy of generic ART but with the passage of time, failure of therapy is on the rise. As institution of second line ART has significant financial implications both for a program and for an individual it is imperative that we determine factors which contribute towards treatment failure in a cohort of patients on generic antiretroviral therapy. This was a nested matched case-control study assessing the predictors for treatment failure in our cohort who had been on Anti-retroviral therapy for at least a year. We identified 42 patients (Cases) with documented treatment failure out of our cohort of 823 patients and 42 sex, age and duration of therapy-matched controls. Using a structured proforma, we collected information from the out-patient and in-patient charts of the Infectious Diseases clinic Cohort in CMC, Vellore. A set of predetermined variables were studied as potential risk factors for treatment failure on ART. Univariate analysis showed significant association with 1) Self-reported nonadherenceART and thus help development of targeted interventions.
School start times for adolescents.
2014-09-01
The American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes insufficient sleep in adolescents as an important public health issue that significantly affects the health and safety, as well as the academic success, of our nation's middle and high school students. Although a number of factors, including biological changes in sleep associated with puberty, lifestyle choices, and academic demands, negatively affect middle and high school students' ability to obtain sufficient sleep, the evidence strongly implicates earlier school start times (ie, before 8:30 am) as a key modifiable contributor to insufficient sleep, as well as circadian rhythm disruption, in this population. Furthermore, a substantial body of research has now demonstrated that delaying school start times is an effective countermeasure to chronic sleep loss and has a wide range of potential benefits to students with regard to physical and mental health, safety, and academic achievement. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly supports the efforts of school districts to optimize sleep in students and urges high schools and middle schools to aim for start times that allow students the opportunity to achieve optimal levels of sleep (8.5-9.5 hours) and to improve physical (eg, reduced obesity risk) and mental (eg, lower rates of depression) health, safety (eg, drowsy driving crashes), academic performance, and quality of life. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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Myron S Cohen
Full Text Available Universal HIV testing and immediate antiretroviral therapy for infected individuals has been proposed as a way of reducing the transmission of HIV and thereby bringing the HIV epidemic under control. It is unclear whether transmission during early HIV infection--before individuals are likely to have been diagnosed with HIV and started on antiretroviral therapy--will compromise the effectiveness of treatment as prevention. This article presents two opposing viewpoints by Powers, Miller, and Cohen, and Williams and Dye, followed by a commentary by Fraser.
Hontelez, J.A.C.; Newell, M.L.; Bland, R.M.; Munnelly, K.; Lessells, R.J.; Barnighausen, T.
2012-01-01
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Although access to life-saving treatment for patients infected with HIV patients in South Africa has improved substantially since 2004, treating all eligible patients (universal access) remains elusive. As the prices of antiretroviral drugs have dropped over the past years,
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Katharina Kranzer
Full Text Available Survival analysis using time-updated CD4+ counts during antiretroviral therapy is frequently employed to determine risk of clinical events. The time-point when the CD4+ count is assumed to change potentially biases effect estimates but methods used to estimate this are infrequently reported.This study examined the effect of three different estimation methods: assuming i a constant CD4+ count from date of measurement until the date of next measurement, ii a constant CD4+ count from the midpoint of the preceding interval until the midpoint of the subsequent interval and iii a linear interpolation between consecutive CD4+ measurements to provide additional midpoint measurements. Person-time, tuberculosis rates and hazard ratios by CD4+ stratum were compared using all available CD4+ counts (measurement frequency 1-3 months and 6 monthly measurements from a clinical cohort. Simulated data were used to compare the extent of bias introduced by these methods.The midpoint method gave the closest fit to person-time spent with low CD4+ counts and for hazard ratios for outcomes both in the clinical dataset and the simulated data.The midpoint method presents a simple option to reduce bias in time-updated CD4+ analysis, particularly at low CD4 cell counts and rapidly increasing counts after ART initiation.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ndondoki, Camille; Dicko, Fatoumata; Ahuatchi Coffie, Patrick
2014-01-01
INTRODUCTION: We assessed the rate of treatment failure of HIV-infected children after 12 months on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in the Paediatric IeDEA West African Collaboration according to their perinatal exposure to antiretroviral drugs for preventing mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT......). METHODS: A retrospective cohort study in children younger than five years at ART initiation between 2004 and 2009 was nested within the pWADA cohort, in Bamako-Mali and Abidjan-Côte d'Ivoire. Data on PMTCT exposure were collected through a direct review of children's medical records. The 12-month Kaplan....... Immunological failure was defined according to the 2006 World Health Organization age-related immunological thresholds for severe immunodeficiency. RESULTS: Among the 1035 eligible children, PMTCT exposure was only documented for 353 children (34.1%) and remained unknown for 682 (65.9%). Among children...
Lima, Ivana Cristina Vieira de; Galvão, Marli Teresinha Gimeniz; Alexandre, Herta de Oliveira; Lima, Francisca Elisângela Teixeira; Araújo, Thelma Leite de
2016-08-01
Information and communication technologies support interventions directed at the prevention of HIV transmission and patient monitoring by promoting improved accessibility and quality of care. To evaluate the efficacy of information and communication technologies in the adherence to antiretroviral treatment in adults with HIV/AIDS. Systematic review conducted from March to May of 2015 in three databases-the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL); the Latin-American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS/BIREME) and SCOPUS; and the Cochrane library and the Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online portal (MEDLINE/PubMed). The sample consisted of nine randomized clinical trials based on the use of information and communication technologies for adherence to antiretroviral treatment in adults with HIV/AIDS. Three studies analysed the use of a short message service - SMS - two phone calls, two alarm devices, one web-enabled Hand-held device and one web electronic intervention. Improvements in the levels of adherence in the group subjected to the intervention were identified in seven studies. The phone was the type of information and communication technology with proven efficacy with respect to adherence. It was used to make calls, as well as to send alert messages and reminders about taking medications. Pagers were not considered to be effective regarding adherence to antiretroviral therapy. The integrated use of information and communication technologies with standard care promotes increased access to care, strengthening the relationship between patients and health services, with the possibility of mitigating the difficulties experienced by people with HIV in achieving optimal levels of adherence to drug therapy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Joanna Lewis
2017-09-01
Full Text Available ObjectivesEarly treatment of HIV-infected children and adults is important for optimal immune reconstitution. Infants’ immune systems are more plastic and dynamic than older children’s or adults’, and deserve particular attention. This study aimed to understand the response of the HIV-infected infant immune system to early antiretroviral therapy (ART and planned ART interruption and restart.MethodsData from HIV-infected children enrolled the CHER trial, starting ART aged between 6 and 12 weeks, were used to explore the effect of ART on immune reconstitution. We used linear and non-linear regression and mixed-effects models to describe children’s CD4 trajectories and to identify predictors of CD4 count during early and interrupted ART.ResultsEarly treatment arrested the decline in CD4 count but did not fully restore it to the levels observed in HIV-uninfected children. Treatment interruption at 40 or 96 weeks resulted in a rapid decline in CD4 T-cells, which on retreatment returned to levels observed before interruption. Naïve CD4 T-cell count was an important determinant of overall CD4 levels. A strong correlation was observed between thymic output and the stable CD4 count both before and after treatment interruption.ConclusionEarly identification and treatment of HIV-infected infants is important to stabilize CD4 counts at the highest levels possible. Once stabilized, children’s CD4 counts appear resilient, with good potential for recovery following treatment interruption. The naïve T-cell pool and thymic production of naive cells are key determinants of children’s CD4 levels.
Perriëns, Joseph H; Habiyambere, Vincent; Dongmo-Nguimfack, Boniface; Hirnschall, Gottfried
2014-01-01
A viable market for antiretroviral drugs in low- and middle-income countries is key to the continued scale-up of antiretroviral treatment. We describe the price paid by low- and middle-income countries for 10 first- and 7 second-line adult and paediatric treatment regimens from 2003 to 2012, and compare the price of their finished formulations with the price of their active pharmaceutical ingredients in 2005, 2007, 2010 and 2012. Between 2003 and 2012 the median price of adult first-line treatment regimens per treatment-year decreased from USD499 to USD122, and that of second-line regimens from USD2,934 to USD497. In 2005 adult formulations were sold for a price 170% higher than the cost of their active pharmaceutical ingredients. This margin had decreased to 28% in 2012. Between 2004 and 2013, the price of paediatric treatment per treatment-year decreased from USD585 to USD147 for first-line and from USD763 to USD288 for second-line treatment. In 2005, paediatric treatment regimens were sold at a price 231% higher than the cost of their active pharmaceutical ingredients. This margin remained high and was 195% in 2012. The prices paid for antiretroviral drugs by low- and middle-income countries decreased between 2003 and 2012. Although the margins on their sale decreased, there is likely still space for price reduction, especially for the more recent World Health Organization recommended adult first-line regimens and for paediatric treatment.
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Brigido Vizeu Camargo
2014-12-01
Full Text Available Resumo Este trabalho teve como objetivo identificar as representações sociais e os fatores que influenciam a adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral. Participaram do estudo 154 pessoas que faziam tratamento antirretroviral, sendo 82 homens com média de idade de 40 anos e 3 meses. Os dados foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas diretivas e por uma escala de adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral. O material textual sobre o significado do tratamento foi analisado pelo software IRAMUTEQ. O tratamento é representado a partir de duas concepções: a primeira a uma vida normal mantida pela ideia de uso contínuo e regular dos medicamentos, compartilhada pelas pessoas com alta adesão ao tratamento. Já a segunda, como algo que gera sofrimento e isolamento social, mais característica de pessoas com baixa/inadequada e insuficiente/ regular adesão. Sobre o nível de adesão, os resultados indicaram que 22.7% dos participantes apresentaram adesão alta/ estrita, e que a relação com o médico, a equipe de saúde e a informação sobre o tratamento estão relacionados com a alta/estrita adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral dos participantes. Abstract This study aims to identify the social representations and the factors that influence in the adherence to antiretroviral treatment. The participants in the study were 154 people who were undergoing antiretroviral treatment, 82 men with an average age of 40 years and three months. The data was obtained through direct interviews and through a scale of adherence to antiretroviral treatment. The textual material in relation to the meaning of the treatment was analyzed by the IRAMUTEQ software. The treatment is represented in two concepts: First, from a normal life maintained by the idea of continuous and regular use of medications shared by people with high adherence to treatment. Second, as something which generates social suffering, and isolation, most characteristic of people with low/inadequate, and
CROI 2016: Advances in Antiretroviral Therapy.
Taylor, Barbara S; Olender, Susan A; Tieu, Hong-Van; Wilkin, Timothy J
2016-01-01
The 2016 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections highlighted exciting advances in antiretroviral therapy, including important data on investigational antiretroviral drugs and clinical trials. Clinical trials demonstrated benefits from a long-acting injectable coformulation given as maintenance therapy, examined intravenous and subcutaneous administration of a monoclonal antibody directed at the CD4 binding site of HIV-1, and provided novel data on tenofovir alafenamide. Several studies focused on the role of HIV drug resistance, including the significance of minority variants, transmitted drug resistance, use of resistance testing, and drug class-related resistance. Novel data on the HIV care continuum in low- and middle-income settings concentrated on differentiated HIV care delivery models and outcomes. Data on progress toward reaching World Health Organization 90-90-90 targets as well as outcomes related to expedited initiation of HIV treatment and adherence strategies were presented. Results from a trial in Malawi showed reduced rates of mother-to-child transmission among HIV-infected women who initiated antiretroviral therapy prior to pregnancy, and several studies highlighted the effect of antiretroviral therapy in pediatric populations. A special session was dedicated to the findings of studies of Ebola virus disease and treatment during the outbreak in West Africa.
Mir, Fatima; Qamar, Farah Naz; Baig-Ansari, Naila; Abro, Azra Ghayas; Abbas, Syed Qamar; Kazi, Mohammed Ahmed; Rizvi, Arjumand; Zaidi, Anita Kaniz Mehdi
2014-04-15
The impact of antiretroviral (ARV) therapy on immunological and growth parameters in HIV-positive children in Pakistan has not been reported to date. A retrospective chart review of children diagnosed with HIV at the Sindh AIDS Control Proigramme (SACP) and registered at the Aga Khan University, Karachi, between January 2005 and 2013 was conducted, evaluating clinical and laboratory profiles of HIV+ ARV+ children for ARV impact (serial height and weight CD4 and viral counts). Twenty-four children were diagnosed and registered as HIV positive over five years, and 20 were started on ARV. Six were excluded from analysis (ARV duration treatment failure at a median duration of 25 weeks (IQR 18-32) on ARV and underwent resistance genotyping. All nine had NNRTI resistance, two had high-grade NRTI resistance (≥ 4 thymidine analog mutations). Median age at start of ARV was 71.5 weeks (IQR 37.5-119). Median baseline weight for age (WAZ) and height for age (HAZ) z-scores changed from -1.94 to 1.69 and -1.99 to -1.59, respectively, after six months of therapy. Median CD4 percentage and viral load at baseline changed from 13.8 to 17.8, while viral load changed from 285 × 104 copies to zero at six months. ARV improved absolute CD4 and viral counts. Weight and height did not improve significantly, highlighting the need for aggressive nutritional rehabilitation. Early development of ARV resistance in these children requires formal assessment.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rehman, Andrea Mary; Woodd, Susannah Louise; Heimburger, Douglas Corbett
2017-01-01
Malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at high risk of early mortality, some of which may be attributed to altered electrolyte metabolism. We used data from a randomised controlled trial of electrolyte-enriched lipid-based nutritional supplements to assess...... that changes in serum electrolytes, largely irrespective of the starting point and the direction of change, were more strongly associated with mortality than were absolute electrolyte levels. Although K and phosphate are required for tissue deposition during recovery from malnutrition, further studies...... are needed to determine whether specific supplements exacerbate physiologically adverse shifts in electrolyte levels during nutritional rehabilitation of ill malnourished HIV patients....
Islamic perspectives on HIV/AIDS and antiretroviral treatment: the case of Nigeria.
Balogun, Amusa Saheed
2010-12-01
Some religious reactions to the HIV epidemic in Africa unwittingly contributed to the expansion of the epidemic in its early years. This was because many religious people regarded the emergence of HIV and AIDS as divine punishment for man's sins as a result of people's sexual promiscuity. Some also opposed public promotion of the use of condoms for HIV prevention. However, religious bodies have made positive contributions to HIV/AIDS responses in many African countries in recent times. Though Christian bodies are taking the lead in faith-based responses to HIV and AIDS in Africa, Islamic bodies have also been major partners in HIV/AIDS interventions in several countries. Against this background, this article examines some Islamic perceptions of HIV and AIDS, and especially the impact of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for people living with HIV in Africa, with particular emphasis on Nigeria. In spite of the emergence of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in Africa, Islam still emphasises the prevention of new infections and care for people living with HIV or AIDS. The article discusses basic issues associated with ARVs, such as health, sickness, life-prolongation and death, from an Islamic viewpoint, as well as some Islamic measures to prevent HIV-risk-taking behaviours in an era of ARVs. It also looks at the nature and extent of Islamic involvement in the national HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria. The paper concludes that while Islam sees HIV and AIDS and other diseases as 'tests' from Allah, the religion is not opposed to ART. Thus, efforts need to be intensified by Islamic bodies and Muslim leaders in Nigeria for an improved response to HIV and AIDS in the country.
Kang, Ezer; Delzell, Darcie A P; Chhabra, Manik; Oberdorfer, Peninnah
2015-07-01
Antiretroviral medication adherence behaviour among Thai youth with perinatal HIV in Thailand has received growing attention. However, few studies have examined individual predictors of antiretroviral adherence using multiple self-reports. A convenience sample of 89 Thai youth (interquartile range 14-16 years) with perinatal HIV at three paediatric programmes in Chiang Mai completed a structured questionnaire and reported their antiretroviral adherence in the past one, seven and 30 days using count-based recall and a visual analog scale. Mean self-reported adherence rates ranged from 83.5% (past 30 days) to 99.8% (yesterday) of the time. One-inflated beta regression models were used to examine the associations between antiretroviral adherence outcomes, treatment self-efficacy, depression, anxiety, social support and beliefs/attitudes about medications. Higher percentage of medications taken in the past 30 days was independently associated with higher treatment self-efficacy and fewer symptoms of depression. Adherence monitoring would benefit from focal assessment of youth depression and perceived capacity to follow their antiretroviral regimen. © The Author(s) 2014.
Lodi, Sara; Phillips, Andrew; Logan, Roger; Olson, Ashley; Costagliola, Dominique; Abgrall, Sophie; van Sighem, Ard; Reiss, Peter; Miró, José M.; Ferrer, Elena; Justice, Amy; Gandhi, Neel; Bucher, Heiner C.; Furrer, Hansjakob; Moreno, Santiago; Monge, Susana; Touloumi, Giota; Pantazis, Nikos; Sterne, Jonathan; Young, Jessica G.; Meyer, Laurence; Seng, Rémonie; Dabis, Francois; Vandehende, Marie-Anne; Pérez-Hoyos, Santiago; Jarrín, Inma; Jose, Sophie; Sabin, Caroline; Hernán, Miguel A.; Ainsworth, J.; Anderson, J.; Babiker, A.; Delpech, V.; Dunn, D.; Easterbrook, P.; Fisher, M.; Gazzard, B.; Gilson, R.; Gompels, M.; Hill, T.; Johnson, M.; Leen, C.; Orkin, C.; Phillips, A.; Pillay, D.; Porter, K.; Sabin, C.; Walsh, J.; Glabay, A.; Thomas, R.; Jones, K.; Perry, N.; Pullin, A.; Churchill, D.; Bulbeck, S.; Mandalia, S.; Clarke, J.; Munshi, S.; Post, F.; Khan, Y.; Patel, P.; Karim, F.; Duffell, S.; Williams, I.; Dooley, D.; Schwenk, A.; Youle, M.; Lampe, F.; Chaloner, C.; Puradiredja, D. 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R.; van Kasteren, M. E. E.; Mudrikova, T.; Ellerbroek, P. M.; Oosterheert, J. J.; Barth, R. E.; Kinderziekenhuis, Wilhelmina; Bont, L. J.; de Ruyter Ziekenhuis, Admiraal; Stegeman, A.; Alleman, M. A.; Bouwhuis, J. W.; Abgrall, S.; Barin, F.; Bentata, M.; Billaud, E.; Boué, F.; Burty, C.; Cabié, A.; de Truchis, P.; Duval, X.; Duvivier, C.; Enel, P.; Fredouille-Heripret, L.; Gasnault, J.; Gaud, C.; Katlama, C.; Khuong, M. A.; Lang, J. M.; Lascaux, A. S.; Launay, O.; Mahamat, A.; Mary-Krause, M.; Meynard, J. L.; Pavie, J.; Pialoux, G.; Pilorgé, F.; Poizot-Martin, I.; Pradier, C.; Reynes, J.; Rouveix, E.; Simon, A.; Tissot-Dupont, H.; Viard, J. P.; Viget, N.; Jacquemet, N.; Costagliola, D.; Grabar, S.; Guiguet, M.; Lanoy, E.; Lièvre, L.; Lacombe, J. M.; Potard, V.; Pitié, G. H.; Bricaire, F.; Herson, S.; Desplanque, N.; Meyohas, M. C.; Picard, O.; Cadranel, J.; Mayaud, C.; Clauvel, J. P.; Decazes, J. M.; Gerard, L.; Molina, J. M.; Lariboisière-Fernand, G. 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A.; Retornaz, F.; Soubeyrand, J.; Galinier, A.; Ruiz, J. M.; Allegre, T.; Blanc, P. A.; Bonnet, D.; Lepeu, G.; Granet-Brunello, P.; Esterni, J. P.; Cohen-Valensi, R.; Nezri, M.; Chadapaud, S.; Laffeuillade, A.; Raffi, F.; Boibieux, A.; Peyramond, D.; Livrozet, J. M.; Touraine, J. L.; Strobel, M.; Saint-Martin, C. H.; Bissuel, F.; Pradinaud, R.; Sobesky, M.; Martinique, Corevih; Guyon, Félix; Contant, M.; HC, Bucher; CA, Fux; HH, Hirsch; de Tejada B, Martinez; Casabona, J.; Miró, Jose M.; de Barcelona-Idibaps, Clínic; Gallois, A.; Esteve, A.; Podzamczer, D.; Murillas, J.; Gatell, J. M.; Manzardo, C.; Tural, C.; Clotet, B.; Ferrer, E.; Riera, M.; Segura, F.; Navarro, G.; Vilaró, J.; Masabeu, A.; García, I.; Guadarrama, M.; Cifuentes, C.; Dalmau, D.; Agustí, C.; Montoliu, A.; Pérez, I.; Gargoulas, Freyra; Blanco, J. L.; Garcia-Alcaide, F.; Martínez, E.; García-Goez, J. F.; Sirera, G.; Negredo, E.; Miranda, C.; Capitan, M. C.; Saumoy, M.; Imaz, A.; Tiraboschi, J. M.; Murillo, O.; Bolao, F.; Peña, C.; Cabellos, C.; Vila, A.; Sala, M.; Cervantes, M.; Amengual, Jose; Navarro, M.; Barrufet, P.; Molina, J.; Alvaro, M.; Mercadal, J.; Fernández, Juanse; Ospina, Jesús E.; Berenguer, J.; García, F.; Gutiérrez, F.; Labarga, P.; Moreno, S.; Caro-Murillo, A. M.; Sobrino, P.; Jarrín, I.; Sirvent, J. L. Gómez; Rodríguez, P.; Alemán, M. R.; Alonso, M. M.; López, A. M.; Hernández, M. I.; Soriano, V.; Barreiro, P.; Medrano, J.; Rivas, P.; Herrero, D.; Blanco, F.; Vispo, M. E.; Martín, L.; Ramírez, G.; Rubio, R.; Pulido, F.; Moreno, V.; Cepeda, C.; Iribarren, J. A.; Camino, X.; Rodríguez-Arrondo, F.; von Wichmann, M. A.; Pascual, L.; Goenaga, M. A.; Masiá, M.; Ramos, J. M.; Padilla, S.; Sánchez-Hellín, V.; Bernal, E.; Montolio, F.; Peral, Y.; Marañón, Gregorio; López, J. C.; Miralles, P.; Cosín, J.; Sánchez, M.; Gutiérrez, I.; Ramírez, M.; Padilla, B.; Vidal, F.; Veloso, S.; Viladés, C.; López-Dupla, M.; Olona, M.; Vargas, M.; Lacruz, J.; Salavert, M.; Montero, M.; Cuéllar, S.; Sanz, J.; Oteo, J. A.; Blanco, J. R.; Ibarra, V.; Metola, L.; Sanz, M.; Pérez-Martínez, L.; Sola, J.; Uriz, J.; Castiello, J.; Reparaz, J.; Arriaza, M. J.; Irigoyen, C.; Antela, A.; Casado, J. L.; Dronda, F.; Moreno, A.; Pérez, M. J.; López, D.; Gutiérrez, C.; Martí, P.; García, L.; Page, C.; Hernández, J.; Peña, A.; Muñoz, L.; Parra, J.; Viciana, P.; Leal, M.; López-Cortés, L. F.; Mata, R.; Justice, A. C.; Rimland, D.; Jones-Taylor, C.; Oursler, K. A.; Brown, S.; Garrison, S.; Rodriguez-Barradas, M.; Masozera, N.; Goetz, M.; Leaf, D.; Simberkoff, M.; Blumenthal, D.; Leung, J.; Peck, R.; Mattocks, K.; Braithwaite, S.; Cook, R.; Conigliaro, J.; Crothers, K.; Chang, J.; Crystal, S.; Day, N.; Erdos, J.; Freiberg, M.; Kozal, M.; Gerschenson, M.; Good, B.; Gordon, A.; Goulet, J. L.; Hernán, M. A.; Kraemer, K.; Lim, J.; Maisto, S.; O'Connor, P.; Papas, R.; Robins, J. M.; Rinaldo, C.; Roberts, M.; Samet, J.; Tierney, B.; Whittle, J.; Brettle, R.; Fidler, S.; Goldberg, D.; Hawkins, D.; Jaffe, H.; Johnson, A.; McLean, K.; Porter, Kholoud; Ewings, Fiona; Fairbrother, Keith; Gnatiuc, Louisa; Murphy, Brendan; Douglas, G.; Kennedy, N.; Pritchard, J.; Andrady, U.; Gwynedd, Ysbyty; Rajda, N.; Maw, R.; McKernan, S.; Drake, S.; Gilleran, G.; White, D.; Ross, J.; Toomer, S.; Hewart, R.; Wilding, H.; Woodward, R.; Dean, G.; Heald, L.; Horner, P.; Glover, S.; Bansaal, D.; Carne, C.; Browing, M.; Stanley, B.; O'Mahony, C.; Fraser, P.; Hayman, B.; Joshi, U.; Ralph, S.; Wade, A.; Mette, R.; Lalik, J.; Summerfield, H.; El-Dalil, A.; France, A. J.; White, C.; Robertson, R.; Gordon, S.; Lean, C.; Morris, S.; Vithayathil, K.; McLean, L.; Winter, A.; Gale, D.; Jacobs, S.; Tayal, S.; Short, L.; Williams, G.; Minton, J.; Dhar, J.; Nye, F.; DeSouza, C. B.; Isaksen, A.; McDonald, L.; Franca, A.; William, L.; Peters, B.; El, S.; Easterbrook, P. J.; Mazhude, C.; Johnstone, R.; Fakoya, A.; Mchale, J.; Waters, A.; Kegg, S.; Mitchell, S.; Byrne, P.; Rice, P.; Mullaney, S. A.; McCormack, S.; David, D.; Melville, R.; Phillip, K.; Balachandran, T.; Mabey, S.; Sukthankar, A.; Murphy, C.; Wilkins, E.; Ahmad, S.; Cook, James; Haynes, J.; Keynes, Milton; Evans, E.; Ong, E.; Das, R.; Grey, R.; Meaden, J.; Bignell, C.; Loay, D.; Peacock, K.; Eliot, George; Girgis, M. R.; Morgan, B.; Palfreeman, A.; Wilcox, J.; Tobin, J.; Tucker, L.; Saeed, A. M.; Williams, O.; Clwyd, Glan; Lacey, H.; Herman, S.; Kinghorn, D.; Devendra, S. V.; Wither, J.; Dawson, S.; Rowen, D.; Harvey, J.; Chauhan, M.; Kellock, D.; Young, S.; Dannino, S.; Kathir, Y.; Rooney, G.; Currie, J.; Fitzgerald, M.; Devendra, S.; Keane, F.; Booth, G.; Arumainayyagam, J.; Chandramani, S.; Robinson, T.; Curless, E.; Gokhale, R.; Tariq, A.; Luzzi, G.; Fairley, I.; Wallis, F.; Smit, E.; Ward, F.; Loze, B.; Morlat, P.; Bonarek, M.; Bonnet, F.; Nouts, C.; Louis, I.; Reliquet, V.; Sauser, F.; Biron, C.; Mounoury, O.; Hue, H.; Brosseau, D.; Ghosn, J.; Rannou, M. T.; Bergmann, J. F.; Badsi, E.; Rami, A.; Girard, P. M.; Samanon-Bollens, D.; Campa, P.; Tourneur, M.; Desplanques, N.; Jeanblanc, F.; Chiarello, P.; Makhloufi, D.; Herriot, E.; Blanc, A. P.; Allègre, T.; Baillat, V.; Lemoing, V.; de Boever, C. Merle; Tramoni, C.; Sobesky, G.; Abel, S.; Beaujolais, V.; Slama, L.; Fournier, I.; Gerbe, J.; Trepo, C.; Koffi, K.; Miailhes, P.; Thoirain, V.; Brochier, C.; Souala, F.; Ratajczak, M.; Beytoux, J.; Jacomet, C.; Montpied, G.; Olivier, C.; Paré, A.; Lortholary, O.; Dupont, B.; Maignan, A.; Raymond, I.; Leport, C.; Jadand, C.; Jestin, C.; Longuet, P.; Boucherit, S.; Sereni, D.; Lascoux, C.; Prevoteau, F.; Sobel, A.; Levy, Y.; Lelièvre, J. D.; Mondor, H.; Aumaître, H.; Delmas, B.; Saada, M.; Medus, M.; Salmon, D.; Tahi, T.; Yazdanpanah, Y.; Pavel, S.; Marien, M. C.; Dron, C. H.; Beck, C.; Benomar, M.; Muller, E.; Tubiana, R.; Mohand, H. Ait; Touam, F.; Folzer, A.; Obadia, M.; Prudhomme, L.; Bonnet, E.; Balzarin, F.; Pichard, E.; Chennebault, J. M.; Fialaire, P.; Loison, J.; Galanaud, P.; Bornarel, D.; Six, M.; Ferret, P.; Batisse, D.; Devidas, A.; Chevojon, P.; Turpault, I.; Philip, G.; Morel, P.; Timsit, J.; Amirat, N.; Cabane, J.; Tredup, J.; Chavanet, C.; Buisson, M.; Treuvetot, S.; Choutet, P.; Bastides, F.; Boyer, L.; Wassoumbou, S.; Oksenhendeler, E.; Gérard, L.; Bernard, L.; Berthé, H.; Poincaré, R.; Domart, Y.; Merrien, D.; Belan, A. Greder; Mignot, A.; Gayraud, M.; Bodard, L.; Meudec, A.; Pape, E.; Vinceneux, P.; Simonpoli, A. M.; Zeng, A.; Mourier, L.; Fournier, L.; Jacquet, M.; Fuzibet, J. G.; Sohn, C.; Rosenthal, E.; Quaranta, M.; Sabah, M.; Audhuy, B.; Schieber, A.; Pasteur, L.; Moreau, P.; Vaillant, O.; Huchon, G.; Compagnucci, A.; de Lacroix Szmania, I.; Lamaury, I.; Saint-Dizier, F.; Garipuy, D.; Drogoul, M. P.; Martin, I. Poizot; Fabre, G.; Lambert, G.; Lagarde, P.; David, F.; Roche-Sicot, J.; Saraux, J. L.; Leprêtre, A.; Veil, S.; Fampin, B.; Uludag, A.; Morin, A. S.; Bletry, O.; Zucman, D.; Regnier, A.; Girard, J. J.; Quinsat, D. T.; Heripret, L.; Grihon, F.; Houlbert, D.; Ruel, M.; Chemlal, K.; Debab, Y.; Nicolle, C.; Perronne, V.; Quesnay, F.; Slama, B.; Duffaut, H.; Perré, P.; Miodovski, C.; Guermonprez, G.; Dulioust, A.; Ballanger, R.; Patey, O.; Semaille, C.; Deville, J.; Beclere, Antoine; Boue, F.; Chambrin, V.; Pignon, C.; Estocq, G. A.; Levy, A.; Bicetre, Le Kremlin; Duracinsky, M.; Bras, P. Le; Ngussan, M. S.; Lambert, T.; Segeral, O.; Lezeau, P.; Laurian, Y.; Piketty, C.; Karmochkine, M.; Eliaszewitch, M.; Jayle, D.; Tisne, D.; Colasante, U.; Vilde, J. L.; Bollens, D.; Binet, D.; Diallo, B.; Lagneau, J. L.; Pietrie, M. P.; Sicard, D.; Stieltjes, N.; Michot, J.; Bourdillon, F.; Obenga, G.; Escaut, L.; Bolliot, C.; Schneider, L.; Iguertsira, M.; Stein, A.; Tomei, C.; Dhiver, C.; Gallais, J.; Gallais, H.; Durant, J.; Mondain, V.; Perbost, I.; Cassuto, J. P.; Karsenti, J. M.; Ceppi, C.; Krivitsky, J. A.; Honore, P.; Delgado, J.; Rouzioux, C.; Burgard, M.; Boufassa, L.; Peynet, J.; Pérez-Hoyos, S.; Schiaffino, A.; Monge, D. Alvarez S.; Pujol, I.; Muga, R.; Sanvisens, A.; Tor, J.; Rivas, I.; Vallecillo, G.; del Romero, J.; Raposo, P.; Rodríguez, C.; Vera, M.; Alastrue, E. Fernandez I.; Tasa, C. Santos T.; Juan, A.; Trullen, J.; de Olalla, P. Garcia; Cayla, J.; Sambeat, M. A.; Guerrero, R.; Rivera, E.; Marco, A.; Quintana, M.; Gonzalez, C.; Castilla, J.; Guevara, M.; de Mendoza, C.; Zahonero, N.; Ortíz, M.; G, Daikos; T, Kordossis; G, Panos; H, Sambatakou; M, Chini; Nelson, M.; Asboe, D.; Man, S.-L.; Smith, C.; Grabowska, H.; Gras, L. A. J.; Branger, J.; Scherpbier, H. J.; van der Meer, J. T. M.; Wit, F. W. M. N.; van der Poll, T.; Nellen, F. J. B.; Lange, J. M. A.; Geerlings, S. E.; van Vugt, M.; Frissen, P. H. J.; Schouten, W. E. M.; van den Berk, G. E. L.; Vrouenraets, S. M. E.; van Eeden, A.; Verhagen, D. W. M.; Claessen, F. A. P.; Peters, E. J. G.; van Nieuwkoop, C.; Leyten, E. M. S.; Gelinck, L. B. S.; Ziekenhuis, Catharina; Pronk, M. J. H.; Delsing, C. E.; Scholvinck, E. H.; Bierman, W. F. W.; ten Kate, R. W.; de Boer, M. G. J.; ter Vollaard, H. J. M.; Zuiderzee, M. C.; Schreij, G.; Keuter, M.; van der Ven, A. J. A. M.; ter Hofstede, H. J. M.; Dofferhoff, A. S. M.; van der Ende, M. E.; de Vries-Sluijs, T. E. M. S.; Schurink, C. A. M.; Rijnders, B. J. A.; van Gorp, E. C. M.; Smeulders, A. W. M.; den Hollander, J. G.; Hoepelman, A. I. M.; Schneider, M. M. E.; Jaspers, C. A. J. J.; Arends, J. E.; Wassenberg, M. W. M.; Geelen, S. P. M.; Wolfs, T. F. W.; Cotte, L.; Tattevin, P.; Selinger-Leneman, H.; Diemer, M.; Sellier, P.; Crickx, B.; Lesprit, Ph; Rey, D.; Lucht, F.; Chavanet, P.; Eglinger, P.; Aleksandrowicz, K.; Pelissier, L.; Aubert, V.; Barth, J.; Battegay, M.; Bernasconi, E.; Böni, J.; Burton-Jeangros, C.; Calmy, A.; Cavassini, M.; Egger, M.; Elzi, L.; Fehr, J.; Fellay, J.; Furrer, H.; Gorgievski, M.; Günthard, H.; Hasse, B.; Hösli, I.; Kahlert, C.; Kaiser, L.; Keiser, O.; Klimkait, T.; Kovari, H.; Ledergerber, B.; Martinetti, G.; Metzner, K.; Müller, N.; Nadal, D.; Pantaleo, G.; Rauch, A.; Regenass, S.; Rickenbach, M.; Rudin, C.; Schmid, P.; Schultze, D.; Schöni-Affolter, F.; Schüpbach, J.; Speck, R.; Taffé, P.; Tarr, P.; Telenti, A.; Trkola, A.; Vernazza, P.; Weber, R.; Yerly, S.; Force, L.; Mallolas, J.; López-Dieguez, M.; Romeu, J.; Jou, A.; Masó, M.; Bejarano, G.; del Amo, J.; Muñoz, M. A.; Arrizabalaga, A. J.; Aramburu, M. J.; Escolano, C.; Sanjuan, M.; Peraire, J.; Aldeguer, J. L.; Blanes, M.; de los Santos, I.; Hernández, B.; Pumares, M.; Trastoy, M.; Fiellin, D. A.; Titanji, R.; Butt, A.; Brandt, C.; Bryant, K.; Gandhi, N.; Gaziano, M.; Miller, P.; Mole, L.; Darbyshire, J.; Cursley, Adam; Eduards, S.; Estreich, S.; Magdy, A.; Jebakumar, S. P. R.; McMillan, S.; Green, S.; Sivakumar, K.; Monteiro, E.; Jendrulek, I.; Deheragada, A.; Rajamanoharan, S.; Parrinello, M.; Chakvetadze, C.; Berrebi, V.; Augustin-Normand, C.; Morelon, S.; Ragnaud, J. M.; Dominguez, S.; Dumont, C.; Drenou, B.; Drobacheff, C.; Gonzales-Canali, A.; Cheret, A.; Brancion, C.; Ravault, I.; Nau, P.; Beuscart, C.; Daniel, C.; Chaillou, S.; Niault, M.; Richier, L.; Abraham, B.; Perino, C.; Tremollieres, F.; Boudon, P.; Malbec, D.; Remy, G.; Béguinot, I.; Peretti, D.; Medintzeff, N.; Kazatchkine, M.; Fonquernie, L.; Lelievre, J. D.; Tissot Dupont, H.; Vallon, A.; Venti, H.; Bouchaud, O.; Hurtado, I.; Belda, J.; Gargalianos-Kakolyris, P.; Katsarou, O.; Lazanas, M.; Paparizos, V.; Paraskevis, D.; Skoutelis, A.; Touloumi, G.; Pantazis, N.; Bakoyannis, G.; Gioukari, V.; Antoniadou, A.; Papadopoulos, A.; Petrikkos, G.; Daikos, G.; Psichogiou, M.; Xylomenos, G.; Kouramba, A.; Ioannidou, P.; Kordossis, T.; Kontos, A.; Tsogas, N.; Leuow, K.; Kourkounti, S.; Sambatakou, H.; Mariolis, I.; Papastamopoulos, V.; Baraboutis, I.
2015-01-01
Recommendations have differed nationally and internationally with respect to the best time to start antiretroviral therapy (ART). We compared effectiveness of three strategies for initiation of ART in high-income countries for HIV-positive individuals who do not have AIDS: immediate initiation,
Utami, Sri; Sawitri, Anak Agung Sagung; Wulandari, Luh Putu Lila; Artawan Eka Putra, I Wayan Gede; Astuti, Putu Ayu Swandewi; Wirawan, Dewa Nyoman; Causer, Louise; Mathers, Bradley
2017-10-01
Indonesia has the third highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) and the greatest increase in proportion of AIDS-related mortality in the Asia Pacific region between 2005 and 2013. Longitudinal mortality data among PLWH in Indonesia are limited. We conducted a retrospective cohort study from medical records of antiretroviral treatment (ART) recipients attending Badung General Hospital (BGH) and Bali Medica Clinic (BMC) between 2006 and 2014. We explored incidence of mortality by Kaplan-Meier analysis and identified predictors using a Cox proportional hazard model. In total, 575 patients were included in the analysis; the majority were male. The overall mortality rate was 10% per year. Multivariate analysis suggested that being male (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 2.74; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34-5.59), having a lower education (aHR: 2.17; 95%CI: 1.31-3.61), having heterosexual (aHR: 7.40; 95% CI: 2.61-21.00) or injecting drug use (aHR: 13.20; 95% CI: 3.17-55.00) as the likely transmission risk category, starting treatment with low CD4 cell counts (aHR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.16-8.69), and not having a treatment supervisor (aHR: 4.02; 95% CI: 2.44-6.65) were independent predictors of mortality. The mortality was high, particularly in the first three months after initiating ART. These findings highlight the need to encourage HIV testing and early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Applying aspects of BMCs targeted HIV services model in more generalised services such as BGH may be beneficial. Providing adherence support as part of ART services is key to promoting adherence to ART.
What Time is it? Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia.
Tiruneh, Yordanos M; Wilson, Ira B
2016-11-01
This study assessed adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia and explored the sociocultural context in which they relate to their regimen requirements. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 105 patients on ART and observations held at the study clinic. We analyzed data using both qualitative and quantitative methods. Our findings indicate that study participants are highly adherent to dose but less adherent to dose schedule. Strict dose time instructions were reported as stressful and unrealistic. The discrepancy between adherence to dose and dose schedule could be explained by time perception, difficulty with the strictness of medication regimens, or beliefs about dose timing adherence. Care providers should acknowledge the complexities of medication practices and engage in shared decision-making to incorporate patients' perspectives and identify effective interventions.
Murillo, Wendy; de Rivera, I L; Parham, L; Jovel, E; Palou, E; Karlsson, A C; Albert, J
2010-02-01
The Honduran HIV/AIDS Program began to scale up access to HIV therapy in 2002. Up to May 2008, more than 6000 patients received combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). As HIV drug resistance is the major obstacle for effective treatment, the purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of antiretroviral drug resistance in Honduran HIV-1-infected individuals. We collected samples from 138 individuals (97 adults and 41 children) on cART with virological, immunological or clinical signs of treatment failure. HIV-1 pol sequences were obtained using an in-house method. Resistance mutations were identified according to the 2007 International AIDS Society (IAS)-USA list and predicted susceptibility to cART was scored using the ANRS algorithm. Resistance mutations were detected in 112 patients (81%), 74% in adults and 98% in children. Triple-, dual- and single-class drug resistance was documented in 27%, 43% and 11% of the study subjects, respectively. Multiple logistic regression showed that resistance was independently associated with type of treatment failure [virological failure (odds ratio (OR) = 1) vs. immunological failure (OR = 0.11; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.030-0.43) vs. clinical failure (OR = 0.037; 95% CI 0.0063-0.22)], route of transmission (OR = 42.8; 95% CI 3.73-491), and years on therapy (OR = 1.81; 95% CI 1.11-2.93). The prevalence of antiretroviral resistance was high in Honduran HIV-infected patients with signs of treatment failure. A majority of study subjects showed dual- or triple-class resistance to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and protease inhibitors. Virologically defined treatment failure was a strong predictor of resistance, indicating that viral load testing is needed to correctly identify patients with treatment failure attributable to resistance.
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Kowalska, Justyna D; Mocroft, Amanda; Blaxhult, Anders
2007-01-01
The role of hemoglobin levels as an independent prognostic marker of progression to AIDS and/or death in HIV-infected patients starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was investigated. A total of 2,579 patients from the EuroSIDA cohort with hemoglobin, CD4 cell count, and HIV RNA viral...
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Minzi OM
2011-11-01
Full Text Available OM Minzi1, V Mugoyela2, LL Gustafsson31Unit of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania; 3Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Stockholm, SwedenBackground: Adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART is important to achieve treatment success in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected patients. Most HIV clinics apply the patient self-report (PSR method. However, the reliability of this method in experienced HIV patients remains questionable.Purpose: To validate the PSR method for measuring adherence to ART using lamivudine (3TC plasma concentrations in experienced HIV patients.Methods: The study was conducted in Dar Es Salaam and involved 220 patients who were receiving ART services at HIV clinics for more than 12 months. Self-reported adherence information to ART was obtained on the day of HIV clinic visit. The patients were asked to mention the number of doses missed within the past 7 days. In addition, blood samples (2 mL were collected from each patient on the same day. The blood samples were determined for 3TC plasma concentrations. The target 3TC plasma concentration as indicator concentration for adherent patients was determined in 20 patients who took their evening dose of antiretrovirals under supervision. The blood from these patients was drawn 3 hours after drug administration.Results: Complete drug levels of 3TC and self-reported adherence data was obtained in 200 treatment-experienced HIV patients. Lamivudine plasma concentrations obtained in these patients ranged between 0.02–17.36 µg/mL. The mean time from dose administration to blood drawing was 3.1 ± 1.2 hours with coefficient of variation >39%. The mean 3TC plasma concentration obtained in 20 patients who took their antiretroviral dose under supervision was
Decentralising HIV treatment in lower- and middle-income countries
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Tamara Kredo
designed a framework to describe different decentralisation strategies, and then grouped studies against these strategies. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Because loss to follow up in HIV programmes is known to include some deaths, we used attrition as our primary outcome, defined as death plus loss to follow-up. We assessed evidence quality with GRADE methodology.MAIN RESULTS: Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria, all but one were from Africa, comprising two cluster randomised trials and 14 cohort studies. Antiretroviral therapy started at a hospital and maintained at a health centre (partial decentralisation probably reduces attrition (RR 0.46, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.71, 4 studies, 39 090 patients, moderate quality evidence. There may be fewer patients lost to care with this model (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.69, low quality evidence. We are uncertain whether there is a difference in attrition for antiretroviral therapy started and maintained at a health centre (full decentralisation compared to a hospital at 12 months (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.02; four studies, 56 360 patients, very low quality evidence, but there are probably fewer patients lost to care with this model (RR 0.3, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.54, moderate quality evidence. When antiretroviral maintenance therapy is delivered at home by trained volunteers, there is probably no difference in attrition at 12 months (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.62 to 1.46, two trials, 1453 patients, moderate quality evidence.AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Decentralisation of HIV care aims to improve patient access and retention in care. Most data were from good quality cohort studies but confounding between site of treatment and outcomes cannot be excluded. Nevertheless, this review found that attrition appears to be lower in partial decentralisation models of treatment, where antiretrovirals were started at hospital and continued in the health centre; with antiretroviral drugs started and continued at health centres, no difference in
The association between HIV, antiretroviral therapy, and gestational diabetes mellitus
Soepnel, Larske M; Norris, Shane A; Schrier, Verena J M M; Browne, Joyce L; Rijken, Marcus J; Gray, Glenda; Klipstein-Grobusch, Kerstin
2017-01-01
OBJECTIVES: The widespread, chronic use of antiretroviral therapy raises questions concerning the metabolic consequences of HIV infection and treatment. Antiretroviral therapy, and specifically protease inhibitors, has been associated with hyperglycemia. As pregnant women are vulnerable to
Polyacrylamide Gel Treatment of Antiretroviral Therapy-induced Facial Lipoatrophy in HIV Patients
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Mansor, Samreen; Breiting, Vibeke Bro; Dahlstrøm, Karin
2011-01-01
BACKGROUND: Today, highly active antiretroviral therapy is lifesaving for most HIV-infected patients, but the treatment can result in facial lipoatrophy, which changes the face so radically that patients may develop severe psychological and social problems. Since 2001 polyacrylamide gel (PAAG) has......) with a 14-day interval. Patient satisfaction, injector's evaluation, evaluation by an external specialist in plastic surgery, and long-term aesthetic effect and complications were registered with follow-up until 2 years. RESULTS: All patients were very satisfied or satisfied with the result. The injector...
Meltzer, Lisa J.; Shaheed, Keisha; Ambler, Devon
2014-01-01
Homeschool students provide a naturalistic comparison group for later/flexible school start times. This study compared sleep patterns and sleep hygiene for homeschool students and public/private school students (grades 6-12). Public/private school students (n=245) and homeschool students (n=162) completed a survey about sleep patterns and sleep hygiene. Significant school group differences were found for weekday bedtime, wake time, and total sleep time, with homeschool students waking later and obtaining more sleep. Homeschool students had later school start times, waking at the same time that public/private school students were starting school. Public/private school students had poorer sleep hygiene practices, reporting more homework and use of technology in the hour before bed. Regardless of school type, technology in the bedroom was associated with shorter sleep duration. Later school start times may be a potential countermeasure for insufficient sleep in adolescents. Future studies should further examine the relationship between school start times and daytime outcomes, including academic performance, mood, and health. PMID:25315902
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Kumarasamy Nagalingeswaran
2010-03-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment has been a public health challenge associated with the treatment of HIV. Although different adherence-supporting interventions have been reported, their long term feasibility in low income settings remains uncertain. Thus, there is a need to explore sustainable contextual adherence aids in such settings, and to test these using rigorous scientific designs. The current ubiquity of mobile phones in many resource-constrained settings, make it a contextually appropriate and relatively low cost means of supporting adherence. In India, mobile phones have wide usage and acceptability and are potentially feasible tools for enhancing adherence to medications. This paper presents the study protocol for a trial, to evaluate the influence of mobile phone reminders on adherence to first-line antiretroviral treatment in South India. Methods/Design 600 treatment naïve patients eligible for first-line treatment as per the national antiretroviral treatment guidelines will be recruited into the trial at two clinics in South India. Patients will be randomized into control and intervention arms. The control arm will receive the standard of care; the intervention arm will receive the standard of care plus mobile phone reminders. Each reminder will take the form of an automated call and a picture message. Reminders will be delivered once a week, at a time chosen by the patient. Patients will be followed up for 24 months or till the primary outcome i.e. virological failure, is reached, whichever is earlier. Self-reported adherence is a secondary outcome. Analysis is by intention-to-treat. A cost-effectiveness study of the intervention will also be carried out. Discussion Stepping up telecommunications technology in resource-limited healthcare settings is a priority of the World Health Organization. The trial will evaluate if the use of mobile phone reminders can influence adherence to first
Factors contributing to delay in diagnosis and start of treatment of leprosy
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nicholls, P.G.; Chhina, N; Aaen, Karen Bro
2005-01-01
The objective of our research was to identify factors contributing to delay in diagnosis and start of treatment in leprosy, focussing on patients' narratives of help-seeking behaviour. Our research took place in Purulia, West Bengal, India and in Nilphamari, northern Bangladesh. Between January...... and August 2000, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 104 patients that explored each individual's narrative of help-seeking behaviour and the context of beliefs and attitudes towards leprosy. Subsequently we surveyed 356 patients currently receiving treatment for leprosy and recorded specific...... aspects of each help-seeking action and their reports of local beliefs and attitudes towards leprosy. Delay was estimated from time of first symptoms through to start of effective treatment (mean 18 months, median 9 months in Purulia and mean 20 months, median 12 months in Nilphamari). The number of help...
Guy, Rebecca; Wand, Handan; McManus, Hamish; Vonthanak, Saphonn; Woolley, Ian; Honda, Miwako; Read, Tim; Sirisanthana, Thira; Zhou, Julian; Carr, Andrew
2013-12-01
Both antiretroviral treatment interruption (TI) and cessation have been strongly discouraged since 2006. We describe the incidence, duration, and risk factors for TI and loss-to-follow-up (LTFU) rates across 13 countries. All 4689 adults (76% men) in two large HIV cohorts in Australia and Asia commencing combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) to March 2010 were included. TI was defined by ART cessation >30 days, then recommencement, and loss to follow-up (LTFU) by no visit since 31 March 2009 and no record of death. Survival analysis and Poisson regression methods were used. With median follow-up of 4.4 years [interquartile range (IQR):2.1-6.5], TI incidence was 6.7 per 100 person years (PY) (95% CI:6.1-7.3) pre-2006, falling to 2.0 (95% CI:1.7-2.2) from 2006 (pfood restrictions (fasting or with food). In conclusion, since 2006, 7.8% of patients had significant time off treatment, which has the potential to compromise any 'test and treat' policy as during the interruption viral load will rebound and increase the risk of transmission.
Prevention of HIV-1 Infection with Early Antiretroviral Therapy: Treatment as -
Gilada, Ishwar; Gilada, T.
2014-07-01
There are 34.2 million living with HIV/AIDS globally according to the UNAIDS. The incidence is 2.5 million new infections every year. Out of the 24.8 million patients eligible for antiretroviral treatment, only 8 million are actually receiving it. Nearly 1.7 million people (4658 per day) die of the disease every year i.e., 4658/day, making HIV/AIDS a planetary emergency. The most disturbing fact is that more than 50% of the infected people do not reveal their HIV status to their sexual partners. The UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon suggested "3 Zeros"--Zero Infection, Zero Stigma, Zero AIDS-deaths in 2008...
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Alison L Hill
2016-04-01
Full Text Available Monitoring the efficacy of novel reservoir-reducing treatments for HIV is challenging. The limited ability to sample and quantify latent infection means that supervised antiretroviral therapy (ART interruption studies are generally required. Here we introduce a set of mathematical and statistical modeling tools to aid in the design and interpretation of ART-interruption trials. We show how the likely size of the remaining reservoir can be updated in real-time as patients continue off treatment, by combining the output of laboratory assays with insights from models of reservoir dynamics and rebound. We design an optimal schedule for viral load sampling during interruption, whereby the frequency of follow-up can be decreased as patients continue off ART without rebound. While this scheme can minimize costs when the chance of rebound between visits is low, we find that the reservoir will be almost completely reseeded before rebound is detected unless sampling occurs at least every two weeks and the most sensitive viral load assays are used. We use simulated data to predict the clinical trial size needed to estimate treatment effects in the face of highly variable patient outcomes and imperfect reservoir assays. Our findings suggest that large numbers of patients-between 40 and 150-will be necessary to reliably estimate the reservoir-reducing potential of a new therapy and to compare this across interventions. As an example, we apply these methods to the two "Boston patients", recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplants who experienced large reductions in latent infection and underwent ART-interruption. We argue that the timing of viral rebound was not particularly surprising given the information available before treatment cessation. Additionally, we show how other clinical data can be used to estimate the relative contribution that remaining HIV+ cells in the recipient versus newly infected cells from the donor made to the
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Anthony D. Harries
2016-09-01
Full Text Available Abstract The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART in Malawi was based on a public health approach adapted to its resource-poor setting, with principles and practices borrowed from the successful tuberculosis control framework. From 2004 to 2015, the number of new patients started on ART increased from about 3000 to over 820,000. Despite being a small country, Malawi has made a significant contribution to the 15 million people globally on ART and has also contributed policy and service delivery innovations that have supported international guidelines and scale up in other countries. The first set of global guidelines for scaling up ART released by the World Health Organization (WHO in 2002 focused on providing clinical guidance. In Malawi, the ART guidelines adopted from the outset a more operational and programmatic approach with recommendations on health systems and services that were needed to deliver HIV treatment to affected populations. Seven years after the start of national scale-up, Malawi launched a new strategy offering all HIV-infected pregnant women lifelong ART regardless of the CD4-cell count, named Option B+. This strategy was subsequently incorporated into a WHO programmatic guide in 2012 and WHO ART guidelines in 2013, and has since then been adopted by the majority of countries worldwide. In conclusion, the Malawi experience of ART scale-up has become a blueprint for a public health response to HIV and has informed international efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Harries, Anthony D; Ford, Nathan; Jahn, Andreas; Schouten, Erik J; Libamba, Edwin; Chimbwandira, Frank; Maher, Dermot
2016-09-06
The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Malawi was based on a public health approach adapted to its resource-poor setting, with principles and practices borrowed from the successful tuberculosis control framework. From 2004 to 2015, the number of new patients started on ART increased from about 3000 to over 820,000. Despite being a small country, Malawi has made a significant contribution to the 15 million people globally on ART and has also contributed policy and service delivery innovations that have supported international guidelines and scale up in other countries. The first set of global guidelines for scaling up ART released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2002 focused on providing clinical guidance. In Malawi, the ART guidelines adopted from the outset a more operational and programmatic approach with recommendations on health systems and services that were needed to deliver HIV treatment to affected populations. Seven years after the start of national scale-up, Malawi launched a new strategy offering all HIV-infected pregnant women lifelong ART regardless of the CD4-cell count, named Option B+. This strategy was subsequently incorporated into a WHO programmatic guide in 2012 and WHO ART guidelines in 2013, and has since then been adopted by the majority of countries worldwide. In conclusion, the Malawi experience of ART scale-up has become a blueprint for a public health response to HIV and has informed international efforts to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
Applying behavioral insights to delay school start times.
Kohl Malone, Susan; Ziporyn, Terra; Buttenheim, Alison M
2017-12-01
Healthy People 2020 established a national objective to increase the proportion of 9th-to-12th-grade students reporting sufficient sleep. A salient approach for achieving this objective is to delay middle and high school start times. Despite decades of research supporting the benefits of delayed school start times on adolescent sleep, health, and well-being, progress has been slow. Accelerating progress will require new approaches incorporating strategies that influence how school policy decisions are made. In this commentary, we introduce four strategies that influence decision-making processes and demonstrate how they can be applied to efforts aimed at changing school start time policies. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. All rights reserved.
School start times and teenage driver motor vehicle crashes.
Foss, Robert D; Smith, Richard L; O'Brien, Natalie P
2018-04-26
Shifting school start times to 8:30 am or later has been found to improve academic performance and reduce behavior problems. Limited research suggests this may also reduce adolescent driver motor vehicle crashes. A change in the school start time from 7:30 am to 8:45 am for all public high schools in one North Carolina county presented the opportunity to address this question with greater methodologic rigor. We conducted ARIMA interrupted time-series analyses to examine motor vehicle crash rates of high school age drivers in the intervention county and 3 similar comparison counties with comparable urban-rural population distribution. To focus on crashes most likely to be affected, we limited analysis to crashes involving 16- & 17-year-old drivers occurring on days when school was in session. In the intervention county, there was a 14% downward shift in the time-series following the 75 min delay in school start times (p = .076). There was no change approaching statistical significance in any of the other three counties. Further analysis indicated marked, statistically significant shifts in hourly crash rates in the intervention county, reflecting effects of the change in school start time on young driver exposure. Crashes from 7 to 7:59 am decreased sharply (-25%, p = .008), but increased similarly from 8 to 8:59 am (21%, p = .004). Crashes from 2 to 2:59 pm declined dramatically (-48%, p = .000), then increased to a lesser degree from 3 to 3:59 pm (32%, p = .024) and non-significantly from 4 to 4:59 (19%, p = .102). There was no meaningful change in early morning or nighttime crashes, when drowsiness-induced crashes might have been expected to be most common. The small decrease in crashes among high school age drivers following the shift in school start time is consistent with the findings of other studies of teen driver crashes and school start times. All these studies, including the present one, have limitations, but the similar
Boulle, Andrew; Schomaker, Michael; May, Margaret T.; Hogg, Robert S.; Shepherd, Bryan E.; Monge, Susana; Keiser, Olivia; Lampe, Fiona C.; Giddy, Janet; Ndirangu, James; Garone, Daniela; Fox, Matthew; Ingle, Suzanne M.; Reiss, Peter; Dabis, Francois; Costagliola, Dominique; Castagna, Antonella; Ehren, Kathrin; Campbell, Colin; Gill, M. John; Saag, Michael; Justice, Amy C.; Guest, Jodie; Crane, Heidi M.; Egger, Matthias; Sterne, Jonathan A. C.
2014-01-01
Background High early mortality in patients with HIV-1 starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to Europe and North America, is well documented. Longer-term comparisons between settings have been limited by poor ascertainment of mortality in high burden African settings. This study aimed to compare mortality up to four years on ART between South Africa, Europe, and North America. Methods and Findings Data from four South African cohorts in which patients lost to follow-up (LTF) could be linked to the national population register to determine vital status were combined with data from Europe and North America. Cumulative mortality, crude and adjusted (for characteristics at ART initiation) mortality rate ratios (relative to South Africa), and predicted mortality rates were described by region at 0–3, 3–6, 6–12, 12–24, and 24–48 months on ART for the period 2001–2010. Of the adults included (30,467 [South Africa], 29,727 [Europe], and 7,160 [North America]), 20,306 (67%), 9,961 (34%), and 824 (12%) were women. Patients began treatment with markedly more advanced disease in South Africa (median CD4 count 102, 213, and 172 cells/µl in South Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively). High early mortality after starting ART in South Africa occurred mainly in patients starting ART with CD4 count Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively. Mortality was initially much lower in Europe and North America than South Africa, but the differences were reduced or reversed (North America) at longer durations on ART (adjusted rate ratios 0.46, 95% CI 0.37–0.58, and 1.62, 95% CI 1.27–2.05 between 24 and 48 months on ART comparing Europe and North America to South Africa). While bias due to under-ascertainment of mortality was minimised through death registry linkage, residual bias could still be present due to differing approaches to and frequency of linkage. Conclusions After accounting for under-ascertainment of mortality
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Andrew Boulle
2014-09-01
Full Text Available High early mortality in patients with HIV-1 starting antiretroviral therapy (ART in sub-Saharan Africa, compared to Europe and North America, is well documented. Longer-term comparisons between settings have been limited by poor ascertainment of mortality in high burden African settings. This study aimed to compare mortality up to four years on ART between South Africa, Europe, and North America.Data from four South African cohorts in which patients lost to follow-up (LTF could be linked to the national population register to determine vital status were combined with data from Europe and North America. Cumulative mortality, crude and adjusted (for characteristics at ART initiation mortality rate ratios (relative to South Africa, and predicted mortality rates were described by region at 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-24, and 24-48 months on ART for the period 2001-2010. Of the adults included (30,467 [South Africa], 29,727 [Europe], and 7,160 [North America], 20,306 (67%, 9,961 (34%, and 824 (12% were women. Patients began treatment with markedly more advanced disease in South Africa (median CD4 count 102, 213, and 172 cells/µl in South Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively. High early mortality after starting ART in South Africa occurred mainly in patients starting ART with CD4 count <50 cells/µl. Cumulative mortality at 4 years was 16.6%, 4.7%, and 15.3% in South Africa, Europe, and North America, respectively. Mortality was initially much lower in Europe and North America than South Africa, but the differences were reduced or reversed (North America at longer durations on ART (adjusted rate ratios 0.46, 95% CI 0.37-0.58, and 1.62, 95% CI 1.27-2.05 between 24 and 48 months on ART comparing Europe and North America to South Africa. While bias due to under-ascertainment of mortality was minimised through death registry linkage, residual bias could still be present due to differing approaches to and frequency of linkage.After accounting for under
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Lerbaek, A; Kristiansen, Thomas Birk; Katzenstein, TL
2004-01-01
Tenofovir treatment in an unselected cohort of highly antiretroviral experienced HIV positive patients.Lerbaek A, Kristiansen TB, Katzenstein TL, Mathiesen L, Gerstoft J, Nielsen C, Larsen K, Nielsen JO, Obel N, Laursen AL, Nielsen SD. Department of Infectious Diseases, Hvidovre Hospital......, HIV-RNA levels and genotypic resistance were determined at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. After initiation of tenofovir treatment, a mean decrease in HIV-RNA for all 34 patients was observed (-0.43 log1o copies/ml (+/- 1.22) and -0.49 log10 copies/ml (+/- 1.36) after 3 and 6 months, respectively......, respectively). After initiation of tenofovir treatment, no significant increases in CD4 count were observed. All new NRTI-associated mutations could be explained by the background treatment. In conclusion, we observed a significant decrease in HIV-RNA only when tenofovir was prescribed, in conjunction...
Challenges in Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy in 2010
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Cécile L Tremblay
2010-01-01
Full Text Available Many clinical trials have shown that initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART at higher rather than lower CD4 T cell-positive counts results in survival benefit. Early treatment can help prevent end-organ damage associated with HIV replication and can decrease infectivity. The mainstay of treatment is either a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or a ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor in combination with two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. While effective at combating HIV, ART can produce adverse alterations of lipid parameters, with some studies suggesting a relationship between some anti-retroviral agents and cardiovascular disease. As the HIV-positive population ages, issues such as hypertension and diabetes must be taken into account when initiating ART. Adhering to ART can be difficult; however, nonoptimal adherence to ART can result in the development of resistance; thus, drug characteristics and the patient’s preparedness to begin therapy must be considered. Reducing the pill burden through the use of fixed-dose antiretroviral drug combinations can facilitate adherence.
Astuvilca, Juan; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Sociedad Científica de San Fernando. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Arce-Villavicencio, Yanet; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Sociedad Científica de San Fernando. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Sotelo, Raúl; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Sociedad Científica de San Fernando. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Quispe, José; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Sociedad Científica de San Fernando. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Guillén, Regina; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Peralta, Lillian; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Huaringa, Jorge; Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima, Perú. Estudiantes de medicina.; Gutiérrez, César; Departamento Académico de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Lima-Perú. Médico epidemiólogo.
2007-01-01
The high incidence of adverse reactions to the high activity antiretroviral treatment (HAART) in patients with HIV/AIDS, can affect their quality of life and adherence to the treatment. Objectives: To determinate the incidence of adverse reactions to the initial HAART and to identify the factors associated to the occurrence of adverse reactions when receiving this therapy. Material and methods: Historic cohort study. The population was conformed by all the HIV-infected adult patients (≥18...
Later School Start Times: What Informs Parent Support or Opposition?
Dunietz, Galit Levi; Matos-Moreno, Amilcar; Singer, Dianne C; Davis, Matthew M; O'Brien, Louise M; Chervin, Ronald D
2017-07-15
To investigate parental knowledge about adolescent sleep needs, and other beliefs that may inform their support for or objection to later school start times. In 2014, we conducted a cross-sectional, Internet-based survey of a nationally representative sample of parents as part of the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health. Parents with teens aged 13-17 years reported their children's sleep patterns and school schedules, and whether the parents supported later school start times (8:30 am or later). Responses associated with parental support of later school start times were examined with logistic regression analysis. Overall, 88% of parents reported school start times before 8:30 am, and served as the analysis sample (n = 554). In this group, 51% expressed support for later school start times. Support was associated with current school start times before 7:30 am (odds ratio [OR] = 3.1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2, 8.4]); parental opinion that their teen's current school start time was "too early" (OR = 3.8 [1.8, 7.8]); and agreement with American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations about school start times (OR = 4.7 [2.2, 10.1]). Support also was associated with anticipation of improved school performance (OR = 3.0 [1.5, 5.9]) or increased sleep duration (OR = 4.0 [1.8, 8.9]) with later school start times. Conversely, parents who anticipated too little time for after-school activities (OR = 0.5 [0.3, 0.9]) and need for different transportation plans (OR = 0.5 [0.2, 0.9]) were often less supportive. Parental education about healthy sleep needs and anticipated health benefits may increase their support for later school start times. Educational efforts should also publicize the positive experiences of communities that have made this transition, with regard to limited adverse effect on after-school activity schedules and transportation. © 2017 American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Wasti, Sharada Prasad; Van Teijlingen, Edwin; Simkhada, Padam; Randall, Julian; Baxter, Susan; Kirkpatrick, P.; Vijay Singh, G.C.
2011-01-01
Objective To systematically review the literature of factors affecting adherence to Antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Asian developing countries.\\ud Methods Database searches in Medline ⁄ Ovid, Cochrane library, CINAHL, Scopus and PsychINFO for studies published between 1996 and December 2010. The reference lists of included papers were also checked, with citation searching on key papers.\\ud Results A total of 437 studies were identified, and 18 articles met the inclusion criteria and were ex...
Mann, Marita; Diero, Lameck; Kemboi, Emmanuel; Mambo, Fidelis; Rono, Mary; Injera, Wilfred; Delong, Allison; Schreier, Leeann; Kaloustian, Kara W; Sidle, John; Buziba, Nathan; Kantor, Rami
2013-10-01
Antiretroviral treatment interruptions (TIs) cause suboptimal clinical outcomes. Data on TIs during social disruption are limited. We determined effects of unplanned TIs after the 2007-2008 Kenyan postelection violence on virological failure, comparing viral load (VL) outcomes in HIV-infected adults with and without conflict-induced TI. Two hundred and one patients were enrolled, median 2.2 years after conflict and 4.3 years on treatment. Eighty-eight patients experienced conflict-related TIs and 113 received continuous treatment. After adjusting for preconflict CD4, patients with TIs were more likely to have detectable VL, VL >5,000 and VL >10,000. Unplanned conflict-related TIs are associated with increased likelihood of virological failure.
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Allison Carter
Full Text Available OBJECTIVES: We measured gender differences in "Quality of Care" (QOC during the first year after initiation of antiretroviral therapy and investigated factors associated with poorer QOC among women. DESIGN: QOC was estimated using the Programmatic Compliance Score (PCS, a validated metric associated with all-cause mortality, among all patients (≥19 years who initiated ART in British Columbia, Canada (2000-2010. METHODS: PCS includes six indicators of non-compliance with treatment initiation guidelines at baseline (not having drug resistance testing before treatment; starting on a non-recommended regimen; starting therapy at CD4<200 cells/mm3 and during first-year follow-up (receiving <3 CD4 tests; receiving <3 viral load tests; not achieving viral suppression within six months. Summary scores range from 0-6; higher scores indicate poorer QOC. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression was used to measure if female gender was an independent predictor of poorer QOC and factors associated with poorer QOC among women. RESULTS: QOC was determined for 3,642 patients (20% women. At baseline: 42% of women (34% men did not have resistance testing before treatment; 17% of women (9% men started on a non-recommended regimen (all p<0.001. At follow-up: 17% of women (11% men received <3 CD4; 17% of women (11% men received <3 VL; 50% of women (41% men did not achieve viral suppression (all p<0.001. Overall, QOC was better among men (mean PSC = 1.54 (SD = 1.30 compared with women (mean = 1.89 (SD = 1.37; p<0.001. In the multivariable model, female gender (AOR = 1.16 [95% CI: 0.99-1.35]; p = 0.062 remained associated with poorer QOC after covariate adjustment. Among women, those with injection drug use history, of Aboriginal ancestry, from Vancouver Island, and who initiated ART in earlier years were more likely to have poorer QOC. CONCLUSIONS: Poorer QOC among women, especially from marginalized communities, demands that barriers
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Laut, Kamilla; Shepherd, Leah; Radoi, Roxana
2018-01-01
BACKGROUND: Direct comparisons between countries in core HIV care parameters are often hampered by differences in data collection. AIM: Within the EuroSIDA study, we compared levels of antiretroviral treatment (ART) coverage and virological suppression (HIV RNA ...-specific estimates of ART coverage and virological suppression. Underlying reasons for this variation warrant further analysis to identify a best practice and benchmark HIV care across EuroSIDA....
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Yibeltal Assefa
2018-05-01
Full Text Available At September’s 2017 United Nations General Assembly, a state-of-the-art HIV medicine was announced to be made available at just $75 per person per year. There have been a number of strategies that the global AIDS community and countries have utilized to reduce prices and make antiretrovirals (ARVs accessible for people living with HIV/AIDS. There appears to be an opportunity for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs to benefit from the often painful and laboured history of driving down the prices of ARVs. In general, the success of lowering prices for ARVs has stemmed from the politics needed to initially support generic entry into the on-patent market. The use of flexibilities present in the World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS have been used to overcome patent barriers, with the use of compulsory licenses and/or the threat of their use as instruments for strengthening the bargaining power in price negotiations.These strategies have been combined with new financing mechanisms that have promoted more effective procurement and price negotiations. Partnership among the different stakeholders has also been critical in this regard. Countries have also invested in their health systems and implemented several strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination to increase access to and improve utilization of ARVs. This article suggests that any future international initiatives to increase access to DAAs can learn from these lessons surrounding price reduction, improved financing, advocacy, as well as health systems strengthening and stigma reduction. Adopting and reconfiguring these strategies will also incur substantial savings in time, money and lives. Keywords: Acces to medicines, Hepatitis C virus, HIV, Antiretrovirals, Direct-acting antivirals
Aziz, N; Sokoloff, A; Kornak, J; Leva, N V; Mendiola, M L; Levison, J; Feakins, C; Shannon, M; Cohan, D
2013-11-01
To compare time to achieve viral load HIV-infected antiretroviral (ARV) -naive versus ARV-experienced pregnant women on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Retrospective cohort study. Three university medical centers, USA. HIV-infected pregnant women initiated or restarted on HAART during pregnancy. We calculated time to viral load HIV-infected pregnant women on HAART who reported at least 50% adherence, stratifying based on previous ARV exposure history. Time to HIV viral load HIV-infected pregnant women, comprising 76 ARV-naive and 62 ARV-experienced. Ninety-three percent of ARV-naive women achieved a viral load HIV log10 viral load was associated with a later time of achieving viral load HIV log10 viral load was associated with a longer time of achieving viral load Pregnant women with ≥50% adherence, whether ARV-naive or ARV-experienced, on average achieve a viral load HIV log10 viral load were all statistically significant predictors of earlier time to achieve viral load <400 copies/ml and <1000 copies/ml. Increased CD4 count was statistically significant as a predictor of earlier time to achieve viral load <1000 copies/ml. © 2013 The Authors BJOG An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology © 2013 RCOG.
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Hernández Arroyo MJ
2013-08-01
considerable decrease in the percentage of patients with CD4+ lymphocytes less than 200 cells/mm3 (P < 0.001. A relationship was found between the number of patients with optimum adherence levels and the time that plasma viral load remained undetected. The number of interviews and interventions performed in each patient in the first 12 months from the onset of the pharmaceutical care program (month 6, was related to a significant increase in adherence during this same time period. Conclusion: The results suggest that the establishment and permanence of a pharmaceutical care program may increase ART adherence, increase permanence time of the patient with undetectable plasma viral loads, and improve patients' lymphocyte count. Keywords: pharmaceutical care, antiretroviral treatment adherence, undetectable PVLs, CD4+ lymphocyte count, adherence measures, HIV/AIDS
Pantazis, Nikos; Touloumi, Giota; Meyer, Laurence; Olson, Ashley; Costagliola, Dominique; Kelleher, Anthony D; Lutsar, Irja; Chaix, Marie-Laure; Fisher, Martin; Moreno, Santiago; Porter, Kholoud
2016-03-27
Effects of transient combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) initiated during early HIV infection (EHI) remain unclear. We investigate whether this intervention affects viral suppression and CD4 cell count increase following its reinitiation in chronic infection (CHI). Longitudinal observational study. We identified adult patients from Concerted Action of Seroconversion to AIDS and Death in Europe who seroconverted after 1/1/2000, had a 12 months or less HIV test interval and initiated cART from naive. We classified individuals as 'pretreated in EHI' if treated within 6 months of seroconversion, interrupted for at least 12 weeks, and reinitiated during CHI. Statistical analysis was performed using survival analysis methods and mixed models. Pretreated and initiated in CHI groups comprised 202 and 4263 individuals, with median follow-up after CHI treatment 4.5 and 3 years, respectively. Both groups had similar virologic response and relapse rates (P = 0.585 and P = 0.206) but pretreated individuals restarted treatment with higher baseline CD4 cell count (∼80 cells/μl; P treatment (re)initiation. Assuming common baseline CD4 cell count, differences in CD4 cell count slopes were nonsignificant. Immunovirologic response to CHI treatment was not associated with timing or duration of the transient treatment. Although treatment interruptions are not recommended, stopping cART initiated in EHI does not seem to reduce the chance of a successful outcome of treatment in CHI.
Hernández Arroyo, M J; Cabrera Figueroa, S E; Sepúlveda Correa, R; Valverde Merino, M P; Luna Rodrigo, G; Domínguez-Gil Hurlé, A
2016-02-01
Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is hampered by complicated regimens, high pill burden, drug-drug interactions, and frequent short- and long-term adverse effects, leading to decreased adherence. Over recent years, considerable effort has been directed at developing regimens that are less burdening. We undertook a 7-year retrospective study of the records of 264 HIV-infected subjects enrolled in a pharmaceutical care programme to document the progress made and to study the influence of the number of ART pills and doses on the level of treatment adherence. Antiretroviral dispensing records were analysed for the number of pills and doses administered and the ART adherence rate estimated. In 2005, the patients took a mean of 6·2 pills daily (CI 95%: 5·9-6·6), and 92·9% of them were on a twice-a-day (BID) dosage regimen. By 2012, the mean number of pills was reduced to 4·1 (CI 95%: 3·8-4·4), and only 50·9% were on a BID regimen. No statistically significant relation was observed between number of daily pills and doses and ART adherence reached by the patients in any of the analyses performed. There has been a continuous reduction in the number of pills and doses of antiretrovirals taken by individual patients over the last 7 years due largely to the introduction of improved treatments and regimens. More daily pills or doses was not associated with worse ART adherence in our pharmaceutical care programme. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Schomaker, Michael; Egger, Matthias; Maskew, Mhairi; Garone, Daniela; Prozesky, Hans; Hoffmann, Christopher J; Boulle, Andrew; Fenner, Lukas
2013-05-01
We studied the immune response after starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) in 15,646 HIV-infected patients with or without tuberculosis (TB) at presentation in 3 ART programs in South Africa between 2003 and 2010. Patients presenting with TB had similar increases in CD4 cells compared with all other patients (adjusted difference 4.9 cells/µL per 6 months, 95% confidence interval: 0.2 to 9.7). Younger age, advanced clinical stage, female sex, and lower CD4 cell count at ART start were all associated with steeper CD4 slopes. In South Africa, HIV-infected patients presenting with TB experience immune recovery after starting ART that is no worse than in other patients.
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Jeffrey K Hom
Full Text Available To estimate the prevalence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB and describe the resistance patterns in patients commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART in an HIV clinic in Durban, South Africa.Cross-sectional cohort study.Consecutive HIV-infected adults (≥ 18y/o initiating HIV care were enrolled from May 2007-May 2008, regardless of signs or symptoms of active TB. Prior TB history and current TB treatment status were self-reported. Subjects expectorated sputum for culture (MGIT liquid and 7H11 solid medium. Positive cultures were tested for susceptibility to first- and second-line anti-tuberculous drugs. The prevalence of drug-resistant TB, stratified by prior TB history and current TB treatment status, was assessed.1,035 subjects had complete culture results. Median CD4 count was 92/µl (IQR 42-150/µl. 267 subjects (26% reported a prior history of TB and 210 (20% were receiving TB treatment at enrollment; 191 (18% subjects had positive sputum cultures, among whom the estimated prevalence of resistance to any antituberculous drug was 7.4% (95% CI 4.0-12.4. Among those with prior TB, the prevalence of resistance was 15.4% (95% CI 5.9-30.5 compared to 5.2% (95% CI 2.1-8.9 among those with no prior TB. 5.1% (95% CI 2.4-9.5 had rifampin or rifampin plus INH resistance.The prevalence of TB resistance to at least one drug was 7.4% among adults with positive TB cultures initiating ART in Durban, South Africa, with 5.1% having rifampin or rifampin plus INH resistance. Improved tools for diagnosing TB and drug resistance are urgently needed in areas of high HIV/TB prevalence.
Sonego, Michela; Sagrado, Maria José; Escobar, Gustavo; Lazzerini, Marzia; Rivas, Estefanie; Martín-Cañavate, Rocio; Pérez de López, Elsy; Ayala, Sandra; Castaneda, Luis; Aparicio, Pilar; Custodio, Estefanía
2016-10-01
Dyslipidemias are common in HIV-infected children, especially if treated with protease inhibitors, but there are few data on how to treat dyslipidemias in this population. We estimated the dyslipidemia prevalence and its association with treatment, diet and physical exercise in children on antiretroviral treatment at the El Salvador reference center for pediatric HIV care (CENID). Information was gathered regarding socio-demographic characteristics, treatment, diet and physical activity of 173 children aged 5-18 years and receiving antiretroviral therapy. Triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), viral load and CD4 T-lymphocytes were measured. Abnormal concentrations were defined as triglycerides ≥130 mg/dL in 10- to 18-year olds and ≥100 mg/dL in diet and physical exercise. Of the 173 children, 83 (48%) had hypertriglyceridemia and 25 (14.5%) hypercholesterolemia. High LDL-C concentrations were observed in 17 children (9.8%) and low HDL-C in 38 (22%). Treatment with protease inhibitors was significantly associated with hypertriglyceridemia [prevalence ratio (PR) 2.8; 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.0-3.8] and hypercholesterolemia (PR 9.0; 95% CI: 3.6-22.2). Higher adherence to a "high fat/sugar diet" was associated with hypercholesterolemia (PR 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1-2.3) and high LDL-C (PR 1.7; 95% CI: 1.0-2.9). Compared with those exercising exercising ≥7 times were less likely to have low HDL-C (PR = 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2-0.7). These results suggest that a healthy diet and exercise habits can contribute to controlling some aspects of the lipid profile in this population.
Clinical outcomes in clinical trials of anti-HIV treatment
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Reekie, J; Mocroft, A; J, Neaton
2007-01-01
Since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, there has been a decrease in both AIDS-defining illnesses and deaths. This decrease meant that performing clinical trials with clinical outcomes in HIV infection became more time consuming and hence costly. Improved understanding...... the infection, so when treatment is started it is currently a lifelong commitment. Is it reasonable then that guidelines are based almost completely on short-term randomized trials and observational studies of surrogate markers, or is there still a need for trials with clinical outcomes?...
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Lerbaek, Anne; Kristiansen, Thomas B; Katzenstein, Terese L
2004-01-01
The aim of the present study was to explore the treatment effect of tenofovir as implemented in clinical practice. Data are presented on 34 patients. 11 patients had tenofovir added to a stable anti-retroviral treatment (ART) and 23 patients had drugs other than tenofovir. CD4 counts, HIV......-RNA levels and genotypic resistance were determined at baseline and after 3 and 6 months. After initiation of tenofovir treatment, a mean decrease in HIV-RNA for all 34 patients was observed (-0.43 log1o copies/ml (+/- 1.22) and -0.49 log10 copies/ml (+/- 1.36) after 3 and 6 months, respectively, (p = 0...... initiation of tenofovir treatment, no significant increases in CD4 count were observed. All new NRTI-associated mutations could be explained by the background treatment. In conclusion, we observed a significant decrease in HIV-RNA only when tenofovir was prescribed, in conjunction with other anti...
Adverse effects of antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection: a review of selected topics
Nolan, David; Reiss, Peter; Mallal, Simon
2005-01-01
In the current era of HIV treatment, the toxicity profiles of antiretroviral drugs have increasingly emerged as a basis for selecting initial antiretroviral regimens as well as a reason for switching therapy in treatment-experienced patients. In this respect, an intensive research effort involving
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Gerardo Alvarez-Uria
2013-01-01
Full Text Available Studies from Sub-Saharan Africa have shown that a substantial number of HIV patients eligible for antiretroviral therapy (ART do not start treatment. However, data from other low- or middle-income countries are scarce. In this study, we describe the outcomes of 4105 HIV patients who became ART eligible from January 2007 to November 2011 in an HIV cohort study in India. After three years of ART eligibility, 78.4% started ART, 9.3% died before ART initiation, and 10.3% were lost to followup. Diagnosis of tuberculosis, being homeless, lower CD4 count, longer duration of pre-ART care, belonging to a disadvantaged community, being widowed, and not living near a town were associated with delayed ART initiation. Diagnosis of tuberculosis, being homeless, lower CD4 count, shorter duration of pre-ART care, belonging to a disadvantaged community, illiteracy, and age >45 years were associated with mortality. Being homeless, being single, not living near a town, having a CD4 count <150 cells/μL, and shorter duration of pre-ART care were associated with loss to followup. These results highlight the need to improve the timely initiation of ART in HIV programmes in India, especially in ART eligible patients with tuberculosis, low CD4 counts, living in rural areas, or having a low socioeconomic status.
Pre-start timing information is used to set final linear speed in a C-start manoeuvre.
Reinel, Caroline; Schuster, Stefan
2014-08-15
In their unique hunting behaviour, archerfish use a complex motor decision to secure their prey: based solely on how dislodged prey initially falls, they select an adapted C-start manoeuvre that turns the fish right towards the point on the water surface where their prey will later land. Furthermore, they take off at a speed that is set so as to arrive in time. We show here that the C-start manoeuvre and not subsequent tail beating is necessary and sufficient for setting this adaptive level of speed. Furthermore, the C-start pattern is adjusted to independently determine both the turning angle and the take-off speed. The selection of both aspects requires no a priori information and is done based on information sampled from the onset of target motion until the C-start is launched. Fin strokes can occur right after the C-start manoeuvre but are not required to fine-tune take-off speed, but rather to maintain it. By probing the way in which the fish set their take-off speed in a wide range of conditions in which distance from the later catching point and time until impact varied widely and unpredictably, we found that the C-start manoeuvre is programmed based on pre-C-start estimates of distance and time until impact. Our study hence provides the first evidence for a C-start that is fine-tuned to produce an adaptive speed level. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
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Márcia Cristina Fraga Silva
2009-06-01
Full Text Available Cross-sectional study analyzed as case-control to identify risk factors for non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy. We studied 412 out-clinics HIV infected subjects of three public hospitals of Recife, Pernambuco. The objective was to examine the association between non-adherence to the antiretroviral therapy and biological, social-behavior and demographics and economic factors, factors related to the disease and/or treatment, factors related to life habits and depression symptoms. Variables significantly associated with non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy were: time elapsed since HIV diagnosis (p = 0.002, daily dose (p = 0.046, use of alcohol (p = 0.030 and past drug use (p = 0.048, and borderline p-values were found for educational level (p = 0.093 and family monthly income (p = 0.08. In the multivariable analysis, the factors that remained in the final model were family monthly income, time period with HIV infection and use of alcohol. No association was observed between non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy and gender, age, sexual orientation, marital status, educational level and place of residence. Based on our results and the local situation we suggest: assessment of social needs; training of partners and/or families on supporting adherence, creation of "adherence groups" to motivate and to reassure patients on the benefits of treatment; counseling and/or psychotherapy for alcohol drinkers.Estudo transversal com análise tipo caso-controle, que avaliou 412 pacientes de hospitais públicos do Recife - PE, com o objetivo de identificar fatores preditivos de não adesão à terapia antiretroviral. Verificou-se associação entre não adesão à terapia antiretroviral e aspectos biológicos, sócio-comportamentais e demográficos, econômicos, relacionados à doença e ao tratamento, aos hábitos de vida e aos distúrbios do humor. Variáveis com associação estatisticamente significante com não adesão na análise univariada foram
Cornell, Morna; Schomaker, Michael; Garone, Daniela Belen; Giddy, Janet; Hoffmann, Christopher J.; Lessells, Richard; Maskew, Mhairi; Prozesky, Hans; Wood, Robin; Johnson, Leigh F.; Egger, Matthias; Boulle, Andrew; Myer, Landon
2012-01-01
Background Increased mortality among men on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been documented but remains poorly understood. We examined the magnitude of and risk factors for gender differences in mortality on ART. Methods and Findings Analyses included 46,201 ART-naïve adults starting ART between January 2002 and December 2009 in eight ART programmes across South Africa (SA). Patients were followed from initiation of ART to outcome or analysis closure. The primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes were loss to follow-up (LTF), virologic suppression, and CD4+ cell count responses. Survival analyses were used to examine the hazard of death on ART by gender. Sensitivity analyses were limited to patients who were virologically suppressed and patients whose CD4+ cell count reached >200 cells/µl. We compared gender differences in mortality among HIV+ patients on ART with mortality in an age-standardised HIV-negative population. Among 46,201 adults (65% female, median age 35 years), during 77,578 person-years of follow-up, men had lower median CD4+ cell counts than women (85 versus 110 cells/µl, p<0.001), were more likely to be classified WHO stage III/IV (86 versus 77%, p<0.001), and had higher mortality in crude (8.5 versus 5.7 deaths/100 person-years, p<0.001) and adjusted analyses (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.31, 95% CI 1.22–1.41). After 36 months on ART, men were more likely than women to be truly LTF (AHR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12–1.28) but not to die after LTF (AHR 1.04, 95% CI 0.86–1.25). Findings were consistent across all eight programmes. Virologic suppression was similar by gender; women had slightly better immunologic responses than men. Notably, the observed gender differences in mortality on ART were smaller than gender differences in age-standardised death rates in the HIV-negative South African population. Over time, non-HIV mortality appeared to account for an increasing proportion of observed mortality. The analysis was limited by missing
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Morna Cornell
Full Text Available Increased mortality among men on antiretroviral therapy (ART has been documented but remains poorly understood. We examined the magnitude of and risk factors for gender differences in mortality on ART.Analyses included 46,201 ART-naïve adults starting ART between January 2002 and December 2009 in eight ART programmes across South Africa (SA. Patients were followed from initiation of ART to outcome or analysis closure. The primary outcome was mortality; secondary outcomes were loss to follow-up (LTF, virologic suppression, and CD4+ cell count responses. Survival analyses were used to examine the hazard of death on ART by gender. Sensitivity analyses were limited to patients who were virologically suppressed and patients whose CD4+ cell count reached >200 cells/µl. We compared gender differences in mortality among HIV+ patients on ART with mortality in an age-standardised HIV-negative population. Among 46,201 adults (65% female, median age 35 years, during 77,578 person-years of follow-up, men had lower median CD4+ cell counts than women (85 versus 110 cells/µl, p<0.001, were more likely to be classified WHO stage III/IV (86 versus 77%, p<0.001, and had higher mortality in crude (8.5 versus 5.7 deaths/100 person-years, p<0.001 and adjusted analyses (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] 1.31, 95% CI 1.22-1.41. After 36 months on ART, men were more likely than women to be truly LTF (AHR 1.20, 95% CI 1.12-1.28 but not to die after LTF (AHR 1.04, 95% CI 0.86-1.25. Findings were consistent across all eight programmes. Virologic suppression was similar by gender; women had slightly better immunologic responses than men. Notably, the observed gender differences in mortality on ART were smaller than gender differences in age-standardised death rates in the HIV-negative South African population. Over time, non-HIV mortality appeared to account for an increasing proportion of observed mortality. The analysis was limited by missing data on baseline HIV disease
Guidelines for using antiretroviral agents among HIV-infected adults and adolescents.
Dybul, Mark; Fauci, Anthony S; Bartlett, John G; Kaplan, Jonathan E; Pau, Alice K
2002-09-03
The availability of an increasing number of antiretroviral agents and the rapid evolution of new information have introduced substantial complexity into treatment regimens for persons infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). In 1996, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation convened the Panel on Clinical Practices for the Treatment of HIV to develop guidelines for clinical management of HIV-infected adults and adolescents (CDC. Report of the NIH Panel To Define Principles of Therapy of HIV Infection and Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-infected adults and adolescents. MMWR. 1998;47[RR-5]:1-41). This report, which updates the 1998 guidelines, addresses 1) using testing for plasma HIV ribonucleic acid levels (i.e., viral load) and CD4+ T cell count; 2) using testing for antiretroviral drug resistance; 3) considerations for when to initiate therapy; 4) adherence to antiretroviral therapy; 5) considerations for therapy among patients with advanced disease; 6) therapy-related adverse events; 7) interruption of therapy; 8) considerations for changing therapy and available therapeutic options; 9) treatment for acute HIV infection; 10) considerations for antiretroviral therapy among adolescents; 11) considerations for antiretroviral therapy among pregnant women; and 12) concerns related to transmission of HIV to others. Antiretroviral regimens are complex, have serious side effects, pose difficulty with adherence, and carry serious potential consequences from the development of viral resistance because of nonadherence to the drug regimen or suboptimal levels of antiretroviral agents. Patient education and involvement in therapeutic decisions are critical. Treatment should usually be offered to all patients with symptoms ascribed to HIV infection. Recommendations for offering antiretroviral therapy among asymptomatic patients require analysis of real and potential risks and benefits. In general
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Helleberg, Marie; Kronborg, Gitte; Larsen, Carsten S
2012-01-01
BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that rates and reasons for treatment modifications have changed since the implementation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) due to improvements in therapy. METHODS: From a nationwide population-based cohort study we identified all HIV-1 infected adults who...... initiated cART in Denmark 1997-2009 and were followed (3)1 year. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) and reasons for treatment modifications were estimated and compared between patients, who initiated treatment in 1997-1999, 2000-2004 and 2005-2009. Rates of discontinuation of individual antiretroviral drugs (ARVs......) were evaluated. RESULTS: 3,107 patients were followed median 7.3 years (IQR 3.8-10.8). Rates of first treatment modification ≤1 year after cART initiation did not change (IRR 0.88 (95% CI 0.78-1.01) and 1.03 (95% CI 0.90-1.18) in 2000-2004 and 2005-2009 compared to 1997-1999). Rates of multiple...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Llibre JM
2013-05-01
Full Text Available Josep M Llibre,1,2 Gloria Cardona,3 José R Santos,2 Angels Andreu,3 Josep O Estrada,4 Jordi Ara,4 Xavier Bonafont,3 Bonaventura Clotet1,21HIV Unit, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; 2Lluita contra la SIDA Foundation, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; 3Hospital Pharmacy, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain; 4Hospital Management, University Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona, SpainBackground: The current economic recession in European countries has forced governments to design emergency measures to reduce spending on drugs, including antiretroviral therapy (ART. Switching antiretroviral drugs for others that have the same efficacy and safety profile at a lower cost (cost-reduction measures, CRM could prove to be a valid means of generating savings.Methods: Descriptive study of prospective consensus-based CRM undertaken in 2011 in a Catalonian hospital HIV unit among patients with prolonged plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL.Results: During the study period, we made 673 switches (87.5% more than the previous year, of which 378 (56.2% were CRM (16% of all patients treated, leading to a savings of €87,410/month. Switching tenofovir/emtricitabine for abacavir/lamivudine was the most common CRM (129, 31.3%, followed by simplification to boosted protease inhibitor monotherapy (bPImono, 102, 26%. The CRM that generated the greatest saving were switching to bPImono (38%, withdrawal or replacement of raltegravir (24%, switching tenofovir/emtricitabine for abacavir/lamivudine (13%, and switching to nevirapine (5%. Cost savings with CRM were slightly higher than those achieved with medication paid for by clinical trial sponsors (€80,333/month or through discount arrangements (€76,389/month.Conclusion: Proactively switching antiretroviral therapy in selected treated patients with sustained virological suppression can generate significant cost savings in pharmacy spending in
Antiretroviral treatment uptake in patients with HIV- associated TB ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
ART results in a 64 - 95% reduction in mortality risk 5 and is an essential component of care. How soon to start. ART after TB treatment initiation has become clearer from randomised controlled trials. These show that integration of ART and TB treatment in all HIV-associated TB patients regardless of CD4 count significantly.
Chang, L; Yakupov, R; Nakama, H; Stokes, B; Ernst, T
2008-06-01
The purpose of this paper was to determine whether antiretroviral medications, especially the nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitors, lead to altered brain activation due to their potential neurotoxic effects in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Forty-two right-handed men were enrolled in three groups: seronegative controls (SN, n = 18), HIV subjects treated with antiretroviral medications (HIV+ARV, n = 12), or not treated with antiretroviral medications (HIV+NARV, n = 12). Each subject performed a set of visual attention tasks with increasing difficulty or load (tracking two, three or four balls) during functional magnetic resonance imaging. HIV subjects, both groups combined, showed greater load-dependent increases in brain activation in the right frontal regions compared to SN (p-corrected = 0.006). HIV+ARV additionally showed greater load-dependent increases in activation compared to SN in bilateral superior frontal regions (p-corrected = 0.032) and a lower percent accuracy on the performance of the most difficult task (tracking four balls). Region of interest analyses further demonstrated that SN showed load-dependent decreases (with repeated trials despite increasing difficulty), while HIV subjects showed load-dependent increases in activation with the more difficult tasks, especially those on ARVs. These findings suggest that chronic ARV treatments may lead to greater requirement of the attentional network reserve and hence less efficient usage of the network and less practice effects in these HIV patients. As the brain has a limited reserve capacity, exhausting the reserve capacity in HIV+ARV would lead to declined performance with more difficult tasks that require more attention.
Avances recientes en VIH/SIDA: Terapia antiretroviral.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ernesto Scerpella
1997-01-01
Full Text Available Recent advances in our understanding of HIV infection in patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS are leading us to explore new treatment strategies, including the use of combination antiretroviral therapy. In this review, we present information from recently completed clinical trials explore the use of combination therapy, including ACTG 175, the Delta studies, and the NUCA studies. In addition, we present preliminary about use of protease inhibitors, the newest class of antiretrovirals. (Rev Med Hered 1997; 8: 23-31.
Renal impairment in a rural African antiretroviral programme
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Lessells Richard J
2009-08-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background There is little knowledge regarding the prevalence and nature of renal impairment in African populations initiating antiretroviral treatment, nor evidence to inform the most cost effective methods of screening for renal impairment. With the increasing availability of the potentially nephrotixic drug, tenofovir, such information is important for the planning of antiretroviral programmes Methods (i Retrospective review of the prevalence and risk factors for impaired renal function in 2189 individuals initiating antiretroviral treatment in a rural African setting between 2004 and 2007 (ii A prospective study of 149 consecutive patients initiating antiretrovirals to assess the utility of urine analysis for the detection of impaired renal function. Severe renal and moderately impaired renal function were defined as an estimated GFR of ≤ 30 mls/min/1.73 m2 and 30–60 mls/min/1.73 m2 respectively. Logistic regression was used to determine odds ratio (OR of significantly impaired renal function (combining severe and moderate impairment. Co-variates for analysis were age, sex and CD4 count at initiation. Results (i There was a low prevalence of severe renal impairment (29/2189, 1.3% 95% C.I. 0.8–1.8 whereas moderate renal impairment was more frequent (287/2189, 13.1% 95% C.I. 11.6–14.5 with many patients having advanced immunosuppression at treatment initiation (median CD4 120 cells/μl. In multivariable logistic regression age over 40 (aOR 4.65, 95% C.I. 3.54–6.1, male gender (aOR 1.89, 95% C.I. 1.39–2.56 and CD4 Conclusion In this rural African setting, significant renal impairment is uncommon in patients initiating antiretrovirals. Urine analysis alone may be inadequate for identification of those with impaired renal function where resources for biochemistry are limited.
Examining the production costs of antiretroviral drugs.
Pinheiro, Eloan; Vasan, Ashwin; Kim, Jim Yong; Lee, Evan; Guimier, Jean Marc; Perriens, Joseph
2006-08-22
To present direct manufacturing costs and price calculations of individual antiretroviral drugs, enabling those responsible for their procurement to have a better understanding of the cost structure of their production, and to indicate the prices at which these antiretroviral drugs could be offered in developing country markets. Direct manufacturing costs and factory prices for selected first and second-line antiretroviral drugs were calculated based on cost structure data from a state-owned company in Brazil. Prices for the active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) were taken from a recent survey by the World Health Organization (WHO). The calculated prices for antiretroviral drugs are compared with quoted prices offered by privately-owned, for-profit manufacturers. The API represents the largest component of direct manufacturing costs (55-99%), while other inputs, such as salaries, equipment costs, and scale of production, have a minimal impact. The calculated prices for most of the antiretroviral drugs studied fall within the lower quartile of the range of quoted prices in developing country markets. The exceptions are those drugs, primarily for second-line therapy, for which the API is either under patent, in short supply, or in limited use in developing countries (e.g. abacavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, nelfinavir, saquinavir). The availability of data on the cost of antiretroviral drug production and calculation of factory prices under a sustainable business model provide benchmarks that bulk purchasers of antiretroviral drugs could use to negotiate lower prices. While truly significant price decreases for antiretroviral drugs will depend largely on the future evolution of API prices, the present study demonstrates that for several antiretroviral drugs price reduction is currently possible. Whether or not these reductions materialize will depend on the magnitude of indirect cost and profit added by each supplier over the direct production costs. The ability to
Antiretroviral Resistance in HIV/AIDS Patients
Manosuthi, W.; MD
2018-03-01
The higher prevalence of HIV drug resistance was observed in areas with greater ART coverage. The HIV resistance-associated mutations occur when people have inadequate levels of antiretroviral drugs as well as inadequate potency, inadequate adherence, and preexisting resistance. The degree to drug cross-resistance is observed depends on the specific mutations and number of mutation accumulation. In the Southeast Asia region, the challenging of people with treatment failure is the availability and accessibility to subsequent new antiretroviral drugs to construct he second and salvage regimen. Genotypic resistance testing is a useful tool because it can identify the existing drug resistance-associated mutations under the selective drug pressure. Thus, understanding the basic interpretation of HIV drug resistance- associated mutation is useful in guiding clinical decisions for treatment-experienced people living with HIV.
Choi, Ju-yeon; Kwon, Oh-Kyung; Choi, Byeong-Sun; Kee, Mee-Kyung; Park, Mina; Kim, Sung Soon
2014-06-01
Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) including protease inhibitors (PIs) has been used in South Korea since 1997. Currently, more than 20 types of antiretroviral drugs are used in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus-infected/acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients in South Korea. Despite the rapid development of various antiretroviral drugs, many drug-resistant variants have been reported after initiating HAART, and the efficiency of HAART is limited by these variants. To investigate and estimate the annual antiretroviral drug resistance and prevalence of antiretroviral multi-class drug resistance in Korean patients with experience of treatment. The amplified HIV-1 pol gene in 535 patients requested for genotypic drug resistance testing from 2004 to 2009 by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was sequenced and analyzed annually and totally. The prevalence of antiretroviral drug resistance was estimated based on "SIR" interpretation of the Stanford sequence database. Of viruses derived from 787 specimens, 380 samples (48.3%) showed at least one drug class-related resistance. Predicted NRTI drug resistance was highest at 41.9%. NNRTI showed 27.2% resistance with 23.3% for PI. The percent of annual drug resistance showed similar pattern and slightly declined except 2004 and 2005. The prevalence of multi-class drug resistance against each drug class was: NRTI/NNRTI/PI, 9.8%; NRTI/PI, 21.9%; NNRTI/PI, 10.4%; and NRTI/NNRTI, 21.5%. About 50% and less than 10% of patients infected with HIV-1 have multidrug and multiclass resistance linked to 16 antiretroviral drugs, respectively. The significance of this study lies in its larger-scale examination of the prevalence of drug-resistant variants and multidrug resistance in HAART-experienced patients in South Korea. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel; Keiser, Olivia; Sello, Motlalepula; Lejone, Thabo Ishmael; Pfeiffer, Karolin; Davies, Mary-Ann; Egger, Matthias; Ehmer, Jochen; Wandeler, Gilles
2013-11-21
Lesotho was among the first countries to adopt decentralization of care from hospitals to nurse-led health centres (HCs) to scale up the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART). We compared outcomes between patients who started ART at HCs and hospitals in two rural catchment areas in Lesotho. The two catchment areas comprise two hospitals and 12 HCs. Patients ≥16 years starting ART at a hospital or HC between 2008 and 2011 were included. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) was defined as not returning to the facility for ≥180 days after the last visit, no follow-up (no FUP) as not returning after starting ART, and retention in care as alive and on ART at the facility. The data were analysed using logistic regression, competing risk regression and Kaplan-Meier methods. Multivariable analyses were adjusted for sex, age, CD4 cell count, World Health Organization stage, catchment area and type of ART. All analyses were stratified by gender. Of 3747 patients, 2042 (54.5%) started ART at HCs. Both women and men at hospitals had more advanced clinical and immunological stages of disease than those at HCs. Over 5445 patient-years, 420 died and 475 were LTFU. Kaplan-Meier estimates for three-year retention were 68.7 and 69.7% at HCs and hospitals, respectively, among women (p=0.81) and 68.8% at HCs versus 54.7% at hospitals among men (phospitals among women (odds ratio (OR): 0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.73-1.09) and higher retention at HCs among men (OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.20-1.96). The latter result was mainly driven by a lower proportion of patients LTFU at HCs (OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.51-0.93). In rural Lesotho, overall retention in care did not differ significantly between nurse-led HCs and hospitals. However, men seemed to benefit most from starting ART at HCs, as they were more likely to remain in care in these facilities compared to hospitals.
Antiretroviral changes during the first year of therapy
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Antonio Carlos Policarpo Carmo Sá Bandeira
Full Text Available Summary Introduction: The Brazilian HIV/AIDS management and treatment guideline (PCDT, published in 2013, recommends and standardizes the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART in all adult patients, in spite of LTCD4 count. This study aimed to analyze the first year of HAART use in patients from a reference center on HIV/AIDS management in Fortaleza, Ceará. Method: This descriptive study reviewed all prescription forms of antiretroviral regimens initiation and changes from January to July 2014. All antiretroviral regimen changes that occurred during the first year of therapy were evaluated. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 20. Mean, standard deviation and frequency, Student’s t and Mann-Whitney tests calculations were used, with significance at p<0.05. Results: From 527 patients initiating HAART, 16.5% (n=87 had a regimen change in the first year. These patients were mostly male (59.8%; n=52, aged 20 to 39 years, with only one HAART change (72.4%; n=63. Efavirenz was the most often changed drug, followed by tenofovir, zidovudine and lopinavir/ritonavir. Mean time of HAART changes was 120 days, with adverse reactions as the most prevalent cause. HAART was effective in decreasing viral load since second month of treatment (p=0.003 and increasing LTCD4 lymphocytes since fifth month (p<0.001. Conclusion: The main cause of initial HAART changes was adverse reaction and most patients had only one change in the HAART regimen. HAART prescription was in accordance to the PCDT from 2013.
Goswami, Neela D; Colasanti, Jonathan; Khoubian, Jonathan J; Huang, Yijian; Armstrong, Wendy S; Del Rio, Carlos
Prompt antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation after AIDS diagnosis, in the absence of certain opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and cryptococcal meningitis, delays disease progression and death, but system barriers to inpatient ART initiation at large hospitals in the era of modern ART have been less studied. We reviewed hospitalizations for persons newly diagnosed with AIDS at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia in 2011 and 2012. Individual- and system-level variables were collected. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for ART initiation prior to discharge. With Georgia Department of Health surveillance data, we estimated time to first clinic visit, ART initiation, and viral suppression. In the study population (n = 81), ART was initiated prior to discharge in 10 (12%) patients. Shorter hospital stay was significantly associated with lack of ART initiation at the time of HIV diagnosis (8 versus 24 days, OR: 1.14, 95% confidence interval: 1.04-1.25). Reducing barriers to ART initiation for newly diagnosed HIV-positive patients with short hospital stays may improve time to viral suppression.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Ahmad Moradi
2016-11-01
Full Text Available Adherence to antiretroviral therapy is essential for achieving durable clinical outcomes in patients with HIV. In addition, suboptimal adherence can accelerate development of drug-resistant HIV and mitigate HAART’s role in reducing HIV incidence and transmission. The present research has been conducted to study treatment adherence and determine its effective factors on HIV/AIDS patients with the support of Ahvaz JundiShapur University of Medical Sciences in 2015. This is a cross-sectional study in which 158 HIV/AIDS patients who had been registered in the counseling centers of behavioral diseases of Ahvaz and were receiving antiretroviral treatment. They had been selected by census method. Data were collected using the AACTG (Adult Aids Clinical Trials Group questionnaire. The collected data was analyzed and interpreted using descriptive statistical tests, χ2 and step by step regression by spss-16 software. The mean age of patients was 32.8±10.36. Among them 20.8% were female, 47.5% were single and 35.6% had a job. Also 33.7% of the respondents had CD4+ cell count less than 350 cells/μL. and average treatment duration was 9 months at study entry. According to the findings of this study, the degree of adherence was reported as % 63.9.The main reasons for non-adherence were forgetfulness (26% and side effects (19%. There were no significant differences between highly adherent and less adherent patients with regard to age, gender, education Employment status, Treatment duration, time of diagnosis. Adherence to HAART is a key factor in disease course in persons with HIV/AIDS. Low-level adherence in subjects of the study indicated that educational and intervention is quite necessary for patients in order to improve their medication self-management.
Assessment of antiretroviral treatment outcome in public hospitals ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Bernt Lindtjørn
2009-01-31
Jan 31, 2009 ... CD4 cell count is less than 350 and all WHO stage IV and CD4 cell count ..... Katherine H, et al: Antiretroviral therapy and early mortality in South ... Evan W, Robert S, Benita Y, Richard H, Michael V. Julio SG. ... Kara W, Silvester K, Lameck D, Abraham S, John S,. Constantin T ... Janet G, et al. Predicators of ...
Differences in access and patient outcomes across antiretroviral ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Objective. To assess differences in access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) and patient outcomes across public sector treatment facilities in the Free State province, South Africa. Design. Prospective cohort study with retrospective database linkage. We analysed data on patients enrolled in the treatment programme across ...
Silva, José Adriano Góes; Dourado, Inês; Brito, Ana Maria de; Silva, Carlos Alberto Lima da
2015-06-01
The control of viral replication is essential in the highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and adherence to therapy is instrumental for such control. Individual and external factors influence adhesion to the use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs. This is a cross-sectional study to investigate factors associated with non-adherence to HAART in AIDS patients in Salvador, Bahia State, Brazil, with age ≥ 13 years and first prescription in 2009. Data was collected from patient charts and pharmacy records. From a total of 216 patients, 65.3% were males; mean age 37.8 ± 9.5 years; single, 67.9%; heterosexual, 64%; more than 8 years of school education, 65.3%; alcohol users, 61.5%; non-smokers, 75,1% or non-illicit drug users, 93.7%. A proportion of 94% started ARV therapy with TCD4+ drug reaction. The prevalence of non-adherence was 25%. The variables associated were: longer time between HIV infection and AIDS (aOR = 3.9), adverse drug reaction (aOR = 2.4), under 34 years of age (aOR = 2.2), less than 8 years of school education (aOR = 2.2) and illicit drugs use (aOR = 2.6). A high-non-adherence rate is an important problem within the first six months of HAART.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Woodd, Susannah L; Kelly, Paul; Koethe, John R
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: A substantial proportion of HIV-infected adults starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished. We aimed to increase understanding of the factors affecting their high mortality, particularly in the high-risk period before ART initiation. METHODS: We...... weeks of ART (66; 95 % CI 57, 76) and was not affected by trial study arm. In adjusted analyses, lower CD4 count, BMI and mid-arm circumference and raised C-reactive protein were associated with an increased risk of mortality throughout the study. Male sex and lower hand-grip strength carried...... deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events. Therefore, more efforts are needed to promote earlier diagnosis and immediate initiation of ART, as recently recommended by WHO for all persons with HIV worldwide. The positive effect of tuberculosis treatment suggests...
Quantifying retention during pre-antiretroviral treatment in a large urban clinic in Uganda.
Castelnuovo, Barbara; Musaazi, Joseph; Musomba, Rachel; Ratanshi, Rosalind Parkes; Kiragga, Agnes N
2015-07-01
Retention studies are usually focused on patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART), however in Sub-Saharan Africa many patients get lost to program (LTP) in the pre-ART care period.. We investigated the proportion of patients not retained in care and factors associated with LTP (dead or lost to follow up ≥6 months) in the pre-ART care period. We analyzed data from the Infectious Diseases Institute, Kampala, Uganda. We included all adult patients ≥18 years, ART naïve at program enrollment from 1(st)/Jan/2005. We described the number of patients not retained in care during the 3 steps of enrollment-to-treatment "cascade": Step 1) From enrollment to CD4 count testing, Step 2) ART eligibility assessment. Patients were initially considered eligible if CD4 count was ART start. We described cumulative probability of being LTP by gender and ART eligibility using Kaplan Meier estimates. We used a Cox proportional hazards model to identify factors associated with being LTP at any stage for all patients and for those with a CD4 count available. Factors considered were age, gender, year of enrollment, and WHO stage. After enrollment in our program, cumulatively, a low proportion of patients (30.8 %) were retained and started on ART. The cumulative probability of being LTP was higher in males and patients not eligible for ART. In the multivariable Cox proportional Hazards model, male gender (HR: 1.19 CI 1.12-1.19) and clinical WHO stage 3 and 4 (HR: 1.20 CI 1.13-1.27) were associated with being LTP while older age was protective (HR: 0.98 0.96-0.99). Patients enrolled in the program more recently were also at lower risk of being LTP. In addition, among patients with CD4 count test, patients with higher CD4 count were at higher risk of being LTP. In our program there has been suboptimal retention of patients in pre-ART care, particularly of patients not eligible for ART. Since the proportion of eligible patients has recently increased due to the higher recommended
Langebeek, Nienke; Nieuwkerk, Pythia
2015-01-01
Adherence to combination anti-retroviral therapy for HIV infection is a primary determinant of treatment success, but is often suboptimal. Previous studies have suggested that electronic medication monitoring-informed counseling is among the most effective adherence intervention components. Our
School Start Time and Teen Sleep.
Wahlstrom, Kyla L.
2000-01-01
Sleep studies have shown that teenagers' internal clocks are incompatible with most high schools' early hours. Research in two Minnesota districts indicates that later school starting times can benefit teens and everyone dealing with them. Student participation in sports and other afterschool activities remained high. (MLH)
Ryom, L; Boesecke, C; Gisler, V; Manzardo, C; Rockstroh, J K; Puoti, M; Furrer, H; Miro, J M; Gatell, J M; Pozniak, A; Behrens, G; Battegay, M; Lundgren, J D
2016-02-01
The European AIDS Clinical Society (EACS) guidelines are intended for all clinicians involved in the care of HIV-positive persons, and are available in print, online, and as a free App for download for iPhone and Android. The 2015 version of the EACS guidelines contains major revisions in all sections; antiretroviral treatment (ART), comorbidities, coinfections and opportunistic diseases. Among the key revisions is the recommendation of ART for all HIV-positive persons, irrespectively of CD4 count, based on the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) study results. The recommendations for the preferred and the alternative ART options have also been revised, and a new section on the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been added. A number of new antiretroviral drugs/drug combinations have been added to the updated tables on drug-drug interactions, adverse drug effects, dose adjustment for renal/liver insufficiency and for ART administration in persons with swallowing difficulties. The revisions of the coinfection section reflect the major advances in anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment with direct-acting antivirals with earlier start of treatment in individuals at increased risk of liver disease progression, and a phasing out of interferon-containing treatment regimens. The section on opportunistic diseases has been restructured according to individual pathogens/diseases and a new overview table has been added on CD4 count thresholds for different primary prophylaxes. The diagnosis and management of HIV infection and related coinfections, opportunistic diseases and comorbidities continue to require a multidisciplinary effort for which the 2015 version of the EACS guidelines provides an easily accessable and updated overview. © 2015 British HIV Association.
High Time Resolution Measurements of VOCs from Vehicle Cold Starts: The Air Toxic Cold Start Pulse
Jobson, B. T.; Huangfu, Y.; Vanderschelden, G. S.
2017-12-01
Pollutants emitted during motor vehicle cold starts, especially in winter in some climates, is a significant source of winter time air pollution. While data exist for CO, NO, and total hydrocarbon emissions from federal testing procedures for vehicle emission certification, little is known about the emission rates of individual volatile organic compounds, in particular the air toxics benzene, formaldehyde, and acetaldehyde. Little is known about the VOC speciation and temperature dependence for cold starts. The US EPA vehicle emission model MOVES assumes that cold start emissions have the same speciation profile as running emissions. We examined this assumption by measuring cold start exhaust composition for 4 vehicles fueled with E10 gasoline over a temperature range of -4°C to 10°C in winter of 2015. The extra cold start emissions were determined by comparison with emissions during engine idling. In addition to CO and NOx measurements a proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer was used to measure formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, benzene, toluene, and C2-alkylbenzenes at high time resolution to compare with the cold start emission speciation profiles used in the EPA MOVES2014 model. The results show that after the vehicle was started, CO mixing ratios can reach a few percent of the exhaust and then drop to several ppmv within 2 minutes of idling, while NOx showed different temporal behaviors among the four vehicles. VOCs displayed elevated levels during cold start and the peak mixing ratios can be two orders higher than idling phase levels. Molar emission ratios relative to toluene were used to compare with the emission ratio used in MOVES2014 and we found the formaldehyde-to-toluene emission ratio was about 0.19, which is 5 times higher than the emission ratio used in MOVES2014 and the acetaldehyde-to-toluene emission ratios were 0.86-0.89, which is 8 times higher than the ones in MOVES2014. The C2-alkylbenzene-to-toluene ratio agreed well with moves. Our results
Antiretroviral therapy, immune suppression and renal impairment in HIV-positive persons
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Nielsen, Lene Ryom; Mocroft, Amanda; Lundgren, Jens D
2014-01-01
The purpose of this article is to review recent literature on antiretroviral treatment (ART) and immune suppression as risk factors for renal impairment in HIV-positive persons, and to discuss pending research questions within this field.......The purpose of this article is to review recent literature on antiretroviral treatment (ART) and immune suppression as risk factors for renal impairment in HIV-positive persons, and to discuss pending research questions within this field....
Case Report: A man on antiretroviral therapy with painful thighs
African Journals Online (AJOL)
A 54 year old man presented with increasing pain in both thighs for three months during a follow up visit at the antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic of Queen Elizabeth. Central Hospital. He was first seen at the same clinic three years and eight months before the current presentation, when he started. ART with ...
Wolff, Marcelo; Shepherd, Bryan E; Cortés, Claudia; Rebeiro, Peter; Cesar, Carina; Wagner Cardoso, Sandra; Pape, Jean W; Padgett, Denis; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Echevarria, Juan; McGowan, Catherine C
2016-01-01
HIV-infected persons in resource-limited settings may experience high rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) change, particularly because of toxicity or other nonfailure reasons. Few reports address patient outcomes after these modifications. HIV-infected adults from the 7 Caribbean, Central and South America network clinical cohorts who modified >1 drug from the first ART regimen (ART-1) for any reason thereby starting a second regimen (ART-2) were included. We assessed cumulative incidence of, and factors associated with, death, virologic failure (VF), and regimen change after starting ART-2. Five thousand five hundred sixty-five ART-naive highly active ART initiators started ART-2 after a median of 9.8 months on ART-1; 39% changed to ART-2 because of toxicity and 11% because of failure. Median follow-up after starting ART-2 was 2.9 years; 45% subsequently modified ART-2. Cumulative incidences of death at 1, 3, and 5 years after starting ART-2 were 5.1%, 8.4%, and 10.5%, respectively. In adjusted analyses, death was associated with older age, clinical AIDS, lower CD4 at ART-2 start, earlier calendar year, and starting ART-2 because of toxicity (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.5 vs. failure, 95% confidence interval: 1.0 to 2.1). Cumulative incidences of VF after 1, 3, and 5 years were 9%, 19%, and 25%. In adjusted analyses, VF was associated with younger age, earlier calendar year, lower CD4 at the start of ART-2, and starting ART-2 because of failure (adjusted hazard ratio = 2.1 vs. toxicity, 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 2.8). Among patients modifying the first ART regimen, risks of subsequent modifications, mortality, and virologic failure were high. Access to improved antiretrovirals in the region is needed to improve initial treatment success.
Gaitán-Cepeda, Luis Alberto; Sánchez-Vargas, Octavio; Castillo, Nydia
2015-08-01
SummaryHighly active antiretroviral therapy has decreased the morbidity and mortality related to HIV infection, including oral opportunistic infections. This paper offers an analysis of the scientific literature on the epidemiological aspects of oral candidiasis in HIV-positive children in the combination antiretroviral therapy era. An electronic databases search was made covering the highly active antiretroviral therapy era (1998 onwards). The terms used were oral lesions, oral candidiasis and their combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy and HIV/AIDS children. The following data were collected from each paper: year and country in which the investigation was conducted, antiretroviral treatment, oral candidiasis prevalence and diagnostic parameters (clinical or microbiological). Prevalence of oral candidiasis varied from 2.9% in American HIV-positive children undergoing highly active antiretroviral therapy to 88% in Chilean HIV-positive children without antiretroviral therapy. With respect to geographical location and antiretroviral treatment, higher oral candidiasis prevalence in HIV-positive children on combination antiretroviral therapy/antiretroviral therapy was reported in African children (79.1%) followed by 45.9% reported in Hindu children. In HIV-positive Chilean children on no antiretroviral therapy, high oral candidiasis prevalence was reported (88%) followed by Nigerian children (80%). Oral candidiasis is still frequent in HIV-positive children in the highly active antiretroviral therapy era irrespective of geographical location, race and use of antiretroviral therapy. © The Author(s) 2014.
Berhane, Tsegay; Yami, Alemishet; Alemseged, Fessahaye; Yemane, Tilahun; Hamza, Leja; Kassim, Mehedi; Deribe, Kebede
2012-01-01
Use of highly active antiretroviral therapy has led to significant reductions in morbidity and mortality rates. However, these agents had also given rise to the metabolic and morphologic abnormalities which are modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Evidences elsewhere indicate growing in prevalence of these problems but studies are lacking in Ethiopia. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HIV-associated lipodystrophy and metabolic syndrome in patients taking highly active antiretroviral therapy. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010 on a sample of 313 patients taking highly active antiretroviral therapy in Jimma University specialized hospital. Structured questionnaire was used to assess patients' sociodemographic characteristics and clinical manifestations of metabolic abnormalities. Checklists were used for reviewing charts about clinical manifestations of metabolic abnormalities and immunologic profile of patients. Data was cleaned, entered in and analyzed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. Metabolic syndrome was detected in 21.1% and HIV-lipodystrophy was detected 12.1% of patients. The factors found to be independently associated with metabolic syndrome were taking the antiretroviral therapy for more than 12 months (AOR=4.2; 95% CI=1.24-14.23) and female sex (AOR=2.30; 95% CI=1.0-5.27) and the factor found to be independently associated with HIV-lipodystrophy was taking the antiretroviral therapy (AOR=3.59; 95% CI=1.03-12.54) for more than 12 months. Metabolic abnormalities were relatively common in the study population. The problems were higher among those who took anti-retroviral treatment for longer duration. Therefore, regular screening for and taking action against the metabolic abnormalities is mandatory.
Peluso, Michael J; Spudich, Serena
2014-09-01
The growing recognition of the burden of neurologic disease associated with HIV infection in the last decade has led to renewed efforts to characterize the pathophysiology of the virus within the central nervous system (CNS). The concept of the AIDS-dementia complex is now better understood as a spectrum of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which range from asymptomatic disease to severe impairment. Recent work has shown that even optimally treated patients can experience not only persistent HAND, but also the development of new neurologic abnormalities despite viral suppression. This has thrown into question what the impact of antiretroviral therapy has been on the incidence and prevalence of neurocognitive dysfunction. In this context, the last few years have seen a concentrated effort to identify the effects that antiretroviral therapy has on the neurologic manifestations of HIV and to develop therapeutic modalities that might specifically alter the trajectory of HIV within the CNS.
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Mekonnen Assefa Ahunie
2017-02-01
Full Text Available Objective: To investigate the mortality predictors of HIV-infected individuals who were receiving antiretroviral treatment. Methods: Data were extracted from medical records of 698 antiretroviral therapy (ART users enrolled at Debre Tabor General Hospital and Woreta Health Center from January 2005 to June 2014 and sociodemographic, clinical and ART-related data were collected. Mortality was compared by using time-to-event Kaplan-Meier method and log rank test and Cox regression analysis were used to identify the predictors of mortality. Results: The overall mortality rate was 1.5 per 100 persons per year. Ambulatory and bedridden patients had four- and seven-fold higher risk of death [adjusted hazard ratio (HR = 4.2, 95% confidence interval (CI: 1.7–10.7 and adjusted HR = 6.5, 95% CI: 2.0–20.7, respectively] as compared to those patients who had worked functional status. Patients who had poor antiretroviral drug adherence had five times higher risk of death (adjusted HR = 5.1, 95% CI: 1.6–16.3 than patients who had good antiretroviral adherence. Conclusions: Mortality rate was highly observed in the early phase of antiretroviral treatment. Poor ART adherence, being ambulatory and bedridden functional status was independent predictors of mortality.
Treatment Adherence and Outcomes of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV Positive Patients
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Tahir, N. B.; Uddin, Q. T.
2014-01-01
Objective: To describe the treatment outcomes in terms of adherence, outcomes and side effects of antiretroviral (ARV) agents. Study Design: An observational study. Place and Duration of Study: Teaching Hospital of Khyber Medical University, Institute of Medical Sciences, Kohat, from February 2007 to December 2012. Methodology: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive patients, taking 1st line ARV agents for at least 6 months were included. Adherence was calculated by self report on asking the number of doses missed in last 30 days. ARVs were provided on monthly basis. Adherence data was noted over a period of 6 months. ARVs outcomes were recorded in the form of adherence, CD4 count, functional status of the patient, change in weight, further transmission of the disease, number of hospital admissions and deaths. Adverse Drug Reactions (ARDs) to ARVs were assessed clinically and by laboratory markers. Mean and standard deviation were calculated for numerical variables while frequencies and percentages were calculated for categorical variables. Results: Total number of patients included in this study were 107. Out of them, 66.4% were males and 33.6% were females. The mean age was 39.9 +- 13.80 years. Patients taking AZT/3TC/NVP, AZT/3TC/EFZ, D4T/3TC/NVP, D4T/3TC/EFZ, TNF/3TC/NVP or EFZ were 49.5%, 22.4%, 10.3%, 4.7% and 13% respectively. Most adverse affects were observed in 10 days to 90 days of initiation of therapy. Rash was observed in 71 (66.4%) patients, anaemia in 4 (3.7%) patients while only one patient (0.93%) had nausea / vomiting. Thirty (28%) patients reported no side effects. Out of 107 patients, 98 (91.5%) were alive whereas 9 (8.4%) died at the end of the study period. Twelve patients had one hospital admission (11.21%) whereas 9 (8.4%) patients had two admissions during the study period. The first mean CD4 was 325.27 cells /mcL whereas mean last CD4 count was 389.86 cells/mcL. Conclusion: ARVs have very satisfactory outcomes in HIV/AIDS patients
Posse, M.E.; Baltussen, R.M.P.M.
2009-01-01
This study identifies, ranks, and compares factors perceived as barriers to accessing antiretroviral treatment (ART) in urban and rural settings in Mozambique. Data were collected between March and July 2008. It consisted of 13 focus group discussions and a structured questionnaire administered to
Assefa, Yibeltal; Worku, Alemayehu; Wouters, Edwin; Koole, Olivier; Haile Mariam, Damen; Van Damme, Wim
2012-01-01
Patient retention in care is a critical challenge for antiretroviral treatment programs. This is mainly because retention in care is related to adherence to treatment and patient survival. It is therefore imperative that health facilities and programs measure patient retention in care. However, the currently available tools, such as Kaplan Meier, for measuring retention in care have a lot of practical limitations. The objective of this study was to develop simplified tools for measuring retention in care. Retrospective cohort data were collected from patient registers in nine health facilities in Ethiopia. Retention in care was the primary outcome for the study. Tools were developed to measure "current retention" in care during a specific period of time for a specific "ART-age group" and "cohort retention" in care among patients who were followed for the last "Y" number of years on ART. "Probability of retention" based on the tool for "cohort retention" in care was compared with "probability of retention" based on Kaplan Meier. We found that the new tools enable to measure "current retention" and "cohort retention" in care. We also found that the tools were easy to use and did not require advanced statistical skills. Both "current retention" and "cohort retention" are lower among patients in the first two "ART-age groups" and "ART-age cohorts" than in subsequent "ART-age groups" and "ART-age cohorts". The "probability of retention" based on the new tools were found to be similar to the "probability of retention" based on Kaplan Meier. The simplified tools for "current retention" and "cohort retention" will enable practitioners and program managers to measure and monitor rates of retention in care easily and appropriately. We therefore recommend that health facilities and programs start to use these tools in their efforts to improve retention in care and patient outcomes.
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Yibeltal Assefa
Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Patient retention in care is a critical challenge for antiretroviral treatment programs. This is mainly because retention in care is related to adherence to treatment and patient survival. It is therefore imperative that health facilities and programs measure patient retention in care. However, the currently available tools, such as Kaplan Meier, for measuring retention in care have a lot of practical limitations. The objective of this study was to develop simplified tools for measuring retention in care. METHODS: Retrospective cohort data were collected from patient registers in nine health facilities in Ethiopia. Retention in care was the primary outcome for the study. Tools were developed to measure "current retention" in care during a specific period of time for a specific "ART-age group" and "cohort retention" in care among patients who were followed for the last "Y" number of years on ART. "Probability of retention" based on the tool for "cohort retention" in care was compared with "probability of retention" based on Kaplan Meier. RESULTS: We found that the new tools enable to measure "current retention" and "cohort retention" in care. We also found that the tools were easy to use and did not require advanced statistical skills. Both "current retention" and "cohort retention" are lower among patients in the first two "ART-age groups" and "ART-age cohorts" than in subsequent "ART-age groups" and "ART-age cohorts". The "probability of retention" based on the new tools were found to be similar to the "probability of retention" based on Kaplan Meier. CONCLUSION: The simplified tools for "current retention" and "cohort retention" will enable practitioners and program managers to measure and monitor rates of retention in care easily and appropriately. We therefore recommend that health facilities and programs start to use these tools in their efforts to improve retention in care and patient outcomes.
O'Brien, Daniel P; Venis, Sarah; Greig, Jane; Shanks, Leslie; Ellman, Tom; Sabapathy, Kalpana; Frigati, Lisa; Mills, Clair
2010-06-17
Many countries ravaged by conflict have substantial morbidity and mortality attributed to HIV/AIDS yet HIV treatment is uncommonly available. Universal access to HIV care cannot be achieved unless the needs of populations in conflict-affected areas are addressed. From 2003 Médecins Sans Frontières introduced HIV care, including antiretroviral therapy, into 24 programmes in conflict or post-conflict settings, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV care and treatment activities were usually integrated within other medical activities. Project data collected in the Fuchia software system were analysed and outcomes compared with ART-LINC data. Programme reports and other relevant documents and interviews with local and headquarters staff were used to develop lessons learned. In the 22 programmes where ART was initiated, more than 10,500 people were diagnosed with HIV and received medical care, and 4555 commenced antiretroviral therapy, including 348 children. Complete data were available for adults in 20 programmes (n = 4145). At analysis, 2645 (64%) remained on ART, 422 (10%) had died, 466 (11%) lost to follow-up, 417 (10%) transferred to another programme, and 195 (5%) had an unclear outcome. Median 12-month mortality and loss to follow-up were 9% and 11% respectively, and median 6-month CD4 gain was 129 cells/mm 3.Patient outcomes on treatment were comparable to those in stable resource-limited settings, and individuals and communities obtained significant benefits from access to HIV treatment. Programme disruption through instability was uncommon with only one program experiencing interruption to services, and programs were adapted to allow for disruption and population movements. Integration of HIV activities strengthened other health activities contributing to health benefits for all victims of conflict and increasing the potential sustainability for implemented activities. With commitment, simplified treatment and monitoring, and adaptations for potential
Johnson, Leigh F.; Estill, Janne; Keiser, Olivia; Cornell, Morna; Moolla, Haroon; Schomaker, Michael; Grimsrud, Anna; Davies, Mary-Ann; Boulle, Andrew
2014-01-01
In several studies of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs for persons with human immunodeficiency virus infection, investigators have reported that there has been a higher rate of loss to follow-up (LTFU) among patients initiating ART in recent years than among patients who initiated ART during earlier time periods. This finding is frequently interpreted as reflecting deterioration of patient retention in the face of increasing patient loads. However, in this paper we demonstrate by simulation that transient gaps in follow-up could lead to bias when standard survival analysis techniques are applied. We created a simulated cohort of patients with different dates of ART initiation. Rates of ART interruption, ART resumption, and mortality were assumed to remain constant over time, but when we applied a standard definition of LTFU, the simulated probability of being classified LTFU at a particular ART duration was substantially higher in recently enrolled cohorts. This suggests that much of the apparent trend towards increased LTFU may be attributed to bias caused by transient interruptions in care. Alternative statistical techniques need to be used when analyzing predictors of LTFU—for example, using “prospective” definitions of LTFU in place of “retrospective” definitions. Similar considerations may apply when analyzing predictors of LTFU from treatment programs for other chronic diseases. PMID:25399412
Identifying Treatment Effect Modifiers in the STarT Back Trial: A Secondary Analysis.
Beneciuk, Jason M; Hill, Jonathan C; Campbell, Paul; Afolabi, Ebenezer; George, Steven Z; Dunn, Kate M; Foster, Nadine E
2017-01-01
Identification of patient characteristics influencing treatment outcomes is a top low back pain (LBP) research priority. Results from the STarT Back trial support the effectiveness of prognostic stratified care for LBP compared with current best care, however, patient characteristics associated with treatment response have not yet been explored. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify treatment effect modifiers within the STarT Back trial at 4-month follow-up (n = 688). Treatment response was dichotomized using back-specific physical disability measured using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (≥7). Candidate modifiers were identified using previous literature and evaluated using logistic regression with statistical interaction terms to provide preliminary evidence of treatment effect modification. Socioeconomic status (SES) was identified as an effect modifier for disability outcomes (odds ratio [OR] = 1.71, P = .028). High SES patients receiving prognostic stratified care were 2.5 times less likely to have a poor outcome compared with low SES patients receiving best current care (OR = .40, P = .006). Education level (OR = 1.33, P = .109) and number of pain medications (OR = .64, P = .140) met our criteria for effect modification with weaker evidence (.20 > P ≥ .05). These findings provide preliminary evidence for SES, education, and number of pain medications as treatment effect modifiers of prognostic stratified care delivered in the STarT Back Trial. This analysis provides preliminary exploratory findings about the characteristics of patients who might least likely benefit from targeted treatment using prognostic stratified care for LBP. Copyright © 2016 American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
El-Sadr, WM; Lundgren, Jens Dilling; Neaton, JD
2006-01-01
BACKGROUND: Despite declines in morbidity and mortality with the use of combination antiretroviral therapy, its effectiveness is limited by adverse events, problems with adherence, and resistance of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). METHODS: We randomly assigned persons infected with HIV wh...
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Bohlius, Julia; Schmidlin, Kurt; Costagliola, Dominique
2009-01-01
OBJECTIVE: We examined survival and prognostic factors of patients who developed HIV-associated non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the era of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). DESIGN AND SETTING: Multicohort collaboration of 33 European cohorts. METHODS: We included all cART-naive patients......-seven patients (72%) from 22 cohorts met inclusion criteria. Survival at 1 year was 66% [95% confidence interval (CI) 63-70%] for systemic NHL (n = 763) and 54% (95% CI: 43-65%) for primary brain lymphoma (n = 84). Risk factors for death included low nadir CD4 cell counts and a history of injection drug use...... with primary brain lymphoma. More advanced immunodeficiency is the dominant prognostic factor for mortality in patients with HIV-related NHL....
Pooled nucleic acid testing to identify antiretroviral treatment failure during HIV infection.
May, Susanne; Gamst, Anthony; Haubrich, Richard; Benson, Constance; Smith, Davey M
2010-02-01
Pooling strategies have been used to reduce the costs of polymerase chain reaction-based screening for acute HIV infection in populations in which the prevalence of acute infection is low (less than 1%). Only limited research has been done for conditions in which the prevalence of screening positivity is higher (greater than 1%). We present data on a variety of pooling strategies that incorporate the use of polymerase chain reaction-based quantitative measures to monitor for virologic failure among HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy. For a prevalence of virologic failure between 1% and 25%, we demonstrate relative efficiency and accuracy of various strategies. These results could be used to choose the best strategy based on the requirements of individual laboratory and clinical settings such as required turnaround time of results and availability of resources. Virologic monitoring during antiretroviral therapy is not currently being performed in many resource-constrained settings largely because of costs. The presented pooling strategies may be used to significantly reduce the cost compared with individual testing, make such monitoring feasible, and limit the development and transmission of HIV drug resistance in resource-constrained settings. They may also be used to design efficient pooling strategies for other settings with quantitative screening measures.
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Abraham Malaza
Full Text Available Little is known about the variability of CD4 counts in the general population of sub-Saharan Africa countries affected by the HIV epidemic. We investigated factors associated with CD4 counts in a rural area in South Africa with high HIV prevalence and high antiretroviral treatment (ART coverage.CD4 counts, health status, body mass index (BMI, demographic characteristics and HIV status were assessed in 4990 adult resident participants of a demographic surveillance in rural KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa; antiretroviral treatment duration was obtained from a linked clinical database. Multivariable regression analysis, overall and stratified by HIV status, was performed with CD4 count levels as outcome.Median CD4 counts were significantly higher in women than in men overall (714 vs. 630 cells/µl, p<0.0001, both in HIV-uninfected (833 vs. 683 cells/µl, p<0.0001 and HIV-infected adults (384.5 vs. 333 cells/µl, p<0.0001. In multivariable regression analysis, women had 19.4% (95% confidence interval (CI 16.1-22.9 higher CD4 counts than men, controlling for age, HIV status, urban/rural residence, household wealth, education, BMI, self-reported tuberculosis, high blood pressure, other chronic illnesses and sample processing delay. At ART initiation, HIV-infected adults had 21.7% (95% CI 14.6-28.2 lower CD4 counts than treatment-naive individuals; CD4 counts were estimated to increase by 9.2% (95% CI 6.2-12.4 per year of treatment.CD4 counts are primarily determined by sex in HIV-uninfected adults, and by sex, age and duration of antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected adults. Lower CD4 counts at ART initiation in men could be a consequence of lower CD4 cell counts before HIV acquisition.
Campbell, Thomas B.; Smeaton, Laura M.; Kumarasamy, N.; Flanigan, Timothy; Klingman, Karin L.; Firnhaber, Cynthia; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Hosseinipour, Mina C.; Kumwenda, Johnstone; Lalloo, Umesh; Riviere, Cynthia; Sanchez, Jorge; Melo, Marineide; Supparatpinyo, Khuanchai; Tripathy, Srikanth; Martinez, Ana I.; Nair, Apsara; Walawander, Ann; Moran, Laura; Chen, Yun; Snowden, Wendy; Rooney, James F.; Uy, Jonathan; Schooley, Robert T.; De Gruttola, Victor; Hakim, James Gita; Swann, Edith; Barnett, Ronald L.; Brizz, Barbara; Delph, Yvette; Gettinger, Nikki; Mitsuyasu, Ronald T.; Eshleman, Susan; Safren, Steven; Fiscus, Susan A.; Andrade, Adriana; Haas, David W.; Amod, Farida; Berthaud, Vladimir; Bollinger, Robert C.; Bryson, Yvonne; Celentano, David; Chilongozi, David; Cohen, Myron; Collier, Ann C.; Currier, Judith Silverstein; Cu-Uvin, Susan; Eron, Joseph; Flexner, Charles; Gallant, Joel E.; Gulick, Roy M.; Hammer, Scott M.; Hoffman, Irving; Kazembe, Peter; Kumwenda, Newton; Lama, Javier R.; Lawrence, Jody; Maponga, Chiedza; Martinson, Francis; Mayer, Kenneth; Nielsen, Karin; Pendame, Richard B.; Ramratnam, Bharat; Sanne, Ian; Severe, Patrice; Sirisanthana, Thira; Solomon, Suniti; Tabet, Steve; Taha, Taha; van der Horst, Charles; Wanke, Christine; Gormley, Joan; Marcus, Cheryl J.; Putnam, Beverly; Loeliger, Edde; Pappa, Keith A.; Webb, Nancy; Shugarts, David L.; Winters, Mark A.; Descallar, Renard S.; Steele, Joseph; Wulfsohn, Michael; Said, Farideh; Chen, Yue; Martin, John C; Bischofberger, Norbert; Cheng, Andrew; Jaffe, Howard; Sharma, Jabin; Poongulali, S.; Cardoso, Sandra Wagner; Faria, Deise Lucia; Berendes, Sima; Burke, Kelly; Mngqibisa, Rosie; Kanyama, Cecelia; Kayoyo, Virginia; Samaneka, Wadzanai P.; Chisada, Anthony; Faesen, Sharla; Chariyalertsak, Suwat; Santos, Breno; Lira, Rita Alves; Joglekar, Anjali A.; Rosa, Alberto La; Infante, Rosa; Jain, Mamta; Petersen, Tianna; Godbole, Sheela; Dhayarkar, Sampada; Feinberg, Judith; Baer, Jenifer; Pollard, Richard B.; Asmuth, David; Gangakhedkar, Raman R; Gaikwad, Asmita; Ray, M. Graham; Basler, Cathi; Para, Michael F.; Watson, Kathy J.; Taiwo, Babafemi; McGregor, Donna; Balfour, Henry H.; Mullan, Beth; Kim, Ge-Youl; Klebert, Michael K.; Cox, Gary Matthew; Silberman, Martha; Mildvan, Donna; Revuelta, Manuel; Tashima, Karen T.; Patterson, Helen; Geiseler, P. Jan; Santos, Bartolo; Daar, Eric S; Lopez, Ruben; Frarey, Laurie; Currin, David; Haas, David H.; Bailey, Vicki L.; Tebas, Pablo; Zifchak, Larisa; Noel-Connor, Jolene; Torres, Madeline; Sha, Beverly E.; Fritsche, Janice M.; Cespedes, Michelle; Forcht, Janet; O'Brien, William A.; Mogridge, Cheryl; Hurley, Christine; Corales, Roberto; Palmer, Maria; Adams, Mary; Luque, Amneris; Lopez-Detres, Luis; Stroberg, Todd
2012-01-01
Background Antiretroviral regimens with simplified dosing and better safety are needed to maximize the efficiency of antiretroviral delivery in resource-limited settings. We investigated the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral regimens with once-daily compared to twice-daily dosing in diverse areas of the world. Methods and Findings 1,571 HIV-1-infected persons (47% women) from nine countries in four continents were assigned with equal probability to open-label antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz plus lamivudine-zidovudine (EFV+3TC-ZDV), atazanavir plus didanosine-EC plus emtricitabine (ATV+DDI+FTC), or efavirenz plus emtricitabine-tenofovir-disoproxil fumarate (DF) (EFV+FTC-TDF). ATV+DDI+FTC and EFV+FTC-TDF were hypothesized to be non-inferior to EFV+3TC-ZDV if the upper one-sided 95% confidence bound for the hazard ratio (HR) was ≤1.35 when 30% of participants had treatment failure. An independent monitoring board recommended stopping study follow-up prior to accumulation of 472 treatment failures. Comparing EFV+FTC-TDF to EFV+3TC-ZDV, during a median 184 wk of follow-up there were 95 treatment failures (18%) among 526 participants versus 98 failures among 519 participants (19%; HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.72–1.27; p = 0.74). Safety endpoints occurred in 243 (46%) participants assigned to EFV+FTC-TDF versus 313 (60%) assigned to EFV+3TC-ZDV (HR 0.64, CI 0.54–0.76; p<0.001) and there was a significant interaction between sex and regimen safety (HR 0.50, CI 0.39–0.64 for women; HR 0.79, CI 0.62–1.00 for men; p = 0.01). Comparing ATV+DDI+FTC to EFV+3TC-ZDV, during a median follow-up of 81 wk there were 108 failures (21%) among 526 participants assigned to ATV+DDI+FTC and 76 (15%) among 519 participants assigned to EFV+3TC-ZDV (HR 1.51, CI 1.12–2.04; p = 0.007). Conclusion EFV+FTC-TDF had similar high efficacy compared to EFV+3TC-ZDV in this trial population, recruited in diverse multinational settings. Superior safety, especially in HIV-1-infected
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Thomas B Campbell
Full Text Available Antiretroviral regimens with simplified dosing and better safety are needed to maximize the efficiency of antiretroviral delivery in resource-limited settings. We investigated the efficacy and safety of antiretroviral regimens with once-daily compared to twice-daily dosing in diverse areas of the world.1,571 HIV-1-infected persons (47% women from nine countries in four continents were assigned with equal probability to open-label antiretroviral therapy with efavirenz plus lamivudine-zidovudine (EFV+3TC-ZDV, atazanavir plus didanosine-EC plus emtricitabine (ATV+DDI+FTC, or efavirenz plus emtricitabine-tenofovir-disoproxil fumarate (DF (EFV+FTC-TDF. ATV+DDI+FTC and EFV+FTC-TDF were hypothesized to be non-inferior to EFV+3TC-ZDV if the upper one-sided 95% confidence bound for the hazard ratio (HR was ≤1.35 when 30% of participants had treatment failure. An independent monitoring board recommended stopping study follow-up prior to accumulation of 472 treatment failures. Comparing EFV+FTC-TDF to EFV+3TC-ZDV, during a median 184 wk of follow-up there were 95 treatment failures (18% among 526 participants versus 98 failures among 519 participants (19%; HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.72-1.27; p = 0.74. Safety endpoints occurred in 243 (46% participants assigned to EFV+FTC-TDF versus 313 (60% assigned to EFV+3TC-ZDV (HR 0.64, CI 0.54-0.76; p<0.001 and there was a significant interaction between sex and regimen safety (HR 0.50, CI 0.39-0.64 for women; HR 0.79, CI 0.62-1.00 for men; p = 0.01. Comparing ATV+DDI+FTC to EFV+3TC-ZDV, during a median follow-up of 81 wk there were 108 failures (21% among 526 participants assigned to ATV+DDI+FTC and 76 (15% among 519 participants assigned to EFV+3TC-ZDV (HR 1.51, CI 1.12-2.04; p = 0.007.EFV+FTC-TDF had similar high efficacy compared to EFV+3TC-ZDV in this trial population, recruited in diverse multinational settings. Superior safety, especially in HIV-1-infected women, and once-daily dosing of EFV+FTC-TDF are
Radiation therapy of Graves' ophthalmopathy. 2; Therapy started time
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Kawamura, Toshinori; Koga, Sukehiko (Fujita Health Univ., Toyoake, Aichi (Japan). School of Medicine)
1994-04-01
The difference in the improvement of exophthalmos according to the period of starting radiation therapy was investigated for 26 patients of thyroid ophthalmopathy, also taking thyroidism during radiation into consideration. A 4 MV X-ray was used to a total dose of 20 Gy per 2 weeks. The treatment value tended to be better for the patients in whom the period from the appearance of exophthalmos in an euthyroid condition to the start of radiation was less than 12 months; those of a longer period showed poorer improvement. Radiation treatment of a hyperthyroid condition also showed poor results and it was thought it was not an adequately long enough period for the radiation to take effect. As a result, it was considered that the radiation therapy shall be advantageous if started within 12 months after the appearance of exophthalmos in an euthyroid condition. (author).
Pulmonary effects of immediate versus deferred antiretroviral therapy in HIV-positive individuals
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kunisaki, Ken M; Niewoehner, Dennis E; Collins, Gary
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: Observational data have been conflicted regarding the potential role of HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) as a causative factor for, or protective factor against, COPD. We therefore aimed to investigate the effect of immediate versus deferred ART on decline in lung function in HIV...... Services guidelines) either immediately, or deferred until CD4 T-cell counts decreased to 350 per μL or AIDS developed. The randomisation was determined by participation in the parent START study, and was not specific to the substudy. Because of the nature of our study, site investigators and participants...... were not masked to the treatment group assignment; however, the assessors who reviewed the outcomes were masked to the treatment group. The primary outcome was the annual rate of decline in lung function, expressed as the FEV1 slope in mL/year; spirometry was done annually during follow-up for up to 5...
Vandormael, Alain; Newell, Marie-Louise; Bärnighausen, Till; Tanser, Frank
2014-01-01
Summary Background Studies of HIV-serodiscordant couples in stable sexual relationships have provided convincing evidence that antiretroviral therapy can prevent the transmission of HIV. We aimed to quantify the preventive effect of a public-sector HIV treatment and care programme based in a community with poor knowledge and disclosure of HIV status, frequent migration, late marriage, and multiple partnerships. Specifically, we assessed whether an individual's hazard of HIV acquisition was associated with antiretroviral therapy coverage among household members of the opposite sex. Methods In this prospective cohort study, we linked patients' records from a public-sector HIV treatment programme in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, with population-based HIV surveillance data collected between 2004 and 2012. We used information about coresidence to construct estimates of HIV prevalence and antiretroviral therapy coverage for each household. We then regressed the time to HIV seroconversion for 14 505 individuals, who were HIV-uninfected at baseline and individually followed up over time regarding their HIV status, on opposite-sex household antiretroviral therapy coverage, controlling for household HIV prevalence and a range of other potential confounders. Findings 2037 individual HIV seroconversions were recorded during 54 845 person-years of follow-up. For each increase of ten percentage points in opposite-sex household antiretroviral therapy coverage, the HIV acquisition hazard was reduced by 6% (95% CI 2–9), after controlling for other factors. This effect size translates into large reductions in HIV acquisition hazards when household antiretroviral therapy coverage is substantially increased. For example, an increase of 50 percentage points in household antiretroviral therapy coverage (eg, from 20% to 70%) reduced the hazard of HIV acquisition by 26% (95% CI 9–39). Interpretation Our findings provide further evidence that antiretroviral therapy
In vivo assessment of antiretroviral therapy-associated side effects
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Eduardo Milton Ramos-Sanchez
2014-07-01
Full Text Available Antiretroviral therapy has been associated with side effects, either from the drug itself or in conjunction with the effects of human immunodeficiency virus infection. Here, we evaluated the side effects of the protease inhibitor (PI indinavir in hamsters consuming a normal or high-fat diet. Indinavir treatment increased the hamster death rate and resulted in an increase in triglyceride, cholesterol and glucose serum levels and a reduction in anti-oxLDL auto-antibodies. The treatment led to histopathological alterations of the kidney and the heart. These results suggest that hamsters are an interesting model for the study of the side effects of antiretroviral drugs, such as PIs.
Antiretroviral therapy: current drugs.
Pau, Alice K; George, Jomy M
2014-09-01
The rapid advances in drug discovery and the development of antiretroviral therapy is unprecedented in the history of modern medicine. The administration of chronic combination antiretroviral therapy targeting different stages of the human immunodeficiency virus' replicative life cycle allows for durable and maximal suppression of plasma viremia. This suppression has resulted in dramatic improvement of patient survival. This article reviews the history of antiretroviral drug development and discusses the clinical pharmacology, efficacy, and toxicities of the antiretroviral agents most commonly used in clinical practice to date. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Huang, Peng; Tan, Jingguang; Ma, Wenzhe; Zheng, Hui; Lu, Yan; Wang, Ning; Peng, Zhihang; Yu, Rongbin
2015-05-22
To report 10-year outcomes of virological and immunological treatment failure rates and risk factors. Prospective cohort study. Shenzhen, China. 2172 HIV-positive adults in the national treatment database of Shenzhen from December 2003 to January 2014. Antiretroviral therapy according to the Chinese national treatment guidelines. Virological and immunological treatment failure rates. Of the 3099 patients surveyed, 2172 (70.1%) were included in the study. The median age was 33 years; 78.2% were male and 51.8% were infected through heterosexual contact. The median follow-up time was 31 months (IQR, 26-38). A total of 81 (3.7%) patients died, whereas 292 (13.4%) and 400 (18.4%) patients experienced virological and immunological failures, respectively. Adjusted Cox regression analysis indicated that baseline viral load (HR=2.19, 95% CI 1.52 to 4.48 for patients with a baseline viral load greater than or equal to 1,000,000 copies/mL compared to those with less than 10,000 copies/mL) and WHO stage (HR=4.16, 95% CI 2.01 to 10.57 for patients in WHO stage IV compared with those in stage I) were significantly associated with virological failure. The strongest risk factors for immunological treatment failure were a low CD4 cell count (HR=0.46, 95% CI 0.32 to 0.66 for patients with CD4 cell counts of 50-99 cells/mm(3) compared to those with less than 50 cells/mm(3)) and higher baseline WHO stage at treatment initiation (HR=2.15, 95% CI 1.38 to 3.34 for patients in WHO stage IV compared to those in stage I). Sustained virological and immunological outcomes show that patients have responded positively to long-term antiretroviral treatment with low mortality. This 10-year data study provides important information for clinicians and policymakers in the region as they begin to evaluate and plan for the future needs of their own rapidly expanding programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please
Barriers to free antiretroviral treatment access for female sex workers in Chennai, India.
Chakrapani, Venkatesan; Newman, Peter A; Shunmugam, Murali; Kurian, Abraham K; Dubrow, Robert
2009-11-01
India's National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) provides free first-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) at government centers for people living with HIV. To assist in developing policies and programs to ensure equity in ART access, we explored barriers to ART access among female sex workers (FSWs) living with HIV in Chennai. Between August and November 2007, we conducted three focus group discussions and two key informant interviews. Data were explored using framework analysis to identify categories and derive themes. We found interrelated barriers at the family/social, health care system/programmatic, and individual levels. Major barriers included fear of adverse consequences of disclosure of HIV status due to stigma and discrimination associated with HIV and sex work, lack of family support, negative experiences with health care providers, lack of adequate counseling services at government centers and by outreach workers employed by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), perceived biased treatment of FSWs who are not referred by NGOs, lack of adequate knowledge about ART, and fatalism. Barriers can be addressed by: creating effective measures to reduce stigma associated with HIV/AIDS and sex work at the familial, societal, and health care system levels; incorporating information about ART into targeted interventions among FSWs; training counselors at government hospitals and NGO outreach workers on treatment issues; improving infrastructure and staffing levels at government centers to allow adequate time and privacy for counseling; and implementing government mass media campaigns on ART availability. Finally, it is crucial that NACO begin monitoring ART coverage of FSWs and other marginalized populations to ensure equitable ART access.
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Mocroft, Amanda; Sterne, Jonathan A C; Egger, Matthias
2009-01-01
BACKGROUND: The extent to which mortality differs following individual acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-defining events (ADEs) has not been assessed among patients initiating combination antiretroviral therapy. METHODS: We analyzed data from 31,620 patients with no prior ADEs who started...... studies, and patient management....
Wolff, Marcelo; Shepherd, Bryan E.; Cortés, Claudia; Rebeiro, Peter; Cesar, Carina; Cardoso, Sandra Wagner; Pape, Jean W.; Padgett, Denis; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Echevarria, Juan; McGowan, Catherine C.
2015-01-01
Background HIV-infected persons in lower income countries may experience high rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) change, particularly due to toxicity or other non-failure reasons. Few reports address patient outcomes after these modifications. Methods HIV-infected adults from 7 Caribbean, Central and South America network (CCASAnet) clinical cohorts who modified > or = 1 drug from first ART regimen (ART-1) for any reason thereby starting a second regimen (ART-2) were included. Results 5,565 ART-naïve HAART initiators started ART-2 after a median of 9.8 months on ART-1; 39% changed to ART-2 due to toxicity and 11% due to failure. Median follow-up after starting ART-2 was 2.9 years; 45% subsequently modified ART-2. Cumulative incidences of death at 1, 3, and 5 years after starting ART-2 were 5.1%, 8.4% and 10.5%, respectively. In adjusted analyses, death was associated with older age, clinical AIDS, lower CD4 at ART-2 start, earlier calendar year, and starting ART-2 because of toxicity (adjusted hazard ratio[aHR]=1.5 vs. failure, 95% confidence interval[CI]=1.0–2.1). Cumulative incidences of VF after 1, 3, and 5 years were 9%, 19%, and 25%. In adjusted analyses, VF was associated with younger age, earlier calendar year, lower CD4 at start of ART-2, and starting ART-2 because of failure (aHR=2.1 vs. toxicity, 95% CI=1.5–2.8). Conclusions Among patients modifying first ART regimen, risks of subsequent modifications, mortality, and virologic failure were high. Access to improved antiretrovirals in the region is needed to improve initial treatment success. PMID:26761273
Calza, Leonardo; Colangeli, Vincenzo; Magistrelli, Eleonora; Rossi, Nicolo'; Rosselli Del Turco, Elena; Bussini, Linda; Borderi, Marco; Viale, Pierluigi
2017-05-01
The combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has dramatically improved the life expectancy of patients with HIV infection, but may lead to several long-term metabolic abnormalities. However, data about the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS) in HIV-infected people vary considerably across different observational studies. The prevalence of MS among HIV-infected patients was evaluated by a cross-sectional study conducted among subjects naive to cART or receiving the first antiretroviral regimen and referring to our Clinics from January 2015 to December 2015. The diagnosis of MS was made based on the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III), and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The study recruited 586 patients: 98 naive to cART and 488 under the first antiretroviral treatment. The prevalence of MS, according to NCEP-ATP III criteria, was significantly higher among treated patients than among naive ones (20.9% vs. 7.1%; p = 0.014). The most frequently reported components of MS among treated patients were high triglycerides (44.3%), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (41.1%), and hypertension (19.7%). On multivariate analysis, long duration of HIV infection, low nadir of CD4 lymphocytes, high body mass index, current use of one protease inhibitor, and long duration of cART were significantly associated with a higher risk of MS, while current use of one integrase inhibitor was significantly associated with a lower risk of MS. The non-negligible prevalence of MS among HIV-infected patients under cART requires a careful and periodic monitoring of its components, with particular attention to dyslipidemia and hypertension.
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Luis M Beltrán
Full Text Available Patients infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to increased inflammation and persistent immune activation. CD163 is a macrophage scavenger receptor that is involved in monocyte-macrophage activation in HIV-infected patients. CD163 interacts with TWEAK, a member of the TNF superfamily. Circulating levels of sTWEAK and sCD163 have been previously associated with cardiovascular disease, but no previous studies have fully analyzed their association with HIV.The aim of this study was to analyze circulating levels of sTWEAK and sCD163 as well as other known markers of inflammation (hsCRP, IL-6 and sTNFRII and endothelial dysfunction (sVCAM-1 and ADMA in 26 patients with HIV before and after 48 weeks of antiretroviral treatment (ART and 23 healthy subjects.Patients with HIV had reduced sTWEAK levels and increased sCD163, sVCAM-1, ADMA, hsCRP, IL-6 and sTNFRII plasma concentrations, as well as increased sCD163/sTWEAK ratio, compared with healthy subjects. Antiretroviral treatment significantly reduced the concentrations of sCD163, sVCAM-1, hsCRP and sTNFRII, although they remained elevated when compared with healthy subjects. Antiretroviral treatment had no effect on the concentrations of ADMA and sTWEAK, biomarkers associated with endothelial function. The use of protease inhibitors as part of antiretroviral therapy and the presence of HCV-HIV co-infection and/or active HIV replication attenuated the ART-mediated decrease in sCD163 plasma concentrations.HIV-infected patients showed a proatherogenic profile characterized by increased inflammatory, immune-activation and endothelial-dysfunction biomarkers that partially improved after ART. HCV-HIV co-infection and/or active HIV replication enhanced immune activation despite ART.
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Rönsholt, Frederikke F; Ullum, Henrik; Katzenstein, Terese L
2013-01-01
The study investigated markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in HIV infected patients after 12 years of successful combination antiretroviral treatment (cART).......The study investigated markers of inflammation and endothelial activation in HIV infected patients after 12 years of successful combination antiretroviral treatment (cART)....
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Ntambwe Malangu
2010-06-01
Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of the adverse events of antiretroviral treatment, their impact on mortality and the change in regimens prescribed to children treated at Mildway Centre in Uganda. Method: A retrospective chart review was performed for children younger than 6 years, treated since the Mildway Centre was opened in 1999. In order to achieve a larger sample, the records of children treated from January 2000 to July 2005 were included in the study. A pre-tested data collection form was used to collate socio-demographic and clinical data of the patients. These included the documented adverse events, causes of death, stage of infection, duration of treatment, regimen prescribed, year of enrolment into the treatment program, as well as whether or not they were still alive. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis of data. Results: Of the 179 children, the majority were males and had a median age of 4 years. The majority (58.8% of children had suffered from severe immune depression since they met the WHO clinical stage III and IV, 73.8% had a baseline CD4T of less than 15%. Four regimens were prescribed to the children. The most common was a regimen containing zidovudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine (34.6%, followed by a regimen containing stavudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine (27.9%. Eleven children (6.1% had their regimen changed, of which six (54.5% were due to adverse events. The prevalence of adverse events was 8%; of the 14 documented adverse events, the most common were severe anaemia (3, vomiting (3, and skin rashes (3. After 12 months on treatment, 8% of the patients had died. The most common causes of death were infectious diseases (28.6%, severe anaemia (21.4%, and severe dehydration (21.4%. Conclusion: The prevalence of adverse events was 8%; they were responsible for 54.5% of regimen changes and 21.4% of deaths in children treated at the study site. These findings suggest the need for incorporating
Self-reported adverse reactions among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy in Brazil
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Cristiane A. Menezes de Pádua
Full Text Available A cross-sectional analysis was carried out to describe adverse reactions to antiretroviral therapy (ART reported by HIV-infected patients initiating treatment at two public health AIDS referral centers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2001-2003 and to verify their association with selected variables. Adverse reactions were obtained through interview at the first follow-up visit (first month after the antiretroviral prescription. Socio-demographic and behavioral variables related to ART were obtained from baseline and follow-up interviews and clinical variables from medical charts. Patients with four or more reactions were compared to those with less than four. Odds ratio with 95% confidence interval were estimated using logistic regression model for both univariate and multivariate analyses. At least one adverse reaction was reported by 92.2% of the participants while 56.2% reported four or more different reactions. Antiretroviral regimens including indinavir/ritonavir, irregular use of antiretrovirals and switch in regimens were independently associated with four or more adverse reactions (OR=7.92, 5.73 and 2.03, respectively. The initial period of ARV treatment is crucial and patients´ perception of adverse reactions should be carefully taken into account. Strategies for monitoring and management of adverse reactions including the choice of regimens and the prevention of irregular ART should be developed in AIDS/HIV referral centers in Brazil to promote better adherence to antiretroviral therapy.
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Ana Torrens
Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective To assess the implementation of HIV-related interventions for patients with tuberculosis (TB, as well as TB treatment outcomes in patients coinfected with HIV in Brazil in 2011. Methods This was a cross-sectional, operational research study of HIV-related interventions among TB cases and the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of TB-HIV coinfected patients. It also used a retrospective cohort design to determine the association between antiretroviral therapy (ART and favorable TB treatment outcomes. The source of data was a linkage of 2011 administrative health databases used by the National TB and HIV/AIDS Programs. Results Of 73 741 new cases of TB reported, 63.6% (46 865 patients were tested for HIV; 10.3% were positive. Of patients with HIV, 45.9% or 3 502 were on ART. TB favorable outcome was achieved in 63.1% or 2 205 coinfected patients on ART and in only 35.4% or 1 459 of those not on ART. On multivariate analysis, the relative risk for the association between ART and TB treatment success was 1.72 (95% Confidence Interval = 1.64–1.81. Conclusions The linkage between national TB and HIV datasets has created a convenient baseline for ongoing monitoring of HIV testing, ART use, and TB treatment outcomes among coinfected patients. The low rates of HIV screening and ART use in 2011 need to be improved. The association between ART and treatment success adds to the evidence supporting timely initiation of ART for all patients with TB-HIV coinfection.
Brazier, Ellen; Yiannoutsos, Constantin; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Althoff, Keri; Van Nguyen, Kinh; Sinayobye, Jean d'Amour; Anderegg, Nanina; Ford, Nathan; Wikramanayake, Radhika; Nash, Denis
2018-01-01
Background The effect of antiretroviral treatment (ART) eligibility expansions on patient outcomes, including rates of timely ART initiation among those enrolling in care, has not been assessed on a large scale. In addition, it is not known whether ART eligibility expansions may lead to “crowding out” of sicker patients. Methods and findings We examined changes in timely ART initiation (within 6 months) at the original site of HIV care enrollment after ART eligibility expansions among 284,740 adult ART-naïve patients at 171 International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) network sites in 22 countries where national policies expanding ART eligibility were introduced between 2007 and 2015. Half of the sites included in this analysis were from Southern Africa, one-third were from East Africa, and the remainder were from the Asia-Pacific, Central Africa, North America, and South and Central America regions. The median age of patients enrolling in care at contributing sites was 33.5 years, and the median percentage of female patients at these clinics was 62.5%. We assessed the 6-month cumulative incidence of timely ART initiation (CI-ART) before and after major expansions of ART eligibility (i.e., expansion to treat persons with CD4 ≤ 350 cells/μL [145 sites in 22 countries] and CD4 ≤ 500 cells/μL [152 sites in 15 countries]). Random effects metaregression models were used to estimate absolute changes in CI-ART at each site before and after guideline expansion. The crude pooled estimate of change in CI-ART was 4.3 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6 to 6.1) after ART eligibility expansion to CD4 ≤ 350, from a baseline median CI-ART of 53%; and 15.9 percentage points (pp) (95% CI 14.3 to 17.4) after ART eligibility expansion to CD4 ≤ 500, from a baseline median CI-ART of 57%. The largest increases in CI-ART were observed among those newly eligible for treatment (18.2 pp after expansion to CD4 ≤ 350 and 47.4 pp after
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Olga Tymejczyk
2018-03-01
Full Text Available The effect of antiretroviral treatment (ART eligibility expansions on patient outcomes, including rates of timely ART initiation among those enrolling in care, has not been assessed on a large scale. In addition, it is not known whether ART eligibility expansions may lead to "crowding out" of sicker patients.We examined changes in timely ART initiation (within 6 months at the original site of HIV care enrollment after ART eligibility expansions among 284,740 adult ART-naïve patients at 171 International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA network sites in 22 countries where national policies expanding ART eligibility were introduced between 2007 and 2015. Half of the sites included in this analysis were from Southern Africa, one-third were from East Africa, and the remainder were from the Asia-Pacific, Central Africa, North America, and South and Central America regions. The median age of patients enrolling in care at contributing sites was 33.5 years, and the median percentage of female patients at these clinics was 62.5%. We assessed the 6-month cumulative incidence of timely ART initiation (CI-ART before and after major expansions of ART eligibility (i.e., expansion to treat persons with CD4 ≤ 350 cells/μL [145 sites in 22 countries] and CD4 ≤ 500 cells/μL [152 sites in 15 countries]. Random effects metaregression models were used to estimate absolute changes in CI-ART at each site before and after guideline expansion. The crude pooled estimate of change in CI-ART was 4.3 percentage points (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.6 to 6.1 after ART eligibility expansion to CD4 ≤ 350, from a baseline median CI-ART of 53%; and 15.9 percentage points (pp (95% CI 14.3 to 17.4 after ART eligibility expansion to CD4 ≤ 500, from a baseline median CI-ART of 57%. The largest increases in CI-ART were observed among those newly eligible for treatment (18.2 pp after expansion to CD4 ≤ 350 and 47.4 pp after expansion to CD4 ≤ 500, with no
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Ellman Tom
2010-06-01
Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Many countries ravaged by conflict have substantial morbidity and mortality attributed to HIV/AIDS yet HIV treatment is uncommonly available. Universal access to HIV care cannot be achieved unless the needs of populations in conflict-affected areas are addressed. Methods From 2003 Médecins Sans Frontières introduced HIV care, including antiretroviral therapy, into 24 programmes in conflict or post-conflict settings, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV care and treatment activities were usually integrated within other medical activities. Project data collected in the Fuchia software system were analysed and outcomes compared with ART-LINC data. Programme reports and other relevant documents and interviews with local and headquarters staff were used to develop lessons learned. Results In the 22 programmes where ART was initiated, more than 10,500 people were diagnosed with HIV and received medical care, and 4555 commenced antiretroviral therapy, including 348 children. Complete data were available for adults in 20 programmes (n = 4145. At analysis, 2645 (64% remained on ART, 422 (10% had died, 466 (11% lost to follow-up, 417 (10% transferred to another programme, and 195 (5% had an unclear outcome. Median 12-month mortality and loss to follow-up were 9% and 11% respectively, and median 6-month CD4 gain was 129 cells/mm 3. Patient outcomes on treatment were comparable to those in stable resource-limited settings, and individuals and communities obtained significant benefits from access to HIV treatment. Programme disruption through instability was uncommon with only one program experiencing interruption to services, and programs were adapted to allow for disruption and population movements. Integration of HIV activities strengthened other health activities contributing to health benefits for all victims of conflict and increasing the potential sustainability for implemented activities. Conclusions With commitment, simplified
Determinants of survival in adult HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Oromiyaa, Ethiopia
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Andinet Worku Alemu
2010-10-01
Full Text Available Background: The antiretroviral treatment (ART scale-up service has been a recent development in Ethiopia, but its impact on mortality has not been well investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the early survival outcome of the scale-up service by utilizing routine hospital data. Methods: All adult HIV/AIDS patients who started on antiretroviral treatment in Shashemene and Assela hospitals from January 1, 2006 to May 31, 2006 were included and followed up for 2 years. Data were extracted from standard patient medical registrations. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to estimate survival probability and the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to determine predictors of mortality. Two alterative assumptions (real case and worst case were made in determining predictors of mortality. Results: The median age of patients was 33 years and 57% were female. Eighty-five percent had CD4 <200 cells/µL with a median CD4 count of 103 cells/µL. The median survival time was 104.4 weeks. A total of 28 (10.3% deaths were observed during the 2-year period and 48 patients (18% were lost to follow up. The majority of deaths occurred in the first 4 months of treatment. In multivariate analysis, 2-year survival was significantly associated with the clinical stage of the disease, baseline hemoglobin, and cotrimoxazole prophylaxis therapy (CPT at or before ART initiation in both assumptions. The median CD4 count and body weight showed a marked improvement during the first 6 months of treatment, followed by stagnation thereafter. Conclusion: The study has shown an overall low mortality but a high loss to follow-up rate of the cohort. Advanced clinical stage, anemia, low body weight, and lack of CPT initiation were independent predictors of mortality – but not gender. CPT initiation should be encouraged in routine HIV care services, and patient retention mechanisms have to be strengthened. Stagnation in immunological and weight recovery after the first 6
Eshleman, Susan H; Laeyendecker, Oliver; Parkin, Neil; Huang, Wei; Chappey, Colombe; Paquet, Agnes C; Serwadda, David; Reynolds, Steven J; Kiwanuka, Noah; Quinn, Thomas C; Gray, Ronald; Wawer, Maria
2009-04-27
To analyze antiretroviral drug susceptibility in HIV from recently infected adults in Rakai, Uganda, prior to the availability of antiretroviral drug treatment. Samples obtained at the time of HIV seroconversion (1998-2003) were analyzed using the GeneSeq HIV and PhenoSense HIV assays (Monogram Biosciences, Inc., South San Francisco, California, USA). Test results were obtained for 104 samples (subtypes: 26A, 1C, 66D, 9A/D, 1C/D, 1 intersubtype recombinant). Mutations used for genotypic surveillance of transmitted antiretroviral drug resistance were identified in six samples: three had nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) surveillance mutations (two had M41L, one had K219R), and three had protease inhibitor surveillance mutations (I47V, F53L, N88D); none had nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) surveillance mutations. Other resistance-associated mutations were identified in some samples. However, none of the samples had a sufficient number of mutations to predict reduced antiretroviral drug susceptibility. Ten (9.6%) of the samples had reduced phenotypic susceptibility to at least one drug (one had partial susceptibility to didanosine, one had nevirapine resistance, and eight had resistance or partial susceptibility to at least one protease inhibitor). Fifty-three (51%) of the samples had hypersusceptibility to at least one drug (seven had zidovudine hypersusceptibility, 28 had NNRTI hypersusceptibility, 34 had protease inhibitor hypersusceptibility). Delavirdine hypersusceptibility was more frequent in subtype A than D. In subtype D, efavirenz hypersusceptibility was associated with substitutions at codon 11 in HIV-reverse transcriptase. Phenotyping detected reduced antiretroviral drug susceptibility and hypersusceptibility in HIV from some antiretroviral-naive Ugandan adults that was not predicted by genotyping. Phenotyping may complement genotyping for analysis of antiretroviral drug susceptibility in populations with nonsubtype B
Operative Start Time Does Not Affect Post-Operative Infection Risk.
Guidry, Christopher A; Davies, Stephen W; Willis, Rhett N; Dietch, Zachary C; Shah, Puja M; Sawyer, Robert G
2016-10-01
Surgical care is delivered 24 h a day at most institutions. Alarmingly, some authors have found that certain operative start times are associated with greater morbidity and mortality rates. This effect has been noted in both the public and private sector. Although some of these differences may be related to process, they may also be caused by the human circadian rhythm and corresponding changes in host defenses. We hypothesized that the time of day of an operation would impact the frequency of certain post-operative outcomes significantly. Cases at a single tertiary-care center reported to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program over a 10-year period were identified. Operative start times were divided into six-hour blocks, with 6 am to noon serving as the reference. Standard univariable techniques were applied. Multivariable logistic regression with mixed effects modeling then was used to determine the relation between operative start times and infectious outcomes, controlling for surgeon clustering. Statistical significance was set at p operative infectious complication. Seventy percent of these infections (n = 1,506) were surgical site infections. On univariable analysis considering all cases, nighttime and evening operations had higher rates of post-operative infections than those in performed during the day (9.1% from 6 am to noon; 9.7% from noon to 6 pm; 14.8% from 6 pm to midnight; and 14.4% from midnight to 6 am; p operative start time was not associated with the risk of post-operative infection, even when emergency cases were considered independently. Our data suggest that operative start times have no correlation with post-operative infectious complications. Further work is required to identify the source of the time-dependent outcome variability observed in previous studies.
Mengoli, Carlo; Andreis, Samantha; Scaggiante, Renzo; Cruciani, Mario; Bosco, Oliviero; Ferretto, Roberto; Leoni, Davide; Maffongelli, Gaetano; Basso, Monica; Torti, Carlo; Sarmati, Loredana; Andreoni, Massimo; Palù, Giorgio; Parisi, Saverio Giuseppe
2017-01-01
To evaluate the role of pre-treatment co-receptor tropism of plasma HIV on the achievement of viral suppression (plasma HIV RNA 1.69 log 10 copies/mL) at the sixth month of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in a cohort of naive patients using, for the first time in this context, a path analysis (PA) approach. Adult patients with chronic infection by subtype B HIV-1 were consecutively enrolled from the start of first-line cART (T0). Genotypic analysis of viral tropism was performed on plasma and interpreted using the bioinformatic tool Geno2pheno, with a false positive rate of 10%. A Bayesian network starting from the viro-immunological data at T0 and at the sixth month of treatment (T1) was set up and this model was evaluated using a PA approach. A total of 262 patients (22.1% bearing an X4 virus) were included; 178 subjects (67.9%) achieved viral suppression. A significant positive indirect effect of bearing X4 virus in plasma at T0 on log 10 HIV RNA at T1 was detected (P = 0.009), the magnitude of this effect was, however, over 10-fold lower than the direct effect of log 10 HIV RNA at T0 on log 10 HIV RNA at T1 (P = 0.000). Moreover, a significant positive indirect effect of bearing an X4 virus on log 10 HIV RNA at T0 (P = 0.003) was apparent. PA overcame the limitations implicit in common multiple regression analysis and showed the possible role of pre-treatment viral tropism at the recommended threshold on the outcome of plasma viraemia in naive patients after 6 months of therapy. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Later Start Time for Teens Improves Grades, Mood, and Safety
Wahlstrom, Kyla L.
2017-01-01
A recent study by the University of Minnesota looked at eight high schools across the U.S. that chose later start times, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. The study found significant decreases in absences and tardiness as well as greater academic benefits for schools with the latest start times. Among the 9,395 students in the study, those who slept…
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Kannan V. P
2017-05-01
Full Text Available BACKGROUND The number of people infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV worldwide was estimated to be 33.2 million at the end of 2007. The introduction of Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART has significantly reduced morbidity and mortality in HIVinfected patients in various developed and developing countries. However, the outcome of ART in India’s National ART Programme has not been reported in detail. The aim of the study is to- 1. Evaluate the immunological response of HIV infected adults starting Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART. 2. Evaluate the clinical response of highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV infected adults. 3. Assess the functional status improvement following highly active antiretroviral therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS To evaluate the effectiveness of the National ART Programme at Thanjavur Medical College Hospital, we undertook a prospective observational study involving ART naive patients who were started on ART between May 2015 and October 2016. ART was offered to these patients in accordance with NACO guidelines. The regimen consisted of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. The available drugs included efavirenz, lamivudine, nevirapine and zidovudine. The CD4+ lymphocyte (CD4 count (cells/µL was estimated at baseline and at six months intervals during follow-up. Prophylaxis and treatment of opportunistic infections were in accordance with NACO guidelines. Anti-tuberculosis treatment was administered according to the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme guidelines. RESULTS Among 203 patients started on ART in this study, 3 died after completing 6 months of therapy and 17 died within 6 months of therapy. Out of the remaining 183 patients, 104 were males and 79 were females. The predominant route of HIV transmission is through unsafe sexual practice, which accounts for 84% of cases. Incidence of HIV is less common in literate
Ogedengbe, Oluwatosin O; Jegede, Ayoola I; Onanuga, Ismail O; Offor, Ugochukwu; Naidu, Edwin Cs; Peter, Aniekan I; Azu, Onyemaechi O
2016-10-01
Increased access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has made the management of drug toxicities an increasingly crucial component of HIV. This study investigated the effects of adjuvant use of coconut oil and HAART on testicular morphology and seminal parameters in Sprague- Dawley rats. Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats, weighing 153~169 g were distributed into four groups (A-D) and treated as follows: A served as control (distilled water); B (HAART cocktail- Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine); C (HAART + Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg) and D (Virgin coconut oil 10 mL/kg). After 56 days of treatment, animals were killed and laparotomy to exercise the epididymis for seminal fluid analyses done whilst testicular tissues were processed for histomorphometric studies. Result showed a significant decline in sperm motility ( P coconut oil + HAART resulted in significant decrease in seminiferous tubular diameter ( P coconut oil alone (which showed normal histoarchitecture levels). While derangements in testicular and seminal fluid parameters occurred following HAART, adjuvant treatment with Virgin coconut oil restored the distortions emanating thereof.
Use of Third Line Antiretroviral Therapy in Latin America
Cesar, Carina; Shepherd, Bryan E.; Jenkins, Cathy A.; Ghidinelli, Massimo; Castro, Jose Luis; Veloso, Valdiléa Gonçalves; Cortes, Claudia P.; Padgett, Denis; Crabtree-Ramirez, Brenda; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Fink, Valeria; Duran, Adriana; Sued, Omar; McGowan, Catherine C.; Cahn, Pedro
2014-01-01
Background Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is expanding in Latin America. Many patients require second and third line therapy due to toxicity, tolerability, failure, or a combination of factors. The need for third line HAART, essential for program planning, is not known. Methods Antiretroviral-naïve patients ≥18 years who started first HAART after January 1, 2000 in Caribbean, Central and South America Network (CCASAnet) sites in Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru were included. Clinical trials participants were excluded. Third line HAART was defined as use of darunavir, tipranavir, etravirine, enfuvirtide, maraviroc or raltegravir. Need for third line HAART was defined as virologic failure while on second line HAART. Results Of 5853 HAART initiators followed for a median of 3.5 years, 310 (5.3%) failed a second line regimen and 44 (0.8%) received a third line regimen. Cumulative incidence of failing a 2nd or starting a 3rd line regimen was 2.7% and 6.0% three and five years after HAART initiation, respectively. Predictors at HAART initiation for failing a second or starting a third line included female sex (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18–2.00, p = 0.001), younger age (HR = 2.76 for 20 vs. 40 years, 95% CI 1.86–4.10, p<0.001), and prior AIDS (HR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.62–2.90, p<0.001). Conclusions Third line regimens may be needed for at least 6% of patients in Latin America within 5 years of starting HAART, a substantial proportion given the large numbers of patients on HAART in the region. Improved accessibility to third line regimens is warranted. PMID:25221931
Use of third line antiretroviral therapy in Latin America.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Carina Cesar
Full Text Available Access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART is expanding in Latin America. Many patients require second and third line therapy due to toxicity, tolerability, failure, or a combination of factors. The need for third line HAART, essential for program planning, is not known.Antiretroviral-naïve patients ≥18 years who started first HAART after January 1, 2000 in Caribbean, Central and South America Network (CCASAnet sites in Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru were included. Clinical trials participants were excluded. Third line HAART was defined as use of darunavir, tipranavir, etravirine, enfuvirtide, maraviroc or raltegravir. Need for third line HAART was defined as virologic failure while on second line HAART.Of 5853 HAART initiators followed for a median of 3.5 years, 310 (5.3% failed a second line regimen and 44 (0.8% received a third line regimen. Cumulative incidence of failing a 2nd or starting a 3rd line regimen was 2.7% and 6.0% three and five years after HAART initiation, respectively. Predictors at HAART initiation for failing a second or starting a third line included female sex (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-2.00, p = 0.001, younger age (HR = 2.76 for 20 vs. 40 years, 95% CI 1.86-4.10, p<0.001, and prior AIDS (HR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.62-2.90, p<0.001.Third line regimens may be needed for at least 6% of patients in Latin America within 5 years of starting HAART, a substantial proportion given the large numbers of patients on HAART in the region. Improved accessibility to third line regimens is warranted.
Taylor, Barbara S; Reyes, Emily; Levine, Elizabeth A; Khan, Shah Z; Garduño, L Sergio; Donastorg, Yeycy; Hammer, Scott M; Brudney, Karen; Hirsch, Jennifer S
2014-06-01
Migration and geographic mobility increase risk for HIV infection and may influence engagement in HIV care and adherence to antiretroviral therapy. Our goal is to use the migration-linked communities of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and New York City, New York, to determine the impact of geographic mobility on HIV care engagement and adherence to treatment. In-depth interviews were conducted with HIV+Dominicans receiving antiretroviral therapy, reporting travel or migration in the past 6 months and key informants (n=45). Mobility maps, visual representations of individual migration histories, including lifetime residence(s) and all trips over the past 2 years, were generated for all HIV+ Dominicans. Data from interviews and field observation were iteratively reviewed for themes. Mobility mapping revealed five distinct mobility patterns: travel for care, work-related travel, transnational travel (nuclear family at both sites), frequent long-stay travel, and vacation. Mobility patterns, including distance, duration, and complexity, varied by motivation for travel. There were two dominant barriers to care. First, a fear of HIV-related stigma at the destination led to delays seeking care and poor adherence. Second, longer trips led to treatment interruptions due to limited medication supply (30-day maximum dictated by programs or insurers). There was a notable discordance between what patients and providers perceived as mobility-induced barriers to care and the most common barriers found in the analysis. Interventions to improve HIV care for mobile populations should consider motivation for travel and address structural barriers to engagement in care and adherence.
Whiteley, Laura; Brown, Larry; Lally, Michelle; Heck, Nicholas; van den Berg, Jacob J
2018-04-23
Highly active combination antiretroviral treatment has been shown to markedly improve the health of HIV-infected adolescents and young adults. Adherence to antiretroviral treatment leads to decreased morbidity and mortality and decreases the number of hospitalizations. However, these clinical achievements can only occur when young persons with HIV are adherent to care. Unfortunately, adolescents and young adults have poorer rates of adherence to antiretroviral medications and poorer rates of retention in care than older adults. Novel and engaging digital approaches are needed to help adolescents and young adults living with HIV be adherent to treatment. The aim of this study was to develop an immersive, action-oriented iPhone gaming intervention to improve adherence to antiretroviral medication and treatment. Game development was guided by social learning theory, taking into consideration the perspectives of adolescents and young adults living with HIV. A total of 20 adolescents and young adults were recruited from an HIV care clinic in Rhode Island, and they participated in qualitative interviews guided by the information-motivation-behavioral skills model of behavior change. The mean age of participants was 22 years, 60% (12/20) of the participants identified as male, and 60% (12/20) of the sample reported missing a dose of antiretroviral medication in the previous week. Acceptability of the game was assessed with client service questionnaire and session evaluation form. A number of themes emerged that informed game development. Adolescents and young adults living with HIV desired informational game content that included new and comprehensive details about HIV, details about HIV as it relates to doctors' visits, and general health information. Motivational themes that emerged were the desire for enhancement of future orientation; reinforcement of positive influences from partners, parents, and friends; collaboration with health care providers; decreasing stigma
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Nguyen LT
2014-02-01
Full Text Available Long Thanh Nguyen,1 Bach Xuan Tran,2 Cuong Tuan Tran,1 Huong Thi Le,1 Son Van Tran1 1Authority of HIV/AIDS Control, Ministry of Health, Hanoi, Vietnam; 2Institute for Preventive Medicine and Public Health, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam Introduction: Antiretroviral treatment (ART services are estimated to account for 30% of the total resources needed for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS control and prevention in Vietnam during the 2011–2020 timeframe. With international funding decreasing, determining the total cost of HIV/AIDS treatment is necessary in order to develop a master plan for the transition of ART services delivery and management. We analyzed the costs of HIV/AIDS treatment paid by both HIV programs and patients in a central outpatient clinic, and we explored factors associated with the capacity of patients to pay for this service. Methods: Patients (n=315 receiving ART in the Department of Infectious Diseases at Bach Mai Hospital, Hanoi, Vietnam, were interviewed. Patient records and expenses were reviewed. Results: The total cost of ART per patient was US$611 (75% from health care providers, 25% from patients or their families. The cost of a second-line regimen was found to be 2.7 times higher than the first-line regimen cost. Most outpatients (73.3% were able to completely pay for all of their ART expenses. Capacity to pay for ART was influenced by five factors, including marital status, distance from house to clinic, patient's monthly income, household economic condition, and health insurance status. Most of the patients (84.8% would have been willing to pay for health insurance if a copayment scheme for ART were to be introduced. Conclusion: This study provides evidence on payment capacity of HIV/AIDS patients in Vietnam and supplies information on ART costs from both provider and patient perspectives. In particular, results from this study suggest that earlier access to ART
Zhang, S.
2015-01-01
Despite treatment with combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), patients may experience viraemia at different levels and for varying periods of time, and CD4 count recovery, even in patients with sustained virus suppression, frequently remains suboptimal. We studied the characteristics of episodes of
Insulin resistance induced by antiretroviral drugs: Current ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has improved the prognosis of patients with AIDS, but it has also increased the incidence of various metabolic disorders, in particular insulin resistance accompanied by dyslipidaemia, hyperglycaemia and lipodystrophy. This is often accompanied by frank type 2 ...
Mukumbang, Ferdinand C; Van Belle, Sara; Marchal, Bruno; van Wyk, Brian
2017-05-04
Poor retention in care and non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) continue to undermine the success of HIV treatment and care programmes across the world. There is a growing recognition that multifaceted interventions - application of two or more adherence-enhancing strategies - may be useful to improve ART adherence and retention in care among people living with HIV/AIDS. Empirical evidence shows that multifaceted interventions produce better results than interventions based on a singular perspective. Nevertheless, the bundle of mechanisms by which multifaceted interventions promote ART adherence are poorly understood. In this paper, we reviewed theories on ART adherence to identify candidate/potential mechanisms by which the adherence club intervention works. We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, PsycARTICLES and Google Scholar) using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms. A manual search of citations from the reference list of the studies identified from the electronic databases was also done. Twenty-six articles that adopted a theory-guided inquiry of antiretroviral adherence behaviour were included for the review. Eleven cognitive and behavioural theories underpinning these studies were explored. We examined each theory for possible 'generative causality' using the realist evaluation heuristic (Context-Mechanism-Outcome) configuration, then, we selected candidate mechanisms thematically. We identified three major sets of theories: Information-Motivation-Behaviour, Social Action Theory and Health Behaviour Model, which explain ART adherence. Although they show potential in explaining adherence bebahiours, they fall short in explaining exactly why and how the various elements they outline combine to explain positive or negative outcomes. Candidate mechanisms indentified were motivation, self-efficacy, perceived social support, empowerment, perceived threat, perceived benefits and perceived barriers. Although these candidate
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Rami Kantor
2005-04-01
Full Text Available The genetic differences among HIV-1 subtypes may be critical to clinical management and drug resistance surveillance as antiretroviral treatment is expanded to regions of the world where diverse non-subtype-B viruses predominate.To assess the impact of HIV-1 subtype and antiretroviral treatment on the distribution of mutations in protease and reverse transcriptase, a binomial response model using subtype and treatment as explanatory variables was used to analyze a large compiled dataset of non-subtype-B HIV-1 sequences. Non-subtype-B sequences from 3,686 persons with well characterized antiretroviral treatment histories were analyzed in comparison to subtype B sequences from 4,769 persons. The non-subtype-B sequences included 461 with subtype A, 1,185 with C, 331 with D, 245 with F, 293 with G, 513 with CRF01_AE, and 618 with CRF02_AG. Each of the 55 known subtype B drug-resistance mutations occurred in at least one non-B isolate, and 44 (80% of these mutations were significantly associated with antiretroviral treatment in at least one non-B subtype. Conversely, of 67 mutations found to be associated with antiretroviral therapy in at least one non-B subtype, 61 were also associated with antiretroviral therapy in subtype B isolates.Global surveillance and genotypic assessment of drug resistance should focus primarily on the known subtype B drug-resistance mutations.
Start-up of a UASB effluent treatment plant on distillery wastewater ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
This paper reports on the seasonal operation of a UASB treatment plant treating a distillery wastewater stream with particular focus on seasonal start-up conditions after the first process commissioning. The start-up period was typically one week before process stability could be achieved. It is recommended that the loading ...
Self-reported adverse reactions among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy in Brazil
Pádua,Cristiane A. Menezes de; César,Cibele C.; Bonolo,Palmira F.; Acurcio,Francisco A.; Guimarães,Mark Drew C.
2007-01-01
A cross-sectional analysis was carried out to describe adverse reactions to antiretroviral therapy (ART) reported by HIV-infected patients initiating treatment at two public health AIDS referral centers in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, 2001-2003 and to verify their association with selected variables. Adverse reactions were obtained through interview at the first follow-up visit (first month) after the antiretroviral prescription. Socio-demographic and behavioral variables related to ART were obtai...
Pakker, NG; Otto, SA; Hall, D; Wit, FWNM; Hamann, D; van der Ende, Marchina E.; Claessen, FAP; Kauffmann, RH; Koopmans, PP; Sprenger, HG; Weigel, HM; Montaner, JSG; Lange, JMA; Reiss, P; Schellekens, PTA; Miedema, F; Ten Napel, Chris H. H.
1999-01-01
Background: Current antiretroviral treatment can induce significant and sustained virological and immunological responses in HIV-1-infected persons over at least the short- to mid-term. Objectives: In this study, long-term immune reconstitution was investigated during highly active antiretroviral
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Ngo-Giang-Huong, Nicole; Wittkop, Linda; Judd, Ali
2016-01-01
BACKGROUND: Few studies have evaluated the impact of pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR) on response to combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) in children. The objective of this joint EuroCoord-CHAIN-EPPICC/PENTA project was to assess the prevalence of PDR mutations and their association...... algorithm to infer resistance to prescribed drugs. Time to virological failure (VF) was defined as the first of two consecutive HIV-RNA > 500 copies/mL after 6 months cART and was assessed by Cox proportional hazards models. All models were adjusted for baseline demographic, clinical, immunology.......7-5.7). Of 37 children (7.8 %, 95 % confidence interval (CI), 5.5-10.6) harboring a virus with ≥1 PDR mutations, 30 children had a virus resistant to ≥1 of the prescribed drugs. Overall, the cumulative Kaplan-Meier estimate for virological failure was 19.8 % (95 %CI, 16.4-23.9). Cumulative risk for VF tended...
Fogel, Jessica M; Taha, Taha E; Sun, Jin; Hoover, Donald R; Parsons, Teresa L; Kumwenda, Johnstone J; Mofenson, Lynne M; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Hendrix, Craig W; Kumwenda, Newton I; Eshleman, Susan H; Mirochnick, Mark
2012-08-15
First-line antiretroviral treatment regimens in resource-limited settings used in breastfeeding mothers often include stavudine (d4T). Limited data describing d4T concentrations in breast milk are available. We analyzed d4T concentrations in 52 mother-infant pairs using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lower limit of quantification: 5 ng/mL in plasma, 20 ng/mL in breast milk). Median (interquartile range) d4T concentrations were 86 (36-191) ng/mL in maternal plasma, 151 (48-259) ng/mL in whole milk, 190 (58-296) ng/mL in skim milk, and <5 (<5 to <5) ng/mL in infant plasma. Although d4T is concentrated in breast milk relative to maternal plasma, the infant d4T dose received from breast milk is very small and not clinically significant.
Tareke, Minale; Addisu, Fikir; Abate, Andargie
2018-05-01
The magnitude of depression is not well investigated among people living with HIV/AIDS. Thus, this research aimed to assess the magnitude of depression and its influencing factors among people living with HIV/AIDS attending government institutions in Bahir Dar City, North West, Ethiopia. institution based-cross-sectional study was done among randomly selected 415 people living with HIV/AIDS attending antiretroviral therapy program in Bahir Dar city, Ethiopia. Socio-demographic data and medical histories for all respondents were collected using interviewer-administered structured questionnaire. We assessed the odds of association of patient characteristics with depression was assessed using multiple logistic regression. The relative effect estimates of the respective factors were presented with odds ratio accompanied by their 95% uncertainty intervals. From 407 people living with HIV/AIDS interviewed, 198(48.6%) of them had depression. Social support, HIV clinical staging, total daily pill burden, treatment regimen and adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy were significantly associated with depression. The magnitude of depression among people living with HIV/AIDS was found to be high. Early mental health screening should be done for people living with HIV/AIDS. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Evaluation of HIV/AIDS patients' knowledge on antiretroviral drugs
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Regina Flávia de Castro Almeida
Full Text Available Lack of information on antiretroviral drugs or the misunderstanding of available information can facilitate incorrect use of such drugs. This can result in non-adherence to the prescribed regimen, leading to a great possibility of a therapeutic failure. The aim of this study was to know which information HIV/AIDS patients, who receive their medicines at the pharmacy of a reference hospital in the northeast Brazil, have on the drugs they use, the source of this information and whether there is a need for additional information. A total of 195 HIV/AIDS patients, who were using either zidovudina + lamivudina 300+150mg (AZT+3TC, efavirenz 600mg (EFZ or lopinavir/ritonavir 133.33/33mg (LPV/r, were interviewed. The mean age was 41 years (SD = 9.55 and 70.8% were males. Of the total, 55.4% didn't know the effect of the drug in the organism; 35.9% were unaware of the necessity of taking antiretroviral drugs for the rest of their lives; only 14.4% knew how to proceed when a dosage was missed; 22.1% said they could die and the same number of individuals believed in aggravation of the disease in case of treatment interruption. The majority, 68.2%, considered it very necessary to receive drug information. The results show that there is an apparent lack of general information among users of antiretroviral drugs, and at the same time a need for it. It is necessary that all professionals involved in the health care of the patients agree that an efficient supply of information on prescribed drugs is an ethical component of the treatment that favors and fosters its adherence.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Pedersen, Karin K; Pedersen, Maria; Gaardbo, Julie C
2013-01-01
Impaired cognitive function in HIV-infected patients has been suggested. Treatment with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) restores CD4⁺ cell counts and suppresses viral replication, but immune activation and inflammation may persist. The aim of the study was to examine if cognitive function...
Antunes, Mario; Schiavone, Marcella; Pizzol, Damiano; Di Gennaro, Francesco; Ludovico, Rossana; De Palma, Angela
2018-05-11
Gynecomastia is a common finding in males, with an incidence that varies widely globally. In 10-25% of cases, it is caused by drugs. Its pathophysiologic mechanism includes exposure to exogenous estrogens and medications that cause hypogonadism, antiandrogenic effects and hyperprolactinemia. Gynecomastia is associated with exposure to antiretroviral therapy (ART), particularly efavirenz. Sometimes surgery may be required as treatment. We report a case of a 46-year-old man receiving ART presenting with a marked bilateral breast enlargement who underwent bilateral mastectomy as the only successful treatment in a low-income setting.
Adherence to antiretroviral therapy and its determinants in AIDS patients: review article
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Hajiabdolbaghi M
2008-10-01
Full Text Available "n Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE AR-SA MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:Arial; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} There are limited published investigations about adherence to antiretroviral and its determinants. Many determinants influence on adherence to therapy. The effects of some determinants on adherence are controversial. More studies are needed to be fulfilled about adherence and its determinants to compile strategies. Key to the success of antiretroviral therapies is the ability and willingness of HIV-positive individuals to adhere to antiretroviral regimens. There are different definitions for full adherence. In the most studies, adherence is defined as taking ≥95% of prescribed medication. Adherence rate needs to be >95% to prevent virologic failure and for complete supper-ssion. The consequences of poor adherence include not only diminished benefits for the patient, but also the public health threat of the emergence of multidrug-resistant viruses, as these resistant strains can then be transmitted from a patient to their contacts. Evaluating adherence has proven to be difficult and there is no gold standard for evaluating adherence to medication. Adherence is assessed in various ways. The most studies evaluate adherence to treatment by using patient's self report and the pill count method but these are methods
Effectiveness of etravirine-based therapy for treatment-experienced HIV-infected patients.
Huerta García, Gloria; Mata-Marín, José Antonio; Domínguez-Hermosillo, Juan Carlos; Chavez-García, Marcelino; Banda-Lara, Marco Issac; Nuñez-Rodríguez, Nohemi; Cruz-Herrera, Javier Enrique; Sandoval-Ramírez, Jorge Luis; Villagómez-Ruiz, Alfredo; Manjarrez-Tellez, Bulmaro; Gaytan-Martínez, Jesús Enrique
2016-06-30
Treatment options are limited for HIV-1-infected individuals who have received extensive previous antiretroviral therapy. ETV has shown significant clinical benefits in treatment-experienced HIV-1+ patients with antiretroviral resistance. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ETV plus optimized background regimen in real-life conditions in a cohort of highly HIV-1 antiretroviral-experienced patients. Retrospective cohort of treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected adults with virological failure who started therapy with an ETV-containing regimen. The effectiveness was evaluated using HIV-1 RNA viral load and changes in CD4+ cell count after 48 weeks of treatment. Forty-two patients ≥ 16 years of age were included; 74% were men, and the median age was 45 years (IQR 41-53). All participants had prior non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor use (55% nevirapine, 83%, efavirenz, and 28% both). Baseline median HIV-1 RNA viral load was 15,598 copies/mL (IQR 2651-84,175) and CD4+ cell count was 276 cells/mL (IQR 155-436). After 48 weeks of treatment, 90.5% (95% CI 78-96) of patients had HIV-1 RNA viral load treatment to a median of 407 cells/mL (IQR 242-579); p HIV-1 RNA viral load ≥ 100,000 copies/mL (OR 7.6; 95% CI 1.2-44.80; p = 0.025). Our study provides clinically important evidence of the effectiveness and safety of ETV in highly antiretroviral-experienced HIV-1-infected patients.
Access to antiretroviral drugs and AIDS management in Senegal.
Desclaux, Alice; Ciss, Mounirou; Taverne, Bernard; Sow, Papa S; Egrot, Marc; Faye, Mame A; Lanièce, Isabelle; Sylla, Omar; Delaporte, Eric; Ndoye, Ibrahima
2003-07-01
Description and analysis of the Senegalese Antiretroviral Drug Access Initiative (ISAARV), the first governmental highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment programme in Africa, launched in 1998. ISAARV was initially an experimental project designed to evaluate the feasibility, efficacy and acceptability of HAART in an African context. It was based on four principles: collective definition of the strategy, with involvement of the health professionals who would be called on to execute the programme; matching the objectives to available means (gradual enrollment according to drug availability); monitoring by several research programmes; and ongoing adaptation of treatment and follow-up according to the latest international recommendations. Persons qualifying for antiretroviral (ARV) therapy are selected on the basis of immunological and clinical criteria, regardless of economic and social considerations. A system of subsidies was created to favor access to ARV. Following the ARV price reductions that occurred in November 2000, 100% subsidies were created for the poorest participants. Optimal adherence was ensured by monthly follow-up by pharmacists and support groups held by social workers and patient associations. The chosen supply and distribution system allowed drug dispensing to be strictly controlled. The ISAARV programme demonstrates that HAART can be successfully prescribed in Africa. This experience has served as the basis for the creation of a national treatment programme in Senegal planned to treat 7000 patients by 2006.
Pregnancy Outcome of HIV-Infected Women on Anti-Retroviral ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
User
antiretroviral treatment (ARVs) to HIV-positive pregnant women. The aim of this ..... possible should be considered a vital means of reducing the maternal mortality and other adverse maternal .... load suppression, and pregnancy outcomes.
Adherence to antiretrovirals in refugees and asylum seekers.
Nwoguh, Francisca
Adherence to antiretroviral regimes is essential in effective management of HIV. The cultural, social, religious and immigration status of refugees and asylum seekers can have an impact on their understanding of their care needs and maintenance of their treatment regimen.
Complications of HIV Disease and Antiretroviral Therapy
Luetkemeyer, Anne F.; Havlir, Diane V.; Currier, Judith S.
2010-01-01
There is growing interest in the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of long-term complications of HIV disease and its therapies. Specifically, studies focused on cardiovascular, renal, bone, and fat abnormalities were prominent at the 17th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Although enthusiasm about the effectiveness of current antiretroviral therapy remains strong, collectively, the ongoing work in the area of HIV disease and treatment complications appears to refl...
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Marie Ballif
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Combination antiretroviral treatment (cART has been very successful, especially among selected patients in clinical trials. The aim of this study was to describe outcomes of cART on the population level in a large national cohort. METHODS: Characteristics of participants of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study on stable cART at two semiannual visits in 2007 were analyzed with respect to era of treatment initiation, number of previous virologically failed regimens and self reported adherence. Starting ART in the mono/dual era before HIV-1 RNA assays became available was counted as one failed regimen. Logistic regression was used to identify risk factors for virological failure between the two consecutive visits. RESULTS: Of 4541 patients 31.2% and 68.8% had initiated therapy in the mono/dual and cART era, respectively, and been on treatment for a median of 11.7 vs. 5.7 years. At visit 1 in 2007, the mean number of previous failed regimens was 3.2 vs. 0.5 and the viral load was undetectable (4 previous failures compared to 1 were 0.9 (95% CI 0.4-1.7, 0.8 (0.4-1.6, 1.6 (0.8-3.2, 3.3 (1.7-6.6 respectively, and 2.3 (1.1-4.8 for >2 missed cART doses during the last month, compared to perfect adherence. From the cART era, odds ratios with a history of 1, 2 and >2 previous failures compared to none were 1.8 (95% CI 1.3-2.5, 2.8 (1.7-4.5 and 7.8 (4.5-13.5, respectively, and 2.8 (1.6-4.8 for >2 missed cART doses during the last month, compared to perfect adherence. CONCLUSIONS: A higher number of previous virologically failed regimens, and imperfect adherence to therapy were independent predictors of imminent virological failure.
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Richard K. Brantley
Full Text Available Advanced HIV infection is frequently complicated by diarrhea, disruption of bowel structure and function, and malnutrition. Resulting malabsorption of or pharmacokinetic changes in antiretroviral agents might lead to subtherapeutic drug dosing and treatment failure in individual patients, and could require dose adjustment and/or dietary supplements during periods of diarrheal illness. We determined the plasma levels of antiretroviral medications in patients that had already been started on medication by their physicians in an urban infectious diseases hospital in northeast Brazil. We also obtained blood samples from patients hospitalized for diarrhea or AIDS-associated wasting, and we found reduced stavudine and didanosine levels in comparison with outpatients without diarrhea or wasting who had been treated at the same hospital clinic. There was a predominance of the protozoal pathogens Cryptosporidium and Isospora belli, typical opportunistic pathogens of AIDS-infected humans, in the stool samples of inpatients with diarrhea. We conclude that severe diarrhea and wasting in this population is associated with both protozoal pathogens and subtherapeutic levels of antiretroviral medications.
de Freitas, Marcelo Araújo; Miranda, Angélica Espinosa; Pascom, Ana Roberta Pati; de Oliveira, Silvano Barbosa; Mesquita, Fabio; Ford, Nathan
2016-11-01
To describe the antiretroviral therapy status of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who died of AIDS-related causes between 2009 and 2013. We conducted a cross-sectional, population-based study. Data were obtained by linking the mortality information system and the national ART dispensing database. Trends were modelled using linear regression analysis. A total of 61 425 AIDS-related deaths were registered in Brazil between 2009 and 2013. Median age at death was 41 years (IQR: 33-49), and 65.7% (40 337) of deaths were among men; 47.2% (29 004) of PLHIV who died during the study period had never started treatment, 7.0% (4274) had discontinued it, 15.9% (9775) were on ART for 6 months or less and 29.9% (18 372) were on ART for more than 6 months. Only 1.3% of PLHIV were on third-line ARV regimens when they died. AIDS-related mortality remains a challenge even in a context of sustained universal access to antiretroviral treatment due to failure of service provision, not to therapy failure. Robust health policies closing gaps in the HIV continuum of care are crucial to further reduce mortality. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Dyslipidemia in HIV Infected Children Receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.
Mandal, Anirban; Mukherjee, Aparna; Lakshmy, R; Kabra, Sushil K; Lodha, Rakesh
2016-03-01
To assess the prevalence of dyslipidemia and lipodystrophy in Indian children receiving non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) based highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and to determine the associated risk factors for the same. The present cross-sectional study was conducted at a Pediatric Clinic of a tertiary care teaching center in India, from May 2011 through December 2012. HIV infected children aged 5-15 y were enrolled if they did not have any severe disease or hospital admission within last 3 mo or receive any medications known to affect the lipid profile. Eighty-one children were on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 6 mo and 16 were receiving no antiretroviral therapy (ART). Participants' sociodemographic, nutritional, clinical, and laboratory data were recorded in addition to anthropometry and evidence of lipodystrophy. Fasting lipid profile, apolipoprotein A1 and B levels were done for all the children. Among the children on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), 38.3 % had dyslipidemia and 80.2 % had lipodystrophy, while 25 % antiretroviral therapy (ART) naïve HIV infected children had dyslipidemia. No clinically significant risk factors could be identified that increased the risk of dyslipidemia or lipodystrophy in children on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). There is a high prevalence of dyslipidemia and lipodystrophy in Indian children with HIV infection with an imminent need to establish facilities for testing and treatment of these children for metabolic abnormalities.
Implementation and effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy in Greenland
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Lohse, N.; Ladefoged, K.; Obel, N.
2008-01-01
Analyses from the Danish HIV Cohort Study showed that, despite comparable economic means and general education of healthcare personnel, antiretroviral treatment of HIV in Greenland began later and has been implemented at a slower pace with lower therapeutic effectiveness than in Denmark. However...
Antiretroviral therapy programme outcomes in Tshwane district ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Objectives. To ascertain patient retention on ART after 5 years on treatment in one district of Gauteng Province, SA, establish the number of patients ... A retrospective cohort study of patients initiated on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between January and March .... ferred-out patients from the total of 381 leaves.
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Ferdinand C. Mukumbang
2017-05-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Poor retention in care and non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART continue to undermine the success of HIV treatment and care programmes across the world. There is a growing recognition that multifaceted interventions – application of two or more adherence-enhancing strategies – may be useful to improve ART adherence and retention in care among people living with HIV/AIDS. Empirical evidence shows that multifaceted interventions produce better results than interventions based on a singular perspective. Nevertheless, the bundle of mechanisms by which multifaceted interventions promote ART adherence are poorly understood. In this paper, we reviewed theories on ART adherence to identify candidate/potential mechanisms by which the adherence club intervention works. Methods We searched five electronic databases (PubMed, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, PsycARTICLES and Google Scholar using Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms. A manual search of citations from the reference list of the studies identified from the electronic databases was also done. Twenty-six articles that adopted a theory-guided inquiry of antiretroviral adherence behaviour were included for the review. Eleven cognitive and behavioural theories underpinning these studies were explored. We examined each theory for possible ‘generative causality’ using the realist evaluation heuristic (Context-Mechanism-Outcome configuration, then, we selected candidate mechanisms thematically. Results We identified three major sets of theories: Information-Motivation-Behaviour, Social Action Theory and Health Behaviour Model, which explain ART adherence. Although they show potential in explaining adherence bebahiours, they fall short in explaining exactly why and how the various elements they outline combine to explain positive or negative outcomes. Candidate mechanisms indentified were motivation, self-efficacy, perceived social support, empowerment, perceived threat, perceived
Santoro, Maria Mercedes; Di Carlo, Domenico; Armenia, Daniele; Zaccarelli, Mauro; Pinnetti, Carmela; Colafigli, Manuela; Prati, Francesca; Boschi, Andrea; Antoni, Anna Maria Degli; Lagi, Filippo; Sighinolfi, Laura; Gervasoni, Cristina; Andreoni, Massimo; Antinori, Andrea; Mussini, Cristina; Perno, Carlo Federico; Borghi, Vanni; Sterrantino, Gaetana
2017-09-22
Virological success (VS) and immunological reconstitution (IR) of antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients with pre-therapy viral load (VL) >500,000 copies/ml was assessed after 12 months of treatment according to initial drug-class regimens. An observational multicentre retrospective study was performed. VS was defined as the first VL 500,000 copies/ml who start a first-line regimen containing PI+INI or NNRTI yield a better VS compared to those receiving a PI-based regimen.
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Cattaneo, Richard [Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Hanna, Rabbie K. [Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Women' s Health Services, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Jacobsen, Gordon [Public Health Science, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan (United States); Elshaikh, Mohamed A., E-mail: melshai1@hfhs.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan (United States)
2014-03-15
Purpose: Adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) has been shown to improve local control in patients with endometrial carcinoma. We analyzed the impact of the time interval between hysterectomy and RT initiation in patients with endometrial carcinoma. Methods and Materials: In this institutional review board-approved study, we identified 308 patients with endometrial carcinoma who received adjuvant RT after hysterectomy. All patients had undergone hysterectomy, oophorectomy, and pelvic and para-aortic lymph node evaluation from 1988 to 2010. Patients' demographics, pathologic features, and treatments were compared. The time interval between hysterectomy and the start of RT was calculated. The effects of time interval on recurrence-free (RFS), disease-specific (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were calculated. Following univariate analysis, multivariate modeling was performed. Results: The median age and follow-up for the study cohort was 65 years and 72 months, respectively. Eighty-five percent of the patients had endometrioid carcinoma. RT was delivered with high-dose-rate brachytherapy alone (29%), pelvic RT alone (20%), or both (51%). Median time interval to start RT was 42 days (range, 21-130 days). A total of 269 patients (74%) started their RT <9 weeks after undergoing hysterectomy (group 1) and 26% started ≥9 weeks after surgery (group 2). There were a total of 43 recurrences. Tumor recurrence was significantly associated with treatment delay of ≥9 weeks, with 5-year RFS of 90% for group 1 compared to only 39% for group 2 (P<.001). On multivariate analysis, RT delay of ≥9 weeks (P<.001), presence of lymphovascular space involvement (P=.001), and higher International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics grade (P=.012) were independent predictors of recurrence. In addition, RT delay of ≥9 weeks was an independent significant predictor for worse DSS and OS (P=.001 and P=.01, respectively). Conclusions: Delay in administering adjuvant RT after
Ameni, Gobena
2016-01-01
OBJECTIVES The survival rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving treatment in Ethiopia is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the survival rate and predictors of mortality among HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at Jinka Hospital, South Omo, Ethiopia. METHODS A 6-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using 350 patient records drawn from 1,899 patients on ART at Jinka Hospital from September 2010 to August 2015. The data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier statistics and Cox regression models. RESULTS Of the 350 study participants, 315 (90.0%) were censored and 35 (10.0%) died. Twenty-two (62.9%) of the deaths occurred during the first year of treatment. The total follow-up encompassed 1,995 person-years, with an incidence rate of 1.75 deaths per 100 person-years. The mean survival time of patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was 30.84±19.57 months. The overall survival of patients on HAART was 64.00% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.85 to 66.21%) at 72 months of follow-up. The significant predictors of mortality included non-disclosure of HIV status (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 5.82; 95% CI, 1.91 to 17.72), a history of tuberculosis (aHR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.41 to 3.51), and ambulatory (aHR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.20 to 8.86) or bedridden (aHR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.30 to 17.27) functional status, World Health Organization (WHO) clinical stage IV illness (aHR, 24.97; 95% CI, 2.75 to 26.45), and substance abusers (aHR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.39 to 9.97). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a history of tuberculosis treatment, ambulatory or bedridden functional status, or advanced WHO clinical stage disease, as well substance abusers, should be carefully monitored, particularly in the first few months after initiating antiretroviral therapy. Patients should also be encouraged to disclose their status to their relatives. PMID:27820957
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Erdaw Tachbele
2016-11-01
Full Text Available OBJECTIVES The survival rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-infected patients receiving treatment in Ethiopia is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the survival rate and predictors of mortality among HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy (ART at Jinka Hospital, South Omo, Ethiopia. METHODS A 6-year retrospective cohort study was conducted using 350 patient records drawn from 1,899 patients on ART at Jinka Hospital from September 2010 to August 2015. The data were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier statistics and Cox regression models. RESULTS Of the 350 study participants, 315 (90.0% were censored and 35 (10.0% died. Twenty-two (62.9% of the deaths occurred during the first year of treatment. The total follow-up encompassed 1,995 person-years, with an incidence rate of 1.75 deaths per 100 person-years. The mean survival time of patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART was 30.84±19.57 months. The overall survival of patients on HAART was 64.00% (95% confidence interval [CI], 61.85 to 66.21% at 72 months of follow-up. The significant predictors of mortality included non-disclosure of HIV status (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 5.82; 95% CI, 1.91 to 17.72, a history of tuberculosis (aHR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.41 to 3.51, and ambulatory (aHR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.20 to 8.86 or bedridden (aHR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.30 to 17.27 functional status, World Health Organization (WHO clinical stage IV illness (aHR, 24.97; 95% CI, 2.75 to 26.45, and substance abusers (aHR, 3.72; 95% CI, 1.39 to 9.97. CONCLUSIONS Patients with a history of tuberculosis treatment, ambulatory or bedridden functional status, or advanced WHO clinical stage disease, as well substance abusers, should be carefully monitored, particularly in the first few months after initiating antiretroviral therapy. Patients should also be encouraged to disclose their status to their relatives.
Weldegebreal, Fitsum; Digaffe, Tesfaye; Mesfin, Frehiwot; Mitiku, Habtamu
2018-01-01
Nutritional care is considered a crucial component of comprehensive care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), particularly in resource-limited settings where malnutrition and food insecurity are endemic problems, and low quality monotonous diets are the norm. The findings of this study provide baseline information on dietary diversity and related factors for health care providers so that they will be able to improve nutritional care and support activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess dietary diversity and associated factors among HIV positive adults (18-65 years old) attending antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinics at Hiwot Fana and Dilchora Hospitals, eastern Ethiopia. An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to February 2016 at the ART clinics of Hiwot Fana and Dilchora Hospitals. Using a systematic random sampling technique, a total of 303 patients were selected from all adults attending the ART clinics. The data were collected with a 95% CI used to show association between dietary diversity and independent factors. A total of 303 adult HIV positive individuals on ART participated in the study and 62.4% were females. The largest numbers of participants (49.5%) were 30-40 years of age. Eighty-seven (28.7%) participants had low dietary diversity (≤4 food groups). Duration of anti-retroviral treatment was the factor significantly associated with dietary diversity: respondents with a duration of antiretroviral treatment of more than 2 years were almost two times more likely to have high dietary diversity compared with those with less than a year of antiretroviral treatment (adjusted odds ratio =0.490; 95% CI: 0.091, 0.978). Low dietary diversity was found to be a nutritional problem among HIV positive adults. Duration of antiretroviral treatment was the predictor of low dietary diversity. Therefore, appropriate dietary management of side effects of ART is important.
Hidden costs of HIV treatment in Spain: inefficiency of the antiretroviral drug packaging.
Llibre-Codina, Josep M; Andreu-Crespo, Angels; Cardona-Peitx, Gloria; Sala-Piñol, Ferran; Clotet-Sala, Bonaventura; Bonafont-Pujol, Xavier
2014-01-01
Antiretroviral drugs in Spain are delivered by law only in hospital pharmacies. Commercial packages meet variable quality standards when dispensed drugs are returned due to treatment changes or adherence problems Nearly 20-25% of the initial regimens will be changed at 48 weeks for different reasons. We evaluated the economic impact on public health system of the inability of using returned drugs due to inefficient packaging. We defined socially efficient packaging as the best adapted one to being delivered in unit dose to outpatients and classified: Class A - Drug packed in unit doses with complete info (name of drug, dosage in mg, lot, and expiring date) in each unit, maintaining complete information of the drug if returned when the external package is opened. Class B - packed in blisters with complete info in the blister, but not in unit doses, without special conservation conditions (should be re-packed in unit doses in the pharmacy before its dispensation to assure a class A excellence). Class C - packed in plastic containers with complete info written only on a label over the container, would allow repackaging only before its initial delivery, but not when returned. Class D - drug packed in plastic containers with manufacturer's warning that the product cannot be placed outside of the original package due to special conditions of conservation (fridge, humidity) that doesn't allow a unit dose repackaging or reusing an opened container. We analysed a 12-month period (July 2011-June 2012) in a hospital-based HIV outpatient pharmacy that serves 2413 treated individuals. Patients generated 23,574 visits to pharmacy, and received 48,325 drug packages, with 2.529.137 pills delivered. The patients suffered 1051 treatment changes for any reason. A total amount of 122.945€ in treatment were returned to pharmacy in opened packages during the study period. 47.139.91€ would be totally lost, mainly due to being packaged in class C and D boxes, the equivalent of
Rossetti, Barbara; Bianco, Claudia; Bellazzi, Lara Ines; Bruzzone, Bianca; Colao, Grazia; Corsi, Paola; Monno, Laura; Pagano, Gabriella; Paolucci, Stefania; Punzi, Grazia; Setti, Maurizio; Zazzi, Maurizio; De Luca, Andrea
2014-01-01
We assessed the immunovirological response to antiretroviral regimens containing maraviroc in HIV-infected viremic patients with viral tropism predicted by different assays. We selected antiretroviral treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected patients initiating regimens containing maraviroc after different phenotypic or genotypic viral tropism assays, with at least one HIV-1 RNA determination during follow-up. Survival analysis was employed to assess the virological response as time to HIV-1 RNA immunological response as time to a CD4 cell count increase of ≥ 100/μl from baseline. Predictors of these outcomes were analyzed by multivariate Cox regression models. In 191 treatments with maraviroc, virological response was achieved in 65.4% and the response was modestly influenced by the baseline viral load and concomitant drug activity but not influenced by the type of tropism assay employed. Immunological response was achieved in 58.1%; independent predictors were baseline HIV-1 RNA (per log10 higher: HR 1.29, 95% CI 1.05-1.60) and concomitant therapy with enfuvirtide (HR 2.05, 0.96-4.39) but not tropism assay results. Of 17 patients with baseline R5-tropic virus and available tropism results while viremic during follow-up on maraviroc, seven (41%) showed a tropism switch to non-R5 virus. A significant proportion of experienced patients treated with regimens containing maraviroc achieved virological response. The tropism test type used was not associated with immunovirological response and concomitant treatment with enfuvirtide increased the chance of immunological response. More than half of virological failures with maraviroc were not accompanied by tropism switch.
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Justen Manasa
Full Text Available To determine the frequency and patterns of acquired antiretroviral drug resistance in a rural primary health care programme in South Africa.Cross-sectional study nested within HIV treatment programme.Adult (≥ 18 years HIV-infected individuals initially treated with a first-line stavudine- or zidovudine-based antiretroviral therapy (ART regimen and with evidence of virological failure (one viral load >1000 copies/ml were enrolled from 17 rural primary health care clinics. Genotypic resistance testing was performed using the in-house SATuRN/Life Technologies system. Sequences were analysed and genotypic susceptibility scores (GSS for standard second-line regimens were calculated using the Stanford HIVDB 6.0.5 algorithms.A total of 222 adults were successfully genotyped for HIV drug resistance between December 2010 and March 2012. The most common regimens at time of genotype were stavudine, lamivudine and efavirenz (51%; and stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine (24%. Median duration of ART was 42 months (interquartile range (IQR 32-53 and median duration of antiretroviral failure was 27 months (IQR 17-40. One hundred and ninety one (86% had at least one drug resistance mutation. For 34 individuals (15%, the GSS for the standard second-line regimen was <2, suggesting a significantly compromised regimen. In univariate analysis, individuals with a prior nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI substitution were more likely to have a GSS <2 than those on the same NRTIs throughout (odds ratio (OR 5.70, 95% confidence interval (CI 2.60-12.49.There are high levels of drug resistance in adults with failure of first-line antiretroviral therapy in this rural primary health care programme. Standard second-line regimens could potentially have had reduced efficacy in about one in seven adults involved.
Comparison of Self-report to Biomarkers of Recent HIV Infection: Findings from the START Trial.
Schlusser, Katherine E; Sharma, Shweta; de la Torre, Pola; Tambussi, Giuseppe; Draenert, Rika; Pinto, Angie N; Metcalf, Julia A; German, Danielle; Neaton, James D; Laeyendecker, Oliver
2018-02-09
Identifying individuals with recent HIV infection is critical to research related to viral reservoirs, outbreak investigations and intervention applications. A multi-assay algorithm (MAA) for recency of infection was used in conjunction with self-reported date of infection and documented date of diagnosis to estimate the number of participants recently infected in the Strategic Timing of AntiRetroviral Treatment (START) trial. We tested samples for three groups of participants from START using a MAA: (1) 167 individuals who reported being infected ≤ 6 months before randomization; (2) 771 individuals who did not know their date of infection but were diagnosed within 6 months before randomization; and (3) as controls for the MAA, 199 individuals diagnosed with HIV ≥ 2 years before randomization. Participants with low titer and avidity and a baseline viral load > 400 copies/mL were classified as recently infected. A significantly higher percentage of participants who self-reported being infected ≤ 6 months were classified as recently infected compared to participants diagnosed ≥ 2 years (65% [109/167] vs. 2.5% [5/199], p START were infected within 6 months of randomization. Compared to those not recently infected, these participants were younger, had higher HIV RNA levels and were more likely to come from high income countries and from populations such as MSM with more regular HIV testing.
Acceptability of Early Antiretroviral Therapy Among South African Women.
Garrett, Nigel; Norman, Emily; Leask, Kerry; Naicker, Nivashnee; Asari, Villeshni; Majola, Nelisile; Karim, Quarraisha Abdool; Karim, Salim S Abdool
2018-03-01
WHO guidelines recommend immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals at HIV diagnosis regardless of CD4 count, but concerns remain about potential low uptake or poor adherence among healthy patients with high CD4 counts, especially in resource-limited settings. This study assessed the acceptability of earlier treatment among HIV-positive South African women, median age at enrollment 25 (IQR 22-30), in a 10 year prospective cohort study by (i) describing temporal CD4 count trends at initiation in relation to WHO guidance, (ii) virological suppression rates post-ART initiation at different CD4 count thresholds, and (iii) administration of a standardized questionnaire. 158/232 (68.1%) participants initiated ART between 2006 and 2015. Mean CD4 count at initiation was 217 cells/µl (range 135-372) before 2010, and increased to 531 cells/µl (range 272-1095) by 2015 (p suppression rates at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months were consistently above 85% with no statistically significant differences for participants starting ART at different CD4 count thresholds. A questionnaire assessing uptake of early ART amongst ART-naïve women, median age 28 (IQR 24-33), revealed that 40/51 (78.4%) were willing to start ART at CD4 ≥500. Of those unwilling, 6/11 (54.5%) started ART within 6 months of questionnaire administration. Temporal increases in CD4 counts, comparable virological suppression rates, and positive patient perceptions confirm high acceptability of earlier ART initiation for the majority of patients.
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Kowalska, Justyna D; Reekie, Joanne; Mocroft, Amanda
2012-01-01
were followed from baseline, which was defined as the time of starting cART or enrolment into EuroSIDA whichever occurred later, until death or six months after last follow-up visit. Incidence rates (IR) of death were calculated per 1000 person-years of follow-up (PYFU) and stratified by time...... of exposure to cART (=3 antiretrovirals): 8 years. Duration of cART exposure was the cumulative time actually receiving cART. Poisson regression models were fitted for each cause of death separately. RESULTS:: 1297 patients died during 70613 PYFU (IR 18.3 per 1000 PYFU, 95%CI: 17.4-19.4), 413 due to AIDS (5.......85, 95%CI: 5.28-6.41) and 884 due to non-AIDS-related cause (12.5, 95%CI: 11.7-13.3). After adjustment for confounding variables, including baseline CD4 cell count and HIV RNA, there was a significant decrease in the rate of all-cause and AIDS-related death between 2-3.99 years and longer exposure time...
Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Nepal: a mixed-methods study.
Wasti, Sharada P; Simkhada, Padam; Randall, Julian; Freeman, Jennifer V; van Teijlingen, Edwin
2012-01-01
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a lifesaver for individual patients treated for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Maintaining optimal adherence to antiretroviral drugs is essential for HIV infection management. This study aimed to understand the factors influencing adherence amongst ART-prescribed patients and care providers in Nepal. A cross-sectional mixed-methods study surveying 330 ART-prescribed patients and 34 in-depth interviews with three different types of stakeholders: patients, care providers, and key people at policy level. Adherence was assessed through survey self-reporting and during the interviews. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with adherence, supplemented with a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. A total of 282 (85.5%) respondents reported complete adherence, i.e. no missed doses in the four-weeks prior to interview. Major factors influencing adherence were: non-disclosure of HIV status (OR = 17.99, p = 0.014); alcohol use (OR = 12.89, p = 1 hour (OR = 2.84, p = 0.035). Similarly, lack of knowledge and negative perception towards ART medications also significantly affected non-adherence. Transport costs (for repeat prescription), followed by pills running out, not wanting others to notice, side-effects, and being busy were the most common reasons for non-adherence. The interviews also revealed religious or ritual obstacles, stigma and discrimination, ART-associated costs, transport problems, lack of support, and side-effects as contributing to non-adherence. Improving adherence requires a supportive environment; accessible treatment; clear instructions about regimens; and regimens tailored to individual patients' lifestyles. Healthcare workers should address some of the practical and cultural issues around ART medicine whilst policy-makers should develop appropriate social policy to promote adherence among ART
Factors influencing adherence to antiretroviral treatment in Nepal: a mixed-methods study.
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Sharada P Wasti
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART is a lifesaver for individual patients treated for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS. Maintaining optimal adherence to antiretroviral drugs is essential for HIV infection management. This study aimed to understand the factors influencing adherence amongst ART-prescribed patients and care providers in Nepal. METHODS: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study surveying 330 ART-prescribed patients and 34 in-depth interviews with three different types of stakeholders: patients, care providers, and key people at policy level. Adherence was assessed through survey self-reporting and during the interviews. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with adherence, supplemented with a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. RESULTS: A total of 282 (85.5% respondents reported complete adherence, i.e. no missed doses in the four-weeks prior to interview. Major factors influencing adherence were: non-disclosure of HIV status (OR = 17.99, p = 0.014; alcohol use (OR = 12.89, p = 1 hour (OR = 2.84, p = 0.035. Similarly, lack of knowledge and negative perception towards ART medications also significantly affected non-adherence. Transport costs (for repeat prescription, followed by pills running out, not wanting others to notice, side-effects, and being busy were the most common reasons for non-adherence. The interviews also revealed religious or ritual obstacles, stigma and discrimination, ART-associated costs, transport problems, lack of support, and side-effects as contributing to non-adherence. CONCLUSION: Improving adherence requires a supportive environment; accessible treatment; clear instructions about regimens; and regimens tailored to individual patients' lifestyles. Healthcare workers should address some of the practical and cultural issues around ART medicine whilst policy-makers should develop
Factors Influencing Adherence to Antiretroviral Treatment in Nepal: A Mixed-Methods Study
Wasti, Sharada P.; Simkhada, Padam; Randall, Julian; Freeman, Jennifer V.; van Teijlingen, Edwin
2012-01-01
Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a lifesaver for individual patients treated for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Maintaining optimal adherence to antiretroviral drugs is essential for HIV infection management. This study aimed to understand the factors influencing adherence amongst ART-prescribed patients and care providers in Nepal. Methods A cross-sectional mixed-methods study surveying 330 ART-prescribed patients and 34 in-depth interviews with three different types of stakeholders: patients, care providers, and key people at policy level. Adherence was assessed through survey self-reporting and during the interviews. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with adherence, supplemented with a thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. Results A total of 282 (85.5%) respondents reported complete adherence, i.e. no missed doses in the four-weeks prior to interview. Major factors influencing adherence were: non-disclosure of HIV status (OR = 17.99, p = 0.014); alcohol use (OR = 12.89, p = 1 hour (OR = 2.84, p = 0.035). Similarly, lack of knowledge and negative perception towards ART medications also significantly affected non-adherence. Transport costs (for repeat prescription), followed by pills running out, not wanting others to notice, side-effects, and being busy were the most common reasons for non-adherence. The interviews also revealed religious or ritual obstacles, stigma and discrimination, ART-associated costs, transport problems, lack of support, and side-effects as contributing to non-adherence. Conclusion Improving adherence requires a supportive environment; accessible treatment; clear instructions about regimens; and regimens tailored to individual patients’ lifestyles. Healthcare workers should address some of the practical and cultural issues around ART medicine whilst policy-makers should develop appropriate social
Model based analysis of the time scales associated to pump start-ups
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Dazin, Antoine, E-mail: antoine.dazin@lille.ensam.fr [Arts et métiers ParisTech/LML Laboratory UMR CNRS 8107, 8 bld Louis XIV, 59046 Lille cedex (France); Caignaert, Guy [Arts et métiers ParisTech/LML Laboratory UMR CNRS 8107, 8 bld Louis XIV, 59046 Lille cedex (France); Dauphin-Tanguy, Geneviève, E-mail: genevieve.dauphin-tanguy@ec-lille.fr [Univ Lille Nord de France, Ecole Centrale de Lille/CRISTAL UMR CNRS 9189, BP 48, 59651, Villeneuve d’Ascq cedex F 59000 (France)
2015-11-15
Highlights: • A dynamic model of a hydraulic system has been built. • Three periods in a pump start-up have been identified. • The time scales of each period have been estimated. • The parameters affecting the rapidity of a pump start-up have been explored. - Abstract: The paper refers to a non dimensional analysis of the behaviour of a hydraulic system during pump fast start-ups. The system is composed of a radial flow pump and its suction and delivery pipes. It is modelled using the bond graph methodology. The prediction of the model is validated by comparison to experimental results. An analysis of the time evolution of the terms acting on the total pump pressure is proposed. It allows for a decomposition of the start-up into three consecutive periods. The time scales associated with these periods are estimated. The effects of parameters (angular acceleration, final rotation speed, pipe length and resistance) affecting the start-up rapidity are then explored.
Arjona, M Montes de Oca; Pérez-Cano, R; Garcia-Juárez, R; Martín-Aspas, A; del Alamo, C Fernández Gutiérrez; Girón-González, J A
2006-04-01
The changes in nutritional parameters and adipocytokines after structured intermittent interruption of highly active antiretroviral treatment of patients with chronic HIV infection are analyzed. Twenty-seven patients with chronic HIV infection (median CD4+ T cell count/microl: nadir, 394; at the beginning of structured interruptions, 1041; HIV viral load: nadir, 41,521 copies/ml; at the beginning of structured interruptions triglycerides, cholesterol, leptin, and tumor necrosis factor and its soluble receptors I and II were determined. After the three cycles of intermittent interruptions of therapy, no significant differences in CD4+ T cell count/microl, viral load, or serum concentrations of cholesterol or triglycerides with reference to baseline values were found. A near-significant higher fatty mass (skinfold thicknesses, at the end, 121 mm, at the beginning, 100 mm, p = 0.100), combined with a significant increase of concentration of leptin (1.5 vs. 4.7 ng/ml, p = 0,044), as well as a decrease in serum concentrations of soluble receptors of tumor necrosis factor (TNFRI, 104 vs. 73 pg/ml, p = 0.022; TNFRII 253 vs. 195 pg/ml, p = 0.098) were detected. Structured intermittent interruption of highly active antiretroviral treatment of patients with chronic HIV infection induces a valuable positive modification in markers of lipid turnover and adipose tissue mass.
Use of non-antiretroviral drugs among individuals with and without HIV-infection
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Rasmussen, Line D; Kronborg, Gitte; Larsen, Carsten S
2017-01-01
AIM: We investigated the use of non-antiretroviral drugs in the HIV-infected compared to the general population. METHODS: From the Danish HIV Cohort Study, we identified all HIV-infected individuals older than 18 years at HIV diagnosis who received care in Denmark through 1995-2013 and reported...... no injection drug abuse or hepatitis C infection. Population controls were identified from The Danish Civil Registration System and matched on age and gender (5:1). We analyzed the proportion of individuals who redeemed 0-1, 2-4, 5-9, or 10 or more non-antiretroviral drugs. Data were analyzed according...... to calendar time, age, time from initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) and stratified by gender, geographical origin and route of HIV transmission. We further analyzed the use of the 25 most used non-antiretroviral drug classes. RESULTS: We identified 4,928 HIV-infected individuals (median...
Mercer, R M; Olarinde, O; Ryan, C; Greig, J; Yeeles, H; Walker, A; Walker, H; Meardon, N C
2011-12-01
A proportion of funding for the South Yorkshire HIV Network is dependant on meeting the targets of the Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) payment framework. This states that 85% of patients with a CD4 count below 350 should be on antiretroviral therapy (ART). We also audited how many patients we started on treatment within six weeks. We found 88% of the 243 patients were on ART at the end of the audit, but significantly less had been started on treatment within six weeks of their CD4 count falling below 350. Although the target was achieved, there were patients who should be excluded as shown by other clinical guidelines, for example patients on treatment for tuberculosis. If these patients were excluded and the threshold level increased, it would help emphasize the at-risk patient group and lead to a fairer allocation of funding.
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Jorge Enrique Machado-Alba
2012-11-01
Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapies and factors associated with HIV/AIDS control in a population of patients treated by the Colombian Social Security Health System (SGSSS. METHODS: This was a descriptive study of 510 HIV/AIDS patients treated with antiretroviral therapies in 19 cities in Colombia from June 1992-April 2011. Factors assessed from each patient's clinical history were: viral load, CD4 count, antiretroviral treatment regimens, prescribed daily doses of medications, length of disease evolution, duration of therapy, history of opportunistic diseases, and drug costs. RESULTS: Patients were predominantly male (75.1% males versus 24.9% women, with a mean age of 41.0±11.4 years and an average length of disease progression of 72 months. All recommended treatment regimens were prescribed at the defined daily dose. Treatment was effective in 65.3% of patients (viral load OBJETIVO: Evaluar la eficacia de los tratamientos antirretrovíricos y los factores asociados con el control del VIH/sida en una población de pacientes tratados por el Sistema General de Seguridad Social en Salud (SGSSS colombiano. MÉTODOS: Estudio descriptivo de 510 pacientes con infección por el VIH/sida que recibieron tratamiento antirretrovírico en 19 ciudades de Colombia desde junio de 1992 a abril del 2011. Se evaluaron los siguientes factores de la historia clínica de cada paciente: la carga vírica, el recuento de linfocitos CD4, las pautas de tratamiento antirretrovírico, las dosis diarias prescritas de fármacos, el tiempo de evolución de la enfermedad, la duración del tratamiento, los antecedentes de enfermedades oportunistas y los costos de los medicamentos. RESULTADOS: Los pacientes eran en su mayor parte varones (75,1% frente a un 24,9% de mujeres, con una media de edad de 41,0 ± 11,4 años y un tiempo medio de evolución de la enfermedad de 72 meses. Todas las pautas de tratamiento recomendadas fueron prescritas a la
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Weldegebreal F
2018-05-01
Full Text Available Fitsum Weldegebreal,1 Tesfaye Digaffe,1 Frehiwot Mesfin,2 Habtamu Mitiku1 1Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia; 2Department of Public Health, College of Health and Medical Sciences, Haramaya University, Harar, Ethiopia Background: Nutritional care is considered a crucial component of comprehensive care for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA, particularly in resource-limited settings where malnutrition and food insecurity are endemic problems, and low quality monotonous diets are the norm. The findings of this study provide baseline information on dietary diversity and related factors for health care providers so that they will be able to improve nutritional care and support activity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess dietary diversity and associated factors among HIV positive adults (18–65 years old attending antiretroviral therapy (ART clinics at Hiwot Fana and Dilchora Hospitals, eastern Ethiopia. Patients and methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2015 to February 2016 at the ART clinics of Hiwot Fana and Dilchora Hospitals. Using a systematic random sampling technique, a total of 303 patients were selected from all adults attending the ART clinics. The data were collected with a 95% CI used to show association between dietary diversity and independent factors. Results: A total of 303 adult HIV positive individuals on ART participated in the study and 62.4% were females. The largest numbers of participants (49.5% were 30–40 years of age. Eighty-seven (28.7% participants had low dietary diversity (≤4 food groups. Duration of antiretroviral treatment was the factor significantly associated with dietary diversity: respondents with a duration of antiretroviral treatment of more than 2 years were almost two times more likely to have high dietary diversity compared with those with less than a year of
Gonzalo, Teresa; García Goñi, Manuel; Muñoz-Fernández, María Angeles
2009-01-01
Star celebrities such as Rock Hudson, Freddie Mercury, Magic Johnson, and Isaac Asimov have unfortunately something in common: they were all victims of the HIV global pandemic. Since then HIV infection has become considered a pandemic disease, and it is regarded as a priority in healthcare worldwide. It is ranked as the first cause of death among young people in industrialized countries, and it is recognized as a public healthcare problem due to its human, social, mass media, and economic impact. Incorporation of new and highly active antiretroviral treatment, available since 1996 for HIV/AIDS treatment, has provoked a radical change in the disease pattern, as well as in the impact on patient survival and quality of life. The pharmaceutical industry's contribution, based on the research for more active new drugs, has been pivotal. Mortality rates have decreased significantly in 20 years by 50% and now AIDS is considered a chronic and controlled disease. In this review we have studied the impact of HAART treatment on infected patients, allowing them to maintain their status as active workers and the decreased absenteeism from work derived from this, contributing ultimately to overall social wealth and, thus, to economic growth. Furthermore, an analysis of the impact on healthcare costs, quality of life per year, life per year gained, cost economic savings and cost opportunity among other parameters has shown that society and governments are gaining major benefits from the inclusion of antiretroviral therapies in HIV/AIDS patients.
Relationships between school start time, sleep duration, and adolescent behaviors.
Wahlstrom, Kyla L; Berger, Aaron T; Widome, Rachel
2017-06-01
The objectives were 2-fold: (1) to examine how high school start times relate to adolescent sleep duration, and (2) to test associations between sleep duration and mental health- and substance use-related issues and behaviors in teens. This study examines selected questions from survey data collected between 2010 and 2013 high school students. Respondents included more than 9000 students in grades 9 to 12 in 8 high schools in 5 school districts across the United States. The survey instrument is the 97-item Teen Sleep Habits Survey. Logistic regression models were used to calculate adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Because of clustering within schools and the use of repeated measures, generalized estimating equations were used to account for variance inflation. Greater sleep duration was associated with fewer reports of various mental health- and substance use-related issues and behaviors (all P values sleep reported, there was a 28% reduction in the adjusted odds of a participant reporting that he or she felt "unhappy, sad, or depressed." Later wake-up times were associated with a reduction in risk for some, but not all factors. Later start times were significantly associated with greater sleep duration. Given that later start times allow for greater sleep duration and that adequate sleep duration is associated with more favorable mental health- and substance use-related issues and behaviors, it is important that school districts prioritize exploring and implementing policies, such as delayed start times, that may increase the amount of sleep of adolescent students, which is needed for their optimal development. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Cognitive impairment and MRI-findings in patients with HIV on antiretroviral treatment
Su, T.
2017-01-01
With combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) associated morbidity and mortality has decreased remarkably. Although life expectancy has increased, the frequently reported milder forms of HIV-associated cognitive impairment remain a concern and its pathogenesis is
Mugusi, Sabina F; Mwita, Julius C; Francis, Joel M; Aboud, Said; Bakari, Muhammad; Aris, Eric A; Swai, Andrew B; Mugusi, Ferdinand M; Pallangyo, Kisali; Sandstrom, Eric
2010-05-28
Sub-Saharan Africa has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Global efforts at improving care and treatment has included scaling up use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). In Tanzania, HIV care and treatment program, including the provision of free ART started in 2004 with a pilot program at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam. This study describes the socio-demographic and clinical features of patients enrolled at the care and treatment clinic at MNH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A cross-sectional study looking at baseline characteristics of patients enrolled at the HIV clinic at MNH between June 2004-Dec 2005 compared to those enrolled between 2006 and September 2008. Of all enrolled patients, 2408 (58.5%) were used for analysis. More females than males were attending the clinic. Their baseline median CD4 cell count was low (136 cells/microl) with 65.7% having below 200 cells/microl. Females had higher CD4 cell counts (150 cells/microl) than males (109 cells/microl) p MNH HIV clinic were predominantly females, and presented with advanced immune-deficiency. Improved access to HIV care and treatment services seems to be associated with patients' early presentation to the clinics in the course of HIV disease.
van Santen, Daniëla K.; van der Helm, Jannie J.; Lindenburg, Karen; Schim van der Loeff, Maarten; Prins, Maria
2017-01-01
Background: HIV-positive people who use drugs (PWUD) start antiretroviral therapy (ART) later than other risk groups, and among HCV-positive PWUD, HCV treatment uptake is low. Nowadays, HCV direct acting antivirals (DAAs) are available and reimbursed in the Netherlands (since 2014). The Amsterdam
Supporting children to adhere to anti-retroviral therapy in urban Malawi: multi method insights
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Phiri Sam
2009-07-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Ensuring good adherence is critical to the success of anti-retroviral treatment (ART. However, in resource-poor contexts, where paediatric HIV burden is high there has been limited progress in developing or adapting tools to support adherence for HIV-infected children on ART and their caregivers. We conducted formative research to assess children's adherence and to explore the knowledge, perceptions and attitudes of caregivers towards children's treatment. Methods All children starting ART between September 2002 and January 2004 (when ART was at cost in Malawi were observed for at least 6 months on ART. Their adherence was assessed quantitatively by asking caregivers of children about missed ART doses during the previous 3 days at monthly visits. Attendance to clinic appointments was also monitored. In June and July 2004, four focus group discussions, each with 6 to 8 caregivers, and 5 critical incident narratives were conducted to provide complementary contextual data on caregivers' experiences on the challenges to and opportunities of paediatric ART adherence. Results We followed prospectively 47 children who started ART between 8 months and 12 years of age over a median time on ART of 33 weeks (2–91 weeks. 72% (34/47 never missed a single dose according to caregivers' report and 82% (327/401 of clinic visits were either as scheduled, or before or within 1 week after the scheduled appointment. Caregivers were generally knowledgeable about ART and motivated to support children to adhere to treatment despite facing multiple challenges. Caregivers were particularly motivated by seeing children begin to get better; but faced challenges in meeting the costs of medicine and transport, waiting times in clinic, stock outs and remembering to support children to adhere in the face of multiple responsibilities. Conclusion In the era of rapid scale-up of treatment for children there is need for holistic support strategies that focus
Individualization of antiretroviral therapy
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Pavlos R
2011-12-01
Full Text Available Rebecca Pavlos, Elizabeth J PhillipsInstitute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia, AustraliaAbstract: Antiretroviral therapy (ART has evolved considerably over the last three decades. From the early days of monotherapy with high toxicities and pill burdens, through to larger pill burdens and more potent combination therapies, and finally, from 2005 and beyond where we now have the choice of low pill burdens and once-daily therapies. More convenient and less toxic regimens are also becoming available, even in resource-poor settings. An understanding of the individual variation in response to ART, both efficacy and toxicity, has evolved over this time. The strong association of the major histocompatibility class I allele HLA-B*5701 and abacavir hypersensitivity, and its translation and use in routine HIV clinical practice as a predictive marker with 100% negative predictive value, has been a success story and a notable example of the challenges and triumphs in bringing pharmacogenetics to the clinic. In real clinical practice, however, it is going to be the exception rather than the rule that individual biomarkers will definitively guide patient therapy. The need for individualized approaches to ART has been further increased by the importance of non-AIDS comorbidities in HIV clinical practice. In the future, the ideal utilization of the individualized approach to ART will likely consist of a combined approach using a combination of knowledge of drug, virus, and host (pharmacogenetic and pharmacoecologic [factors in the individual's environment that may be dynamic over time] information to guide the truly personalized prescription. This review will focus on our knowledge of the pharmacogenetics of the efficacy and toxicity of currently available antiretroviral agents and the current and potential utility of such information and approaches in present and future HIV clinical care.Keywords: HIV
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Eric S Rosenberg
2010-05-01
Full Text Available An effective therapeutic vaccine that could augment immune control of HIV-1 replication may abrogate or delay the need for antiretroviral therapy. AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG A5187 was a phase I/II, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of an HIV-1 DNA vaccine (VRC-HVDNA 009-00-VP in subjects treated with antiretroviral therapy during acute/early HIV-1 infection. (clinicaltrials.gov NCT00125099Twenty healthy HIV-1 infected subjects who were treated with antiretroviral therapy during acute/early HIV-1 infection and had HIV-1 RNA<50 copies/mL were randomized to receive either vaccine or placebo. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine. Following vaccination, subjects interrupted antiretroviral treatment, and set-point HIV-1 viral loads and CD4 T cell counts were determined 17-23 weeks after treatment discontinuation.Twenty subjects received all scheduled vaccinations and discontinued antiretroviral therapy at week 30. No subject met a primary safety endpoint. No evidence of differences in immunogenicity were detected in subjects receiving vaccine versus placebo. There were also no significant differences in set-point HIV-1 viral loads or CD4 T cell counts following treatment discontinuation. Median set-point HIV-1 viral loads after treatment discontinuation in vaccine and placebo recipients were 3.5 and 3.7 log(10 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL, respectively.The HIV-1 DNA vaccine (VRC-HIVDNA 009-00-VP was safe but poorly immunogenic in subjects treated with antiretroviral therapy during acute/early HIV-1 infection. Viral set-points were similar between vaccine and placebo recipients following treatment interruption. However, median viral load set-points in both groups were lower than in historical controls, suggesting a possible role for antiretroviral therapy in persons with acute or early HIV-1 infection and supporting the safety of
Viciana-Fernández, Pompeyo; Falcó, Vicenç; Castaño, Manuel; de los Santos-Gil, Ignacio; Olalla-Sierra, Julián; Hernando, Asunción; Deig, Elisabet; Clotet, Bonaventura; Knobel, Hernando; Podzamczer, Daniel; Pedrol, Pere Domingo
2015-01-01
In Spain, HIV treatment guidelines are well known and generally followed. However, in some patients there are no plans to initiate ART despite having treatment indications. The current barriers to ART initiation are presented. A cross-sectional survey including every HIV infected patient in care in 19 hospitals across Spain in 2012, with ≥1 indication to start ART according to 2011 national treatment guidelines, who had not been scheduled for ART initiation. Reasons for deferring treatment were categorized as follows (non-exclusive categories): a) The physician thinks the indication is not absolute and prefers to defer it; b) The patient does not want to start it; c) The physician thinks ART must be started, but there is some limitation to starting it, and d) The patient has undetectable viral load in absence of ART. A total of 256 patients, out of 784 originally planned, were included. The large majority (84%) were male, median age 39 years, 57% MSM, 24% heterosexuals, and 16% IDUs. Median time since HIV diagnosis was 3 years, median CD4 count, 501 cells/mm3, median viral load 4.4 log copies/ml. Main ART indications were: CD4 count ART indication were on it. The most frequent barriers among those who did not receive it were physician-related, suggesting that the relevance of the conditions that indicate ART may need reinforcing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. y Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved.
Impact of delaying school start time on adolescent sleep, mood, and behavior.
Owens, Judith A; Belon, Katherine; Moss, Patricia
2010-07-01
To examine the impact of a 30-minute delay in school start time on adolescents' sleep, mood, and behavior. Participants completed the online retrospective Sleep Habits Survey before and after a change in school start time. An independent high school in Rhode Island. Students (n = 201) in grades 9 through 12. Intervention Institution of a delay in school start time from 8 to 8:30 am. Sleep patterns and behavior, daytime sleepiness, mood, data from the Health Center, and absences/tardies. After the start time delay, mean school night sleep duration increased by 45 minutes, and average bedtime advanced by 18 minutes (95% confidence interval, 7-29 minutes [t(423) = 3.36; P students getting less than 7 hours of sleep decreased by 79.4%, and those reporting at least 8 hours of sleep increased from 16.4% to 54.7%. Students reported significantly more satisfaction with sleep and experienced improved motivation. Daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and depressed mood were all reduced. Most health-related variables, including Health Center visits for fatigue-related complaints, and class attendance also improved. A modest delay in school start time was associated with significant improvements in measures of adolescent alertness, mood, and health. The results of this study support the potential benefits of adjusting school schedules to adolescents' sleep needs, circadian rhythm, and developmental stage.
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Nisser A. Umar
2011-02-01
Full Text Available Aiming to assess the impact of the intervention in reducing the patients’ waiting time in the clinic, two surveys were conducted before and after task shifting intervention in an anti-retroviral (ARV clinic at the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, Nigeria in November 2008 and April 2009, respectively. Before the task shifting, six nurses from the clinic were trained on integrated management of adolescent and adult illness, as well as on the principle and guidelines for the anti-retroviral therapy, after which their schedule in the clinic was broadened to include seeing HIV patients presenting for routine refill and follow-up visits. In this study, fifty-six and sixty patients, respectively out of 186 and 202 who attended the clinic on the days of the pre- and post-intervention surveys, were randomly sampled. Data on patients’ sex, age and marital status, whether patient a first timer or follow up visitor and the time spent in the clinic on that day as well as the number and composition of staff and equipment in the clinic was collected. The difference in waiting time spent between the first group before task shifting and second group after task shifting was statistically analyzed and significance tested using unpaired t- test. There was a reduction in the average waiting time for patients attending the clinic from 6.48 h before task shifting to 4.35 h after task shifting. The difference of mean was -2.13 h, with 95% CI: -2.44:-1.82 hours and the test of significance by unpaired t-test P
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Tauriainen, Johanna; Scharf, Lydia; Frederiksen, Juliet
2017-01-01
HIV-specific CD8+ T cells demonstrate an exhausted phenotype associated with increased expression of inhibitory receptors, decreased functional capacity, and a skewed transcriptional profile, which are only partially restored by antiretroviral treatment (ART). Expression levels of the inhibitory...... and displayed a diminished expression of CD226. Furthermore, expression of PVR was increased on CD4+ T cells, especially T follicular helper (Tfh) cells, in HIV-infected lymph nodes. These results depict a skewing of the TIGIT/CD226 axis from CD226 co-stimulation towards TIGIT-mediated inhibition of CD8+ T...... increased over time despite early initiation of ART. HIV-specific CD8+ T cells were almost exclusively TIGIT+, had an inverse expression of the transcription factors T-bet and Eomes and co-expressed PD-1, CD160 and 2B4. HIV-specific TIGIThi cells were negatively correlated with polyfunctionality...
2014-04-01
Start time variability in work schedules is often hypothesized to be a cause of railroad employee fatigue because unpredictable work start times prevent employees from planning sleep and personal activities. This report examines work start time diffe...
Cohen Calvin; Fisher Martin; Youle Michael; Kulasegaram Ranjababu; Fumaz Carmina R; Clotet Bonaventura; Katlama Christine; Kovacs Colin; Horne Robert; Slim Jihad; Shalit Peter; Cooper Vanessa; Tsoukas Christos
2009-01-01
Abstract Background The selection of agents for any treatment regimen is in part influenced by physician and patient attitudes. This study investigated attitudinal motivators and barriers to the use of self-injectable antiretroviral agents among physicians and patients and measured the degree of concordance between physician and patient perspectives. Methods Attitudes toward prescribing and usage of self-injectable antiretroviral therapy (SIAT) were assessed by structured interview in 2 cohor...
Abafe, Ovokeroye A; Späth, Jana; Fick, Jerker; Jansson, Stina; Buckley, Chris; Stark, Annegret; Pietruschka, Bjoern; Martincigh, Bice S
2018-06-01
South Africa has the largest occurrence of the human immune deficiency virus (HIV) in the world but has also implemented the largest antiretroviral (ARV) treatment programme. It was therefore of interest to determine the presence and concentrations of commonly used antiretroviral drugs (ARVDs) and, also, to determine the capabilities of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for removing ARVDs. To this end, a surrogate standard based LC-MS/MS method was optimized and applied for the detection of thirteen ARVDs used in the treatment and management of HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) in two major and one modular WWTP in the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The method was validated and the detection limits fell within the range of 2-20 ng L -1 . The analytical recoveries for the ARVDs were mainly greater than 50% with acceptable relative standard deviations. The concentration values ranged from effluent) in a decentralized wastewater treatment facility (DEWATS); effluent) in Northern WWTP and 61-34000 ng L -1 (influent), effluent) in Phoenix WWTP. Whilst abacavir, lamivudine and zidovudine were almost completely removed from the effluents, atazanavir, efavirenz, lopinavir and nevirapine persisted in the effluents from all three WWTPs. To estimate the ecotoxicological risks associated with the discharge of ARVDs, a countrywide survey focussing on the occurrence of ARVDs in WWTPs, surface and fresh water bodies, and aquatic organisms, is necessary. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Lessard, David; Toupin, Isabelle; Engler, Kim; Lènàrt, Andràs; Lebouché, Bertrand
2018-01-01
Antiretroviral treatment adherence barriers are major concerns in HIV care. They are multiple and change over time. Considering temporality in patients' perceptions of adherence barriers could improve adherence management. We explored how temporality manifests itself in patients' perceptions of adherence barriers. We conducted 2 semi-structured focus groups on adherence barriers with 12 adults with HIV which were analyzed with grounded theory. A third focus group served to validate the results obtained. Three temporal categories were manifest in HIV-positive patients' perceptions of barriers: (1) imprinting (events with lasting impacts on patients), (2) domino effects (chain of life events), and (3) future shadowing (apprehension about long-term adherence). An overarching theme, weathering (gradual erosion of abilities to adhere), traversed these categories. These temporalities explain how similar barriers may be perceived differently by patients. They could be useful to providers for adapting their interventions and improving understanding of patients' subjective experience of adherence.
Time program using in automatization of steam turbines start-up
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lejzerovich, A.Sh.; Melamed, A.D.
Examples and arguments for developing time programs of changing basic parameters of automated start-up of TPP and NPP high-power steam turbines are considered. Basic parameters subject to controlled changing at automatization of turbine start-up are rotation frequency, loading and temperature of steam supplied to the turbine. Principle facility schemes of program regulation of steam temperature at the start-up are presented. The facility scheme of loading the NPP wet steam turbine is given. The principles of developing time programs, of changing basic parameters of automated start-up enable realizing transient processes close to theoretically optimum processes at arbitrary prestart-up state of the turbine by means of rather simple autatic facilities. In particular, for automated temperature increase of steam supplied to the turbine of TES power units and AES turbine loading, it is advisable to use programs in the form of linear dependence of velocity of changing the controlled parameter on the given value, the initial level, from which the parameter increase with a regulated velocity is realized, is given in the form of analogue dependence on the turbine prestart-up state. The programs described and the schemes of their realization have been approved at the automatization of 300 MW power unit starts up with the K-300-240 turbine and K-220-44 turbine as well as used when creating control system for turbines of 500 MW and higher for designed TPP and NPP power units
The economic implications of later school start times in the United States.
Hafner, Marco; Stepanek, Martin; Troxel, Wendy M
2017-12-01
Numerous studies have shown that later school start times (SST) are associated with positive student outcomes, including improvements in academic performance, mental and physical health, and public safety. While the benefits of later SST are very well documented in the literature, in practice there is opposition against delaying SST. A major argument against later SST is the claim that delaying SST will result in significant additional costs for schools due to changes in bussing strategies. However, to date, there has only been one published study that has quantified the potential economic benefits of later SST in relation to potential costs. The current study investigates the economic implications of later school start times by examining a policy experiment and its subsequent state-wide economic effects of a state-wide universal shift in school start times to 8.30AM. Using a novel macroeconomic modeling approach, the study estimates changes in the economic performance of 47 US states following a delayed school start time, which includes the benefits of higher academic performance of students and reduced car crash rates. The benefit-cost projections of this study suggest that delaying school start times is a cost-effective, population-level strategy, which could have a significant impact on public health and the US economy. From a policy perspective, these findings are crucial as they demonstrate that significant economic gains resulting from the delay in SST accrue over a relatively short period of time following the adoption of the policy shift. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Mijch, A; Burgess, P; Judd, F; Grech, P; Komiti, A; Hoy, J; Lloyd, J H; Gibbie, T; Street, A
2006-05-01
The aims of the study were to describe the prevalence and associations of mental health disorder (MHD) among a cohort of HIV-infected patients attending the Victorian HIV/AIDS Service between 1984 and 2000, and to examine whether antiretroviral therapy use or mortality was influenced by MHD (defined as a record of service provision by psychiatric services on the Victorian Psychiatric Case Register). It was hypothesized that HIV-positive individuals with MHD would have poorer treatment outcomes, reduced responses to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and increased mortality compared with those without MHD. This is a retrospective cohort of 2981 individuals (73% of the Victorian population diagnosed with HIV infection) captured on an HIV database which was electronically matched with the public Victorian Psychiatric Case Register (VPCR) (accounting for 95% of public system psychiatry service provision). The prevalence, dates and recorded specifics of mental health disorders at the time of the electronic match on 1 June 2000 are described. The association with recorded MHD, gender, age, AIDS illness, HIV exposure category, duration and type of antiviral therapy, treatment era (prior to 1986, post-1987 and pre-HAART, and post-HAART) on hospitalization and mortality at 1 September 2001 was assessed. Five hundred and twenty-five individuals (17.6% of the Victorian HIV-positive population) were recorded with MHD, most frequently coded as attributable to substance dependence/abuse or affective disorder. MHD was diagnosed prior to HIV in 33% and, of those diagnosed after HIV, 93.8% were recorded more than 1 year after the HIV diagnosis. Schizophrenia was recorded in 6% of the population with MHD. Hospitalizations for both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric illness were more frequent in those with MHD (relative risk 5.4; 95% confidence interval 3.7, 8.2). The total number of antiretrovirals used (median 6.4 agents vs 5.5 agents) was greater in those with MHD. When
Clinical outcomes in clinical trials of anti-HIV treatment
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Reekie, J; Mocroft, A; J, Neaton
2007-01-01
Since the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy, there has been a decrease in both AIDS-defining illnesses and deaths. This decrease meant that performing clinical trials with clinical outcomes in HIV infection became more time consuming and hence costly. Improved understanding...... and knowledge of HIV led to short-term trials using surrogate outcomes such as viral load and CD4 count. This established a faster drug approval process that complimented the rapid need to evaluate and provide access to drugs based on short-term trials. However, no treatment has yet been found that eradicates...... the infection, so when treatment is started it is currently a lifelong commitment. Is it reasonable then that guidelines are based almost completely on short-term randomized trials and observational studies of surrogate markers, or is there still a need for trials with clinical outcomes?...
Nunn, Amy S; Fonseca, Elize M; Bastos, Francisco I; Gruskin, Sofia; Salomon, Joshua A
2007-11-13
Little is known about the long-term drug costs associated with treating AIDS in developing countries. Brazil's AIDS treatment program has been cited widely as the developing world's largest and most successful AIDS treatment program. The program guarantees free access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for all people living with HIV/AIDS in need of treatment. Brazil produces non-patented generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), procures many patented ARVs with negotiated price reductions, and recently issued a compulsory license to import one patented ARV. In this study, we investigate the drivers of recent ARV cost trends in Brazil through analysis of drug-specific prices and expenditures between 2001 and 2005. We compared Brazil's ARV prices to those in other low- and middle-income countries. We analyzed trends in drug expenditures for HAART in Brazil from 2001 to 2005 on the basis of cost data disaggregated by each ARV purchased by the Brazilian program. We decomposed the overall changes in expenditures to compare the relative impacts of changes in drug prices and drug purchase quantities. We also estimated the excess costs attributable to the difference between prices for generics in Brazil and the lowest global prices for these drugs. Finally, we estimated the savings attributable to Brazil's reduced prices for patented drugs. Negotiated drug prices in Brazil are lowest for patented ARVs for which generic competition is emerging. In recent years, the prices for efavirenz and lopinavir-ritonavir (lopinavir/r) have been lower in Brazil than in other middle-income countries. In contrast, the price of tenofovir is US$200 higher per patient per year than that reported in other middle-income countries. Despite precipitous price declines for four patented ARVs, total Brazilian drug expenditures doubled, to reach US$414 million in 2005. We find that the major driver of cost increases was increased purchase quantities of six specific drugs: patented lopinavir
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Amy S Nunn
2007-11-01
Full Text Available Little is known about the long-term drug costs associated with treating AIDS in developing countries. Brazil's AIDS treatment program has been cited widely as the developing world's largest and most successful AIDS treatment program. The program guarantees free access to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART for all people living with HIV/AIDS in need of treatment. Brazil produces non-patented generic antiretroviral drugs (ARVs, procures many patented ARVs with negotiated price reductions, and recently issued a compulsory license to import one patented ARV. In this study, we investigate the drivers of recent ARV cost trends in Brazil through analysis of drug-specific prices and expenditures between 2001 and 2005.We compared Brazil's ARV prices to those in other low- and middle-income countries. We analyzed trends in drug expenditures for HAART in Brazil from 2001 to 2005 on the basis of cost data disaggregated by each ARV purchased by the Brazilian program. We decomposed the overall changes in expenditures to compare the relative impacts of changes in drug prices and drug purchase quantities. We also estimated the excess costs attributable to the difference between prices for generics in Brazil and the lowest global prices for these drugs. Finally, we estimated the savings attributable to Brazil's reduced prices for patented drugs. Negotiated drug prices in Brazil are lowest for patented ARVs for which generic competition is emerging. In recent years, the prices for efavirenz and lopinavir-ritonavir (lopinavir/r have been lower in Brazil than in other middle-income countries. In contrast, the price of tenofovir is US$200 higher per patient per year than that reported in other middle-income countries. Despite precipitous price declines for four patented ARVs, total Brazilian drug expenditures doubled, to reach US$414 million in 2005. We find that the major driver of cost increases was increased purchase quantities of six specific drugs
Albers, H M; Wessels, J A M; van der Straaten, R J H M; Brinkman, D M C; Suijlekom-Smit, L W A; Kamphuis, S S M; Girschick, H J; Wouters, C; Schilham, M W; le Cessie, S; Huizinga, T W J; Ten Cate, R; Guchelaar, H J
2009-01-15
Methotrexate (MTX) is the most commonly used disease-modifying antirheumatic drug in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Currently, individual response to MTX cannot be reliably predicted. Identification of clinical and genetic factors that influence the response to MTX could be helpful in realizing the optimal treatment for individual patients. A cohort of 128 JIA patients treated with MTX were studied retrospectively. Eleven clinical parameters and genotypes of 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 5 genes related to the mechanism of action of MTX were compared between MTX responders and nonresponders using a multivariate regression analysis. The time from diagnosis to start of MTX treatment, physician's global assessment at baseline, and the starting dose were significantly associated with the response to MTX at 6 months after initiation. Patients with a shorter time from diagnosis to start of MTX and a higher disease activity according to the physician but with a lower MTX dose showed an increased response. The effect of the starting dose on MTX response seemed to be mainly due to the influence of the systemic JIA subtype. The time from diagnosis to start of MTX treatment and physician's global assessment at baseline were highly correlated. Therefore, the precise effect size of each independent variable could not be determined. In children with JIA, the time from diagnosis to start of MTX appears to be an important factor for MTX response. Our results suggest that an earlier start of MTX treatment will lead to an increased response.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Stefanie Hornschuh
2017-01-01
Full Text Available Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV management of adolescents and young adults (AYAs is particularly pertinent to sub-Saharan Africa, where the pediatric HIV burden is marked. Antiretroviral treatment (ART adherence is a major challenge for AYAs. This qualitative study explored knowledge and experiences of adherence amongst AYAs attending treatment at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU, Soweto, South Africa. Four focus group discussions (FGDs and eight in-depth interviews (IDIs were conducted with HIV-infected 15–25-year-old ART recipients. Transcripts were coded thematically. Participants (n=26 were aged median 18.5 years, 59.1% female and 69.2% virally suppressed <400 cp/ml. Three main themes emerged during FGDs and IDIs: (i correct knowledge about how to be adherent, benefits, and nonadherence consequences, (ii social, personal, and medication-related barriers to adherence, and (iii reminder, concealment, and motivational strategies to optimize adherence. Interventions to improve AYA adherence could focus on practical strategies, including status disclosure and medication concealment.
Fox, Matthew P; Mazimba, Arthur; Seidenberg, Phil; Crooks, Denise; Sikateyo, Bornwell; Rosen, Sydney
2010-03-06
While the number of HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings has increased dramatically, some patients eligible for treatment do not initiate ART even when it is available to them. Understanding why patients opt out of care, or are unable to opt in, is important to achieving the goal of universal access. We conducted a cross-sectional survey among 400 patients on ART (those who were able to access care) and 400 patients accessing home-based care (HBC), but who had not initiated ART (either they were not able to, or chose not to, access care) in two rural and two urban sites in Zambia to identify barriers to and facilitators of ART uptake. HBC patients were 50% more likely to report that it would be very difficult to get to the ART clinic than those on ART (RR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.21-1.82). Stigma was common in all areas, with 54% of HBC patients, but only 15% of ART patients, being afraid to go to the clinic (RR: 3.61; 95% CI: 3.12-4.18). Cost barriers differed by location: urban HBC patients were three times more likely to report needing to pay to travel to the clinic than those on ART (RR: 2.84; 95% CI: 2.02-3.98) and 10 times more likely to believe they would need to pay a fee at the clinic (RR: 9.50; 95% CI: 2.24-40.3). In rural areas, HBC subjects were more likely to report needing to pay non-transport costs to attend the clinic than those on ART (RR: 4.52; 95% CI: 1.91-10.7). HBC patients were twice as likely as ART patients to report not having enough food to take ART being a concern (27% vs. 13%, RR: 2.03; 95% CI: 1.71-2.41), regardless of location and gender. Patients in home-based care for HIV/AIDS who never initiated ART perceived greater financial and logistical barriers to seeking HIV care and had more negative perceptions about the benefits of the treatment. Future efforts to expand access to antiretroviral care should consider ways to reduce these barriers in order to encourage more of those medically eligible
Pakker, N. G.; Kroon, E. D.; Roos, M. T.; Otto, S. A.; Hall, D.; Wit, F. W.; Hamann, D.; van der Ende, M. E.; Claessen, F. A.; Kauffmann, R. H.; Koopmans, P. P.; Kroon, F. P.; ten Napel, C. H.; Sprenger, H. G.; Weigel, H. M.; Montaner, J. S.; Lange, J. M.; Reiss, P.; Schellekens, P. T.; Miedema, F.
1999-01-01
BACKGROUND: Current antiretroviral treatment can induce significant and sustained virological and immunological responses in HIV-1-infected persons over at least the short- to mid-term. OBJECTIVES: In this study, long-term immune reconstitution was investigated during highly active antiretroviral
2013-01-01
Background Though financial and policy level efforts are made to expand antiretroviral treatment (ART) service free of cost, survival outcome of ART program has not been systematically evaluated in Nepal. This study assesses the mortality rates and determinants among adult HIV-infected patients on ART in Far-western region of Nepal. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 1024 (51.2% men) HIV-infected patients aged ≥15 years, who started ART between May 15th 2006 and May 15th 2011 in five ART sites in the Far-western region, Nepal. Follow-up time was calculated from the date of ART initiation to date of death or censoring (loss to follow-up, transferred out, or 15 November 2011). Mortality rates (per 100 person-years) were calculated. Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression models were used to estimate survival and explore determinants of mortality. Results The median follow-up time was 19.1 months. The crude mortality rate was 6.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.3-7.6) but more than three-times higher in first 3 months after ART initiation (21.9 (95% CI 16.6- 28.8)). About 12% (83% men) of those newly initiated on ART died during follow-up. The independent determinants of mortality were male sex (hazard ratio (HR) 4.55, 95% CI 2.43-8.51), poor baseline performance scale (bedridden bedridden >50% of the day during the past month, HR 3.41, 95% CI 1.67-6.98 compared to normal activity), one standard deviation decrease in baseline bodyweight (HR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01-1.07), and poor WHO clinical stage (stage III, HR 2.96, 95% CI 1.31-6.69; stage IV, HR 3.28, 95% CI 1.30-8.29 compared to WHO clinical stage I or II). Conclusions High mortality was observed within the first 3 months of ART initiation. Patients with poor baseline clinical characteristics had higher mortality, especially men. Earlier initiation of ART through expanded testing and counselling should be encouraged in HIV-infected patients. PMID:24369908
A position-sensitive start detector for time-of-flight measurement
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Ikezoe, Hiroshi; Shikazono, Naomoto; Isoyama, Goro.
1978-08-01
A position-sensitive start detector for a time-of-flight measurement is described. In this detector microchannel plates were used to obtain time and position signals simultaneously. A time resolution of 121 psec FWHM and a position resolution of 0.28 mm FWHM were obtained for α-particles from an 241 Am source. (auth.)
School start times and teenage driver motor vehicle crashes.
2015-12-01
There is substantial evidence that lack of sleep is a significant factor in motor vehicle crashes experienced by teenage drivers. This report examines the hypothesis that a later high school start time may reduce crash rates by reducing the interfere...
Nicastri, Emanuele; Leone, Sebastiano; Angeletti, Claudio; Palmisano, Lucia; Sarmati, Loredana; Chiesi, Antonio; Geraci, Andrea; Vella, Stefano; Narciso, Pasquale; Corpolongo, Angela; Andreoni, Massimo
2007-10-01
Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), morbidity and mortality rates have sharply decreased among HIV-infected patients. Studies of possible differences between men and women in the course of HIV infection give conflicting results. The objective of this study was to assess sex differences during HAART. A literature search by using the MEDLINE database between March 2002 and February 2007 was performed to identify all published studies on the sex-specific differences on the impact of HAART. All articles with measures of effect (preferably adjusted odds ratio, relative risk or hazard ratio with 95% CI) of sex on viroimmunological and clinical parameters during HAART were included. Five different topics of interest in our research were selected: time of initiation of HAART, adherence, viroimmunological response, clinical response and adverse reactions during HAART. US data report an initiation of HAART at an earlier disease stage in men compared with women. After initiation of HAART, most authors do not report any viroimmunological difference, although a few clinical studies showed a significantly better virological response in women compared with men. Nevertheless, women were more likely to be less adherent to antiretrovirals and to have non-structured treatment interruptions than men. This is likely to be related to the higher number of adverse reactions they experience during HAART. Finally, discordant opinions with regard to clinical benefits during HAART exist, but recent clinical and observational trials suggest a better clinical outcome for women. We found little evidence of sex differences during antiretroviral treatment. Nevertheless, most of these studies were underpowered to detect sex differences and had limited follow-up at 6 or 12 months. Design of new gender-sensitive clinical trials with both prolonged follow-up and sample size representative of the current HIV prevalence among women are strongly needed to detect the
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Suheil Artul
2014-01-01
Full Text Available We present a case of a 10-year-old boy, who had severe relapsing pancreatitis, three times in two months within 3 weeks after starting treatment with methylphenidate (Ritalin due to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD. Pancreatitis due to the use of (methylphenidate Ritalin was never published before. Attention must be made by the physicians regarding this possible complication, and this complication should be taken into consideration in every patient with abdominal pain who was newly treated with Ritalin.
Early initiation of antiretroviral treatment: Challenges in the Middle East and North Africa.
Sardashti, Sara; Samaei, Mehrnoosh; Firouzeh, Mona Mohammadi; Mirshahvalad, Seyed Ali; Pahlaviani, Fatemeh Golsoorat; SeyedAlinaghi, SeyedAhmad
2015-05-12
New World Health Organization guidelines recommend the initiation of antiretroviral treatment (ART) for asymptomatic patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of ≤ 500 cells/mm(3). Substantial reduction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission is addressed as a major public health outcome of this new approach. Middle East and North Africa (MENA), known as the area of controversies in terms of availability of comprehensive data, has shown concentrated epidemics among most of it's at risk population groups. Serious challenges impede the applicability of new guidelines in the MENA Region. Insufficient resources restrict ART coverage to less than 14%, while only one fourth of the countries had reportable data on patients' CD4 counts at the time of diagnosis. Clinical guidelines need to be significantly modified to reach practical utility, and surveillance systems have not yet been developed in many countries of MENA. Based on available evidence in several countries people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men are increasingly vulnerable to HIV and viral hepatitis, while their sexual partners - either female sex workers or women in monogamous relationships with high-risk men - are potential bridging populations that are not appropriately addressed by regional programs. Research to monitor the response to ART among the mentioned groups are seriously lacking, while drug resistant HIV strains and limited information on adherence patterns to treatment regimens require urgent recognition by health policymakers. Commitment to defined goals in the fight against HIV, development of innovative methods to improve registration and reporting systems, monitoring and evaluation of current programs followed by cost-effective modifications are proposed as effective steps to be acknowledged by National AIDS Programs of the countries of MENA Region.
Later school start time is associated with improved sleep and daytime functioning in adolescents.
Boergers, Julie; Gable, Christopher J; Owens, Judith A
2014-01-01
Chronic insufficient sleep is a growing concern among adolescents and is associated with a host of adverse health consequences. Early school start times may be an environmental contributor to this problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a delay in school start time on sleep patterns, sleepiness, mood, and health-related outcomes. Boarding students (n = 197, mean age = 15.6 yr) attending an independent high school completed the School Sleep Habits Survey before and after the school start time was experimentally delayed from 8:00 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. The delay in school start time was associated with a significant (29 min) increase in sleep duration on school nights. The percentage of students receiving 8 or more hours of sleep on a school night increased to more than double, from 18% to 44%. Students in 9th and 10th grade and those with lower baseline sleep amounts were more likely to report improvements in sleep duration after the schedule change. Daytime sleepiness, depressed mood, and caffeine use were all significantly reduced after the delay in school start time. Sleep duration reverted to baseline levels when the original (earlier) school start time was reinstituted. A modest (25 min) delay in school start time was associated with significant improvements in sleep duration, daytime sleepiness, mood, and caffeine use. These findings have important implications for public policy and add to research suggesting the health benefits of modifying school schedules to more closely align with adolescents' circadian rhythms and sleep needs.
School start times and teen driver crashes : traffic tech.
2015-12-01
Sleep health has become an increasingly important and studied : topic in the last decade. So much so that a number of : school districts across the United States have explored changing, : or have already changed their high-school start times to : a l...
Karamchand, Sumanth; Leisegang, Rory; Schomaker, Michael; Maartens, Gary; Walters, Lourens; Hislop, Michael; Dave, Joel A; Levitt, Naomi S; Cohen, Karen
2016-03-01
Efavirenz is the preferred nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) in first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens in low- and middle-income countries, where the prevalence of diabetes is increasing. Randomized control trials have shown mild increases in plasma glucose in participants in the efavirenz arms, but no association has been reported with overt diabetes. We explored the association between efavirenz exposure and incident diabetes in a large Southern African cohort commencing NNRTI-based first-line ART. Our cohort included HIV-infected adults starting NNRTI-based ART in a private sector HIV disease management program from January 2002 to December 2011. Incident diabetes was identified by the initiation of diabetes treatment. Patients with prevalent diabetes were excluded. We included 56,298 patients with 113,297 patient-years of follow-up (PYFU) on first-line ART. The crude incidence of diabetes was 13.24 per 1000 PYFU. Treatment with efavirenz rather than nevirapine was associated with increased risk of developing diabetes (hazard ratio 1.27 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.10-1.46)) in a multivariate analysis adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, baseline CD4 count, viral load, NRTI backbone, and exposure to other diabetogenic medicines. Zidovudine and stavudine exposure were also associated with an increased risk of developing diabetes. We found that treatment with efavirenz, as well as stavudine and zidovudine, increased the risk of incident diabetes. Interventions to detect and prevent diabetes should be implemented in ART programs, and use of antiretrovirals with lower risk of metabolic complications should be encouraged.
Arya, Vikram; Au, Stanley; Belew, Yodit; Miele, Peter; Struble, Kimberly
2015-07-01
To outline some of the regulatory challenges inherent to the development of long-acting antiretrovirals (ARVs) for the treatment or prevention of HIV infection. Despite advances in drug development that have reduced ARV dosing to once daily, suboptimal drug adherence remains an obstacle to successful HIV treatment. Further, large randomized trials of once daily oral ARVs for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) have shown that drug adherence correlates strongly with prophylactic effect and study outcomes. Thus, the prospect of developing long-acting ARVs, which may mitigate drug adherence issues, has attracted considerable attention lately. Because of their pharmacokinetic properties, the development of long-acting ARVs can present novel regulatory challenges. Chief among them is determining the appropriate dosing regimen, the need for an oral lead-in, and whether existing data with an approved oral agent, if available, can be leveraged for a treatment or prevention indication. For PrEP, because validated biomarkers are lacking, additional nonclinical studies and evaluation of tissue concentrations in multiple compartments may be necessary to identify optimal dosages. Study design and choice of controls for registrational trials of new long-acting PrEP agents might also prove challenging following the availability of an oral PrEP drug.
Otwombe, Kennedy; Lazarus, Erica; Liberty, Afaaf; Gray, Glenda E.; Greeff, Oppel B. W.; Violari, Avy
2017-01-01
Introduction The current World Health Organization guideline for first line antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected children recommends the use of abacavir and lamivudine as nucleoside backbones and no longer includes stavudine. We compared treatment outcomes with abacavir (ABC) versus stavudine (d4T) in a cohort of HIV-1 infected children 6 and 12 months after antiretroviral therapy was initiated. Methods This was a retrospective case-cohort study, using programmatic data from children enrolled in the Paediatric Wellness Programme at the Perinatal HIV Research Unit in Soweto, South Africa between 2005 and 2013. Children on abacavir/stavudine who had initiated ART at age 90% for ABC and d4T were similar too (95% in ABC vs. 86% in d4T, p = 0.10). The proportion of children who died over 12 months was 3.5% in the ABC and 7.9% in the d4T group (p = 0.27). Similarly, the anthropometric measures were comparable. Conclusions It is reassuring that in the short term, in this group of patients, the treatment outcomes were similar. PMID:28686654
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Swai Andrew B
2010-05-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Sub-Saharan Africa has been severely affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Global efforts at improving care and treatment has included scaling up use of antiretroviral therapy (ART. In Tanzania, HIV care and treatment program, including the provision of free ART started in 2004 with a pilot program at Muhimbili National Hospital in Dar es Salaam. This study describes the socio-demographic and clinical features of patients enrolled at the care and treatment clinic at MNH, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods A cross-sectional study looking at baseline characteristics of patients enrolled at the HIV clinic at MNH between June 2004 - Dec 2005 compared to those enrolled between 2006 and September 2008. Results Of all enrolled patients, 2408 (58.5% were used for analysis. More females than males were attending the clinic. Their baseline median CD4 cell count was low (136 cells/μl with 65.7% having below 200 cells/μl. Females had higher CD4 cell counts (150 cells/μl than males (109 cells/μl p Conclusion Patients enrolled to the MNH HIV clinic were predominantly females, and presented with advanced immune-deficiency. Improved access to HIV care and treatment services seems to be associated with patients' early presentation to the clinics in the course of HIV disease.
Quality of Life and Adherence to Antiretroviral Drugs | Mweemba ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Efficacy of antiretroviral treatment in HIV/AIDS is showing inhibition of viral replication and reduction of viral load to a point where viral particles are undetectable in the blood of infected individuals. ... Quality of life is a complex broad ranging multidimensional concept defined in terms of individual's subjective experiences.
School Start Times, Sleep, Behavioral, Health, and Academic Outcomes: a Review of the Literature
Chapman, Daniel P.; Croft, Janet B.
2015-01-01
BACKGROUND Insufficient sleep in adolescents has been shown to be associated with a wide variety of adverse outcomes, from poor mental and physical health to behavioral problems and lower academic grades. However, most high school students do not get sufficient sleep. Delaying school start times for adolescents has been proposed as a policy change to address insufficient sleep in this population and potentially to improve students’ academic performance, reduce engagement in risk behaviors, and improve health. METHODS This paper reviews 38 reports examining the association between school start times, sleep, and other outcomes among adolescent students. RESULTS Most studies reviewed provide evidence that delaying school start time increases weeknight sleep duration among adolescents, primarily by delaying rise times. Most of the studies saw a significant increase in sleep duration even with relatively small delays in start times of half an hour or so. Later start times also generally correspond to improved attendance, less tardiness, less falling asleep in class, better grades, and fewer motor vehicle crashes. CONCLUSIONS Although additional research is necessary, research results that are already available should be disseminated to stakeholders to enable the development of evidence-based school policies. PMID:27040474
Diouf, A; Youbong, T J; Maynart, M; Ndoye, M; Diéye, F L; Ndiaye, N A; Koita-Fall, M B; Ndiaye, B; Seydi, M
2017-08-01
In addition to antiretroviral therapy, non-antiretroviral drugs are necessary for the appropriate care of people living with HIV. The costs of such drugs are totally or partially supported by the people living with HIV. We aimed to evaluate the overall costs, the costs supported by the people living with HIV and factors associated with the prescription of non-antiretroviral drugs in people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy in Senegal. We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 331 people living with HIV who initiated antiretroviral therapy between 2009 and 2011 and followed until March 2012. The costs of non-antiretroviral drugs were those of the national pharmacy for essential drugs; otherwise they were the lowest costs in the private pharmacies. Associated factors were identified through a logistic regression model. The study population was 61 % female. At baseline, 39 % of patients were classified at WHO clinical stage 3 and 40 % at WHO clinical stage 4. Median age, body mass index and CD4 cells count were 41 years, 18kg/m 2 and 93 cells/μL, respectively. After a mean duration of 11.4 months of antiretroviral therapy, 85 % of patients received at least one prescription for a non-antiretroviral drug. Over the entire study period, the most frequently prescribed non-antiretroviral drugs were cotrimoxazole (78.9 % of patients), iron (33.2 %), vitamins (21.1 %) and antibiotics (19.6 %). The mean cost per patient was 34 Euros and the mean cost supported per patient was 14 Euros. The most expensive drugs per treated patient were antihypertensives (168 Euros), anti-ulcer agents (12 Euros), vitamins (8.5 Euros) and antihistamines (7 Euros). The prescription for a non-antiretroviral drug was associated with advanced clinical stage (WHO clinical stage 3/4 versus stage 1/2): OR=2.25; 95 % CI=1.11-4.57 and viral type (HIV-2 versus HIV-1/HIV-1+HIV-2): OR=0.36; 95 % CI=0.14-0.89. Non-antiretroviral drugs are frequently prescribed to
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Félix Gutierrez
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Limited information exists on long-term prognosis of patients with sustained virologic response to antiretroviral therapy. We aimed to assess predictors of unfavorable clinical outcome in patients who maintain viral suppression with HAART. METHODS: Using data collected from ten clinic-based cohorts in Spain, we selected all antiretroviral-naive adults who initiated HAART and maintained plasma HIV-1 RNA levels <500 copies/mL throughout follow-up. Factors associated with disease progression were determined by Cox proportional-hazards models. RESULTS: Of 2,613 patients who started HAART, 757 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. 61% of them initiated a protease inhibitor-based HAART regimen, 29.7% a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor-based regimen, and 7.8% a triple-nucleoside regimen. During 2,556 person-years of follow-up, 22 (2.9% patients died (mortality rate 0.86 per 100 person-years, and 40 (5.3% died or developed a new AIDS-defining event. The most common causes of death were neoplasias and liver failure. Mortality was independently associated with a CD4-T cell response <50 cells/L after 12 months of HAART (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 4.26 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.68-10.83]; P = .002, and age at initiation of HAART (AHR, 1.06 per year; 95% CI, 1.02-1.09; P = .001. Initial antiretroviral regimen chosen was not associated with different risk of clinical progression. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with sustained virologic response on HAART have a low mortality rate over time. Long-term outcome of these patients is driven by immunologic response at the end of the first year of therapy and age at the time of HAART initiation, but not by the initial antiretroviral regimen selected.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Boulle Andrew M
2006-12-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Given the size of the HIV epidemic in South Africa and other developing countries, scaling up antiretroviral treatment (ART represents one of the key public health challenges of the next decade. Appropriate priority setting and budgeting can be assisted by economic data on the costs and cost-effectiveness of ART. The objectives of this research were therefore to estimate HIV healthcare utilisation, the unit costs of HIV services and the cost per life year (LY and quality adjusted life year (QALY gained of HIV treatment interventions from a provider's perspective. Methods Data on service utilisation, outcomes and costs were collected in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Utilisation of a full range of HIV healthcare services was estimated from 1,729 patients in the Khayelitsha cohort (1,146 No-ART patient-years, 2,229 ART patient-years using a before and after study design. Full economic costs of HIV-related services were calculated and were complemented by appropriate secondary data. ART effects (deaths, therapy discontinuation and switching to second-line were from the same 1,729 patients followed for a maximum of 4 years on ART. No-ART outcomes were estimated from a local natural history cohort. Health-related quality of life was assessed on a sub-sample of 95 patients. Markov modelling was used to calculate lifetime costs, LYs and QALYs and uncertainty was assessed through probabilistic sensitivity analysis on all utilisation and outcome variables. An alternative scenario was constructed to enhance generalizability. Results Discounted lifetime costs for No-ART and ART were US$2,743 and US$9,435 over 2 and 8 QALYs respectively. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio through the use of ART versus No-ART was US$1,102 (95% CI 1,043-1,210 per QALY and US$984 (95% CI 913-1,078 per life year gained. In an alternative scenario where adjustments were made across cost, outcome and utilisation parameters, costs and outcomes
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Brown, Alison M.; Atyeo, John; Field, Nikki; Cox, Jennifer; Bull, Colin; Gebski, Val J.
2009-01-01
Background: To reduce the waiting time between diagnosis and the start of radiation therapy, some departments have introduced appointments outside of conventional working hours, but the inconvenience this may cause to patients is unknown. We examined, from the patient's perspective, whether reduced waiting times to treatment would be sufficient to trade off against potentially inconvenient appointment times. Method: We interviewed patients receiving radiation therapy at a major teaching hospital between January and May 2005. Two patient groups were considered: those treated during conventional working hours (8.30 am to 4.30 pm), and those treated outside these hours. Patients were asked to trade a reduction in waiting time to the start of treatment against treatment outside conventional working hours. Results: Of 129 patients interviewed, 77 were treated during conventional working hours and 52 outside these hours. Fifty-seven (44%) were male and 52 (40%) were aged over 60 years. To prefer treatment out of working hours, patients being treated during conventional working hours required a larger reduction in waiting time (odds ratio 2.36, 95% CI 0.97-5.76). Patients with curable disease and those who had made few changes in their lifestyle throughout the treatment were more likely to accept treatment outside of conventional working hours. Conclusion: It is impractical to satisfy the treatment-time preferences of all patients. However, many patients prefer treatment outside of normal treatment times if this would reduce the time until the start of radiation therapy. Evaluating the effect of waiting times on patients' perceptions of their disease control provides important information in allocating treatment hours and appointment times
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Katerina A Christopoulos
2015-08-01
Full Text Available Patients retained in HIV care but not on antiretroviral therapy (ART represent an important part of the HIV care cascade in the United States. Even in an era of more tolerable and efficacious ART, decision making in regards to ART offer and uptake remains complex and calls for exploration of both patient and provider perspectives. We sought to understand reasons for lack of ART usage in patients meeting the Health Resources Services Administration definition of retention as well as what motivated HIV primary care appointment attendance in the absence of ART.We conducted a qualitative study consisting of 70 in-depth interviews with ART-naïve and ART-experienced patients off ART and their primary care providers in two urban safety-net HIV clinics in San Francisco and New York. Twenty patients and their providers were interviewed separately at baseline, and 15 dyads were interviewed again after at least 3 mo and another clinic visit in order to understand any ART use in the interim. We applied dyadic analysis to our data. Nearly all patients were willing to consider ART, and 40% of the sample went on ART, citing education on newer antiretroviral drugs, acceptance of HIV diagnosis, social support, and increased confidence in their ability to adhere as facilitators. However, the strength of the provider recommendation of ART played an important role. Many patients had internalized messages from providers that their health was too good to warrant ART. In addition, providers, while demonstrating patient-centered care through sensitivity to patients experiencing psychosocial instability, frequently muted the offer of ART, at times unintentionally. In the absence of ART, lab monitoring, provider relationships, access to social services, opiate pain medications, and acute symptoms motivated care. The main limitations of this study were that treatment as prevention was not explored in depth and that participants were recruited from academic HIV clinics in
Christopoulos, Katerina A.; Olender, Susan; Lopez, Andrea M.; Lekas, Helen-Maria; Jaiswal, Jessica; Mellman, Will; Geng, Elvin; Koester, Kimberly A.
2015-01-01
Background Patients retained in HIV care but not on antiretroviral therapy (ART) represent an important part of the HIV care cascade in the United States. Even in an era of more tolerable and efficacious ART, decision making in regards to ART offer and uptake remains complex and calls for exploration of both patient and provider perspectives. We sought to understand reasons for lack of ART usage in patients meeting the Health Resources Services Administration definition of retention as well as what motivated HIV primary care appointment attendance in the absence of ART. Methods and Findings We conducted a qualitative study consisting of 70 in-depth interviews with ART-naïve and ART-experienced patients off ART and their primary care providers in two urban safety-net HIV clinics in San Francisco and New York. Twenty patients and their providers were interviewed separately at baseline, and 15 dyads were interviewed again after at least 3 mo and another clinic visit in order to understand any ART use in the interim. We applied dyadic analysis to our data. Nearly all patients were willing to consider ART, and 40% of the sample went on ART, citing education on newer antiretroviral drugs, acceptance of HIV diagnosis, social support, and increased confidence in their ability to adhere as facilitators. However, the strength of the provider recommendation of ART played an important role. Many patients had internalized messages from providers that their health was too good to warrant ART. In addition, providers, while demonstrating patient-centered care through sensitivity to patients experiencing psychosocial instability, frequently muted the offer of ART, at times unintentionally. In the absence of ART, lab monitoring, provider relationships, access to social services, opiate pain medications, and acute symptoms motivated care. The main limitations of this study were that treatment as prevention was not explored in depth and that participants were recruited from academic
Ogoina, Dimie
2015-01-01
Introduction Based on growing evidence mainly from countries outside Sub-Saharan Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) now recommends initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in HIV-infected individuals in developing countries when CD4 cell count (CD4+) is ≤ 500cells/ul. Nigeria accounts for about 14% of the estimated HIV/AIDS burden in Sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the factors associated with timing of initiation of ART among treatment-ineligible HIV-infected adults from Nigeria. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the hospital records of ART ineligible HIV-infected adults who enrolled into HIV care between January 2008 and December 2012 at two major tertiary hospitals in Bayelsa State, South-South Nigeria. Demographic, clinical and laboratories data were obtained at presentation, at each subsequent visit at 6 monthly intervals and at time of initiation of ART. Cox proportional regression and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were used to evaluate independent predictors of time to initiation of ART. Results Amongst the 280 study participants, 70.6% were females, 62.6% had CD4+ ≥500cells/ul, 48.4% had WHO HIV Stage 1 disease and 34.3% were lost to follow up. In a cohort of 180 participants followed up for ≥3months, participants with CD4+ of 351-500cells/ul and stage 2 disease were more likely to start ART earlier than those with CD4+ > 500cells/ul (Hazard ratio [HR]-1.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.0-2.9) and stage 1 disease (HR-2.3 (95% CI-1.3-4.2) respectively. HIV-infected adults with faster CD4+ decay required earlier ART initiation, especially in the first year of follow up. Conclusion ART-ineligible HIV-infected adults on follow up in South-South Nigeria are more likely to require earlier initiation of ART if they have stage 2 HIV disease or CD4+ ≤500cells/ul at presentation. Our findings suggest faster progression of HIV-disease in these groups of individuals and corroborate the growing evidence in support for earlier initiation of ART
Schomaker, Michael; Egger, Matthias; Ndirangu, James; Phiri, Sam; Moultrie, Harry; Technau, Karl; Cox, Vivian; Giddy, Janet; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Wood, Robin; Gsponer, Thomas; Bolton Moore, Carolyn; Rabie, Helena; Eley, Brian; Muhe, Lulu; Penazzato, Martina; Essajee, Shaffiq; Keiser, Olivia; Davies, Mary-Ann
2013-11-01
There is limited evidence on the optimal timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in children 2-5 y of age. We conducted a causal modelling analysis using the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS-Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) collaborative dataset to determine the difference in mortality when starting ART in children aged 2-5 y immediately (irrespective of CD4 criteria), as recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 guidelines, compared to deferring to lower CD4 thresholds, for example, the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm(3) or CD4 percentage (CD4%) <25%. ART-naïve children enrolling in HIV care at IeDEA-SA sites who were between 24 and 59 mo of age at first visit and with ≥1 visit prior to ART initiation and ≥1 follow-up visit were included. We estimated mortality for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds for up to 3 y using g-computation, adjusting for measured time-dependent confounding of CD4 percent, CD4 count, and weight-for-age z-score. Confidence intervals were constructed using bootstrapping. The median (first; third quartile) age at first visit of 2,934 children (51% male) included in the analysis was 3.3 y (2.6; 4.1), with a median (first; third quartile) CD4 count of 592 cells/mm(3) (356; 895) and median (first; third quartile) CD4% of 16% (10%; 23%). The estimated cumulative mortality after 3 y for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds ranged from 3.4% (95% CI: 2.1-6.5) (no ART) to 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%-3.5%) (ART irrespective of CD4 value). Estimated mortality was overall higher when initiating ART at lower CD4 values or not at all. There was no mortality difference between starting ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 value, and ART initiation at the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm(3) or CD4% <25%, with mortality estimates of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%-3.5%) and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.4%-3.5%) after 3 y, respectively. The analysis was limited by loss to follow
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Michael Schomaker
2013-11-01
Full Text Available There is limited evidence on the optimal timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART initiation in children 2-5 y of age. We conducted a causal modelling analysis using the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS-Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA collaborative dataset to determine the difference in mortality when starting ART in children aged 2-5 y immediately (irrespective of CD4 criteria, as recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO 2013 guidelines, compared to deferring to lower CD4 thresholds, for example, the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm(3 or CD4 percentage (CD4% <25%.ART-naïve children enrolling in HIV care at IeDEA-SA sites who were between 24 and 59 mo of age at first visit and with ≥1 visit prior to ART initiation and ≥1 follow-up visit were included. We estimated mortality for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds for up to 3 y using g-computation, adjusting for measured time-dependent confounding of CD4 percent, CD4 count, and weight-for-age z-score. Confidence intervals were constructed using bootstrapping. The median (first; third quartile age at first visit of 2,934 children (51% male included in the analysis was 3.3 y (2.6; 4.1, with a median (first; third quartile CD4 count of 592 cells/mm(3 (356; 895 and median (first; third quartile CD4% of 16% (10%; 23%. The estimated cumulative mortality after 3 y for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds ranged from 3.4% (95% CI: 2.1-6.5 (no ART to 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%-3.5% (ART irrespective of CD4 value. Estimated mortality was overall higher when initiating ART at lower CD4 values or not at all. There was no mortality difference between starting ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 value, and ART initiation at the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm(3 or CD4% <25%, with mortality estimates of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%-3.5% and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.4%-3.5% after 3 y, respectively. The analysis was limited by loss to follow-up and
Standardization of the time for the execution of HANARO start-up and shutdown procedures
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Choi, H. Y.; Lim, I. C.; Hwang, S. R.; Kang, T. J.; Youn, D. B.
2003-01-01
For the standardization of the time to execute HANARO start-up and shutdown procedures, code names were assigned to the individual procedures and the work time were investigated. The data recorded by the operators during start-up and shutdown were statistically analyzed. The analysis results will be used for the standardization of start-up and shutdown procedures and it will be reflected in the procedure document
Nahmod, Nicole G; Lee, Soomi; Buxton, Orfeu M; Chang, Anne-Marie; Hale, Lauren
2017-12-01
High school start times are a key contributor to insufficient sleep. This study investigated associations of high school start times with bedtime, wake time, and time in bed among urban teenagers. Daily-diary study nested within the prospective Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Twenty US cities. Four hundred thirteen teenagers who completed ≥1 daily diary report on a school day. Participating teens were asked to complete daily diaries for 7 consecutive days. School-day daily diaries (3.8±1.6 entries per person) were used in analyses (N=1555 school days). High school start time, the main predictor, was categorized as 7:00-7:29 am (15%), 7:30-7:59 am (22%), 8:00-8:29 am (35%), and 8:30 am or later (28%). Multilevel modeling examined the associations of school start times with bedtime, wake time, and time in bed. Models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, household income, caregiver's education, and school type. Teens with the earliest high school start times (7:00-7:29 am) obtained 46 minutes less time in bed on average compared with teens with high school start times at 8:30 am or later (Pstart times and shorter time in bed, primarily due to earlier wake times (PStart times after 8:30 am were associated with increased time in bed, extending morning sleep by 27-57 minutes (Pstart times. Later school start times are associated with later wake times in our large, diverse sample. Teens starting school at 8:30 am or later are the only group with an average time in bed permitting 8 hours of sleep, the minimum recommended by expert consensus for health and well-being. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Kolte, Lilian; Strandberg, Charlotte; Dreves, Anne-Mette
2002-01-01
In adult HIV-infected patients, thymic size evaluated from CT scans seems to be important to the degree of immune reconstitution obtainable during treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). To examine whether ultrasound is as reliable as CT for estimating thymic size...... and predicting immune recovery, CT and ultrasound scans were performed in 25 adult HIV-infected patients and 10 controls. CD4 counts and naive CD4 counts were measured in order to determine immune reconstitution. Furthermore, the CD4+ T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) frequency and T-cell receptor (TCR...
Hamers, Raph L.; Schuurman, Rob; Sigaloff, Kim C. E.; Wallis, Carole L.; Kityo, Cissy; Siwale, Margaret; Mandaliya, Kishor; Ive, Prudence; Botes, Mariette E.; Wellington, Maureen; Osibogun, Akin; Wit, Ferdinand W.; van Vugt, Michèle; Stevens, Wendy S.; de Wit, Tobias F. Rinke
2012-01-01
Background The effect of pretreatment HIV-1 drug resistance on the response to first-line combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa has not been assessed. We studied pretreatment drug resistance and virological, immunological, and drug-resistance treatment outcomes in a large
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Abela Mpobela Agnarson
Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To analyse antiretroviral treatment (ART knowledge and HIV- and ART-related stigma among the adult population in a rural Tanzanian community. DESIGN: Population-based cross-sectional survey of 694 adults (15-49 years of age. METHODS: Latent class analysis (LCA categorized respondents' levels of ART knowledge and of ART-related stigma. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the association between the levels of ART knowledge and HIV- and ART-related stigma, while controlling for the effects of age, gender, education, marital status and occupation. RESULTS: More than one-third of men and women in the study reported that they had never heard of ART. Among those who had heard of ART, 24% were east informed about ART, 8% moderately informed, and 68% highly informed. Regarding ART-related stigma, 28% were least stigmatizing, 41% moderately stigmatizing, and 31% highly stigmatizing toward persons taking ART. Respondents that had at least primary education were more likely to have high levels of knowledge about ART (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.61-5.94. Participants highly informed about ART held less HIV- and ART-related stigma towards ART patients (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.09-0.74. CONCLUSION: The lack of ART knowledge is broad, and there is a strong association between ART knowledge and individual education level. These are relevant findings for both HIV prevention and HIV treatment program interventions that address ART-related stigma across the entire spectrum of the community.
[Satisfaction of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after starting treatment with insulin].
Mancera-Romero, J; Carramiñana-Barrera, F; Muñoz-González, L; Guillén-Álvarez, P; Murillo-García, D; Sánchez-Pérez, M R
2016-01-01
The objective of this study is to evaluate if overcoming the barrier of starting treatment with insulin can lead to better clinical control and a higher level of patient satisfaction with their treatment. This is an observational, multicentre study of patients diagnosed with DM2 who attended primary care centres with poor glycaemic control (A1c≥8%) under treatment with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs), and who were given motivational treatment to overcome their fear of injections, and started treatment with insulin. The level of satisfaction with the treatment was evaluated using the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ). The questionnaire was used before initiating the treatment with insulin and in the follow-up visit (3-4 months from the beginning of treatment with basal insulin). A total of 573 patients with a mean age of 64±10 years were recruited. The overall mean score from the DTSQs satisfaction questionnaire was 18.3±6.3, and the change of treatment led to an improvement in patient satisfaction compared to the previous treatment (DTSQc mean score 8.8±5.9). A1c dropped from an initial value of 8.7% (SD 0.8) to 7.5% (SD 0.7) (P<.001). The frequency of hyperglycaemic episodes perceived by the patients was significantly lower after they overcame their fear of injections (35.6% compared to 11.5%; P<.001), but no statistically significant differences were found in the frequency of hypoglycaemic episodes (32% compared to 35%; P=.059). In patients with DM2 poorly controlled with OADs, overcoming a fear of injections and starting treatment with insulin was associated with an overall improvement in satisfaction with the new treatment, and decreased the perception of hyperglycaemic episodes. Glycaemic control and the metabolic profile of the patients also improved to a statistically significant degree with the change of treatment. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Médicos de Atención Primaria (SEMERGEN). Publicado por Elsevier España, S
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Andrew F Auld
Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In Mozambique during 2004-2007 numbers of adult patients (≥15 years old enrolled on antiretroviral therapy (ART increased about 16-fold, from 60 kg, WHO stage IV (AHR 1.7; 95% CI, 1.3-2.4, reference group WHO stage I/II, lack of co-trimoxazole prescription (AHR 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0-1.8, and later calendar year of ART initiation (AHR 1.5; 95% CI, 1.2-1.8. Rates of immunologic treatment failure and regimen-switch were 14.0 and 0.6 events per 100-patient years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: ART initiation at earlier disease stages and scale-up of co-trimoxazole among ART patients could improve outcomes. Research to determine reasons for low regimen-switch rates and increasing rates of attrition during program expansion is needed.
Risk Reduction Effects Due to the Start Time Extension of EDGs in OPR-1000
International Nuclear Information System (INIS)
Lim, Ho-Gon; Yang, Joon-Eon; Hwang, Mee-Jeong
2006-01-01
Under the condition that the ECCS rule in Korea will be revised based on the new U.S. 10 CFR 50.46, the risk impact due to the EDG start time extension is analyzed in the present study. This paper is composed of 6 sections. In the section 2, the LOCA break size that cannot be mitigable under the condition of extended EDG start time is obtained from the thermal hydraulic analysis. The section 3 discusses the frequency of the immitigable LOCA and the probability of the LOOP given a LOCA. In the section 4, the effect of the EDG start time extension on its failure probability is discussed with a qualitative manner. Finally, the whole risk change due to the EDG start time extension is calculated in the section 5 with the conclusions given in the section 6
School Start Times, Sleep, Behavioral, Health, and Academic Outcomes: A Review of the Literature.
Wheaton, Anne G; Chapman, Daniel P; Croft, Janet B
2016-05-01
Insufficient sleep in adolescents has been shown to be associated with a wide variety of adverse outcomes, from poor mental and physical health to behavioral problems and lower academic grades. However, most high school students do not get sufficient sleep. Delaying school start times for adolescents has been proposed as a policy change to address insufficient sleep in this population and potentially to improve students' academic performance, reduce engagement in risk behaviors, and improve health. This article reviews 38 reports examining the association between school start times, sleep, and other outcomes among adolescent students. Most studies reviewed provide evidence that delaying school start time increases weeknight sleep duration among adolescents, primarily by delaying rise times. Most of the studies saw a significant increase in sleep duration even with relatively small delays in start times of half an hour or so. Later start times also generally correspond to improved attendance, less tardiness, less falling asleep in class, better grades, and fewer motor vehicle crashes. Although additional research is necessary, research results that are already available should be disseminated to stakeholders to enable the development of evidence-based school policies. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Colautti, Marisel; Luppi, Irene; Salamano, Mercedes; Traverso, María Luz; Botta, Carina; Palchik, Valeria
2009-01-01
To evaluate the supply cycle of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, overseen by the National Program to Combat Human Retroviruses, AIDS, and STDs, through its order fulfillment indicators, and to obtain input from supply chain stakeholders. A study was carried out from April-September 2005 in the pharmacies of two hospitals in Rosario, Argentina, involving both a quantitative analysis of indicators and secondary sources and a qualitative evaluation using semistructured interviews. The indicators reveal the impact that interruptions in ARV supply stream from the Program (central level) have and the overstocking that takes place at the pharmacies (local level) to manage the shortages. Changes in ARV treatment account for over 50% of the prescriptions. Fulfillments fall short of the reference value. The interviewees shared possible strategies for overcoming the communication gaps between levels, for building-up stock, for guaranteeing availability, and for shortening waiting times; reached informal agreements to deal with the lack of policies and the shortage of staff; acknowledged the challenges facing the jurisdictions (central, intermediate, and local/community); and recognized local efforts to improve management. These challenges could be the starting point for building teams to work on effectively decentralizing the entire supply chain and allowing the Program to fulfill its much-needed oversight role.
Middle school start times: the importance of a good night's sleep for young adolescents.
Wolfson, Amy R; Spaulding, Noah L; Dandrow, Craig; Baroni, Elizabeth M
2007-01-01
With the onset of adolescence, teenagers require 9.2 hr of sleep and experience a delay in the timing of sleep. In the "real world" with early school start times, however, they report less sleep, striking differences between their school-weekend sleep schedules, and significant daytime sleepiness. Prior studies demonstrated that high schoolers with later school starts do not further delay bedtime but obtain more sleep due to later wake times. This study examined sleep-wake patterns of young adolescents attending urban, public middle schools with early (7:15 a.m.) versus late (8:37 a.m.) start times. Students (N = 205) were assessed at 2 time periods. Students at the late-starting school reported waking up over 1 hr later on school mornings and obtaining 50 min more sleep each night, less sleepiness, and fewer tardies than students at the early school. All students reported similar school-night bedtime, sleep hygiene practices, and weekend sleep schedules.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Booysen Frederik
2010-07-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background Although South Africa has the largest public-sector anti-retroviral treatment (ART programme in the world, anti-retroviral coverage in adults was only 40.2% in 2008. However, longitudinal studies of who is accessing the South African public-sector ART programme are scarce. This study therefore had one main research question: who is accessing public-sector ART in the Free State Province, South Africa? The study aimed to extend the current literature by investigating, in a quantitative manner and using a longitudinal study design, the participants enrolled in the public-sector ART programme in the period 2004-2006 in the Free State Province of South Africa. Methods Differences in the demographic (age, sex, population group and marital status socio-economic (education, income, neo-material indicators, geographic (travel costs, relocation for ART, and medical characteristics (CD4, viral load, time since first diagnosis, treatment status among 912 patients enrolled in the Free State public-sector ART programme between 2004 and 2006 were assessed with one-way analysis of variance, Bonferroni post-hoc analysis, and cross tabulations with the chi square test. Results The patients accessing treatment tended to be female (71.1% and unemployed (83.4%. However, although relatively poor, those most likely to access ART services were not the most impoverished patients. The proportion of female patients increased (P P P P P Conclusions Our analysis showed significant changes in the demographic, socio-economic, geographic, and medical characteristics of the patients during the first three years of the programme. Knowledge of the characteristics of these patients can assist policy makers in developing measures to retain them in care. The information reported here can also be usefully applied to target patient groups that are currently not reached in the implementation of the ART programme.
Barnighausen, Till; Bloom, David E.
2007-01-01
Without large increases in the number of health workers to treat HIV/AIDS (HAHW), most developing countries will be unable to achieve universal coverage with antiretroviral treatment (ART), leading to large numbers of potentially avoidable deaths among people living with HIV/AIDS. We use Markov Monte Carlo microsimulation to estimate the expected…
Ahmed, A A; Katlama, C; Ghosn, J; Guiguet, M; Costagliola, D
2007-01-01
We determined the rate of compliance with antiretroviral therapy and investigated the factors that influence it among 86 HIV patients. Compliance ratio (number of tablets taken/number prescribed) was assessed by tablet count. The mean ratio of compliance was 92%. By tablet count, 77% of the patients were compliant (compliance ratio > or =90%). Non-compliance was significantly associated with side-effects, degree of confidentiality of the care centre and travelling. Compliance correlated significantly with viral load. In multivariate analysis, community support and level of education protected against non-compliance. Patients having already missed a dose and those dissatisfied with confidentiality had a 4 times greater risk of non-compliance.
Schomaker, Michael; Davies, Mary-Ann; Malateste, Karen; Renner, Lorna; Sawry, Shobna; N'Gbeche, Sylvie; Technau, Karl-Günter; Eboua, François; Tanser, Frank; Sygnaté-Sy, Haby; Phiri, Sam; Amorissani-Folquet, Madeleine; Cox, Vivian; Koueta, Fla; Chimbete, Cleophas; Lawson-Evi, Annette; Giddy, Janet; Amani-Bosse, Clarisse; Wood, Robin; Egger, Matthias; Leroy, Valeriane
2016-03-01
There is limited evidence regarding the optimal timing of initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in children. We conducted a causal modeling analysis in children ages 1-5 years from the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS West/Southern-Africa collaboration to determine growth and mortality differences related to different CD4-based treatment initiation criteria, age groups, and regions. ART-naïve children of ages 12-59 months at enrollment with at least one visit before ART initiation and one follow-up visit were included. We estimated 3-year growth and cumulative mortality from the start of follow-up for different CD4 criteria using g-computation. About one quarter of the 5,826 included children was from West Africa (24.6%).The median (first; third quartile) CD4% at the first visit was 16% (11%; 23%), the median weight-for-age z-scores and height-for-age z-scores were -1.5 (-2.7; -0.6) and -2.5 (-3.5; -1.5), respectively. Estimated cumulative mortality was higher overall, and growth was slower, when initiating ART at lower CD4 thresholds. After 3 years of follow-up, the estimated mortality difference between starting ART routinely irrespective of CD4 count and starting ART if either CD4 count <750 cells/mm³ or CD4% <25% was 0.2% (95% CI = -0.2%; 0.3%), and the difference in the mean height-for-age z-scores of those who survived was -0.02 (95% CI = -0.04; 0.01). Younger children ages 1-2 and children in West Africa had worse outcomes. Our results demonstrate that earlier treatment initiation yields overall better growth and mortality outcomes, although we could not show any differences in outcomes between immediate ART and delaying until CD4 count/% falls below 750/25%.
A quasi-experimental study of the impact of school start time changes on adolescent sleep.
Owens, Judith A; Dearth-Wesley, Tracy; Herman, Allison N; Oakes, J Michael; Whitaker, Robert C
2017-12-01
To determine whether simultaneous school start time changes (delay for some schools; advance for others) impact adolescents' sleep. Quasi-experimental study using cross-sectional surveys before and after changes to school start times in September 2015. Eight middle (grades 7-8), 3 secondary (grades 7-12), and 8 high (grades 9-12) schools in Fairfax County (Virginia) public schools. A total of 2017 (6% of ~34,900) students were surveyed before start time changes, and 1180 (3% of ~35,300) were surveyed after. A 50-minute delay (7:20 to 8:10 am) in start time for high schools and secondary schools and a 30-minute advance (8:00 to 7:30 am) for middle schools. Differences before and after start time changes in self-reported sleep duration and daytime sleepiness. Among respondents, 57.5% were non-Hispanic white, and 10.3% received free or reduced-priced school meals. Before start time changes, high/secondary and middle school students slept a mean (SD) of 7.4 (1.2) and 8.4 (1.0) hours on school nights, respectively, and had a prevalence of daytime sleepiness of 78.4% and 57.2%, respectively. Adjusted for potential confounders, students with a 50-minute delay slept 30.1 minutes longer (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.3-36.0) on school nights and had less daytime sleepiness (-4.8%; 95% CI, -8.5% to -1.1%), whereas students with a 30-minute advance slept 14.8 minutes less (95% CI, -21.6 to -8.0) and had more daytime sleepiness (8.0%; 95% CI, 2.5%-13.5%). Both advances and delays in school start times are associated with changes in adolescents' school-night sleep duration and daytime sleepiness. Larger changes might occur with later start times. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Isaakidis, Petros; Varghese, Bhanumati; Mansoor, Homa; Cox, Helen S.; Ladomirska, Joanna; Saranchuk, Peter; Da Silva, Esdras; Khan, Samsuddin; Paryani, Roma; Udwadia, Zarir; Migliori, Giovanni Battista; Sotgiu, Giovanni; Reid, Tony
2012-01-01
Background Significant adverse events (AE) have been reported in patients receiving medications for multidrug- and extensively-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB & XDR-TB). However, there is little prospective data on AE in MDR- or XDR-TB/HIV co-infected patients on antituberculosis and antiretroviral therapy (ART) in programmatic settings. Methods Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is supporting a community-based treatment program for drug-resistant tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients in a slum setting in Mumbai, India since 2007. Patients are being treated for both diseases and the management of AE is done on an outpatient basis whenever possible. Prospective data were analysed to determine the occurrence and nature of AE. Results Between May 2007 and September 2011, 67 HIV/MDR-TB co-infected patients were being treated with anti-TB treatment and ART; 43.3% were female, median age was 35.5 years (Interquartile Range: 30.5–42) and the median duration of anti-TB treatment was 10 months (range 0.5–30). Overall, AE were common in this cohort: 71%, 63% and 40% of patients experienced one or more mild, moderate or severe AE, respectively. However, they were rarely life-threatening or debilitating. AE occurring most frequently included gastrointestinal symptoms (45% of patients), peripheral neuropathy (38%), hypothyroidism (32%), psychiatric symptoms (29%) and hypokalaemia (23%). Eleven patients were hospitalized for AE and one or more suspect drugs had to be permanently discontinued in 27 (40%). No AE led to indefinite suspension of an entire MDR-TB or ART regimen. Conclusions AE occurred frequently in this Mumbai HIV/MDR-TB cohort but not more frequently than in non-HIV patients on similar anti-TB treatment. Most AE can be successfully managed on an outpatient basis through a community-based treatment program, even in a resource-limited setting. Concerns about severe AE in the management of co-infected patients are justified, however, they should not cause delays
Delayed High School Starting Times. Information Capsule. Volume 0908
Blazer, Christie
2009-01-01
Educators around the nation are considering pushing high school starting times back until later in the morning, based on evidence suggesting that amount of sleep and circadian rhythms play a part in adolescents' academic performance. While research confirms that adolescents do not get enough sleep and that insufficient sleep can negatively…
Religion, authority and their interplay in the shaping of antiretroviral ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
The article explores how religious actors have increasingly shaped the nature of antiretroviral treatment (ART) services in Kabarole district, western Uganda. As have the regular health services, Christian donors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and churches in the district have also stepped up to provide money for ...
Longitudinal Outcomes of Start Time Delay on Sleep, Behavior, and Achievement in High School
Thacher, Pamela V.; Onyper, Serge V.
2016-01-01
Study Objectives: To establish whether sleep, health, mood, behavior, and academics improved after a 45-minute delay in high school start time, and whether changes persisted longitudinally. Methods: We collected data from school records and student self-report across a number of domains at baseline (May 2012) and at two follow-up time points (November 2012 and May 2013), at a public high school in upstate New York. Students enrolled during academic years (AY) 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; the DASS-21; the “Owl-Lark” Scale; the Daytime Sleepiness Index; and a brief self-report of health. Reports from school records regarding attendance, tardiness, disciplinary violations, and academic performance were collected for AY 2010–2011 through 2013–2014. Results: Students delayed but did not extend their sleep period; we found lasting improvements in tardiness and disciplinary violations after the start-time delay, but no changes to other variables. At the first follow-up, students reported 20 minutes longer sleep, driven by later rise times and stable bed times. At the second follow-up, students maintained later rise times but delayed bedtimes, returning total sleep to baseline levels. A delay in rise time, paralleling the delay in the start time that occurred, resulted in less tardiness and decreased disciplinary incidents, but larger improvements to sleep patterns may be necessary to affect health, attendance, sleepiness, and academic performance. Conclusions: Later start times improved tardiness and disciplinary issues at this school district. A delay in start time may be a necessary but not sufficient means to increase sleep time and may depend on preexisting individual differences. Commentary: A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 267. Citation: Thacher PV, Onyper SV. Longitudinal outcomes of start time delay on sleep, behavior, and achievement in high school. SLEEP 2016;39(2):271–281. PMID
Class start times, sleep, and academic performance in college: a path analysis.
Onyper, Serge V; Thacher, Pamela V; Gilbert, Jack W; Gradess, Samuel G
2012-04-01
Path analysis was used to examine the relationship between class start times, sleep, circadian preference, and academic performance in college-aged adults. Consistent with observations in middle and high school students, college students with later class start times slept longer, experienced less daytime sleepiness, and were less likely to miss class. Chronotype was an important moderator of sleep schedules and daytime functioning; those with morning preference went to bed and woke up earlier and functioned better throughout the day. The benefits of taking later classes did not extend to academic performance, however; grades were somewhat lower in students with predominantly late class schedules. Furthermore, students taking later classes were at greater risk for increased alcohol consumption, and among all the factors affecting academic performance, alcohol misuse exerted the strongest effect. Thus, these results indicate that later class start times in college, while allowing for more sleep, also increase the likelihood of alcohol misuse, ultimately impeding academic success.
Starting with a higher dose of inhaled corticosteroids in primary care asthma treatment
van der Molen, T; Meyboom-de Jong, B; Mulder, HH; Postma, DS
New British guidelines on the treatment of asthma (9) advocate starting with a higher dose of inhaled corticosteroids in newly detected asthma patients. We investigated whether initiating inhaled steroid treatment with a higher dose is clinically more effective than a lower dose in steroid naive
Otero, L; De Orbegoso, A; Navarro, A F; Ríos, J; Párraga, T; Gotuzzo, E; Seas, C; Van der Stuyft, P
2015-03-01
To determine the time from diagnosis to start of multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) treatment in Lima, Peru. We studied new smear-positive TB adults that were started on MDR TB treatment or that were switched to it between June 2008 and December 2011. Time from the first positive smear to MDR-TB treatment was >30 days in 35% (13/37) of patients. Among the 27% (24/88) of patients that switched to MDR-TB treatment, time from the last dose of a drug-susceptible regimen was >30 days. Start of and switching to MDR TB treatment is still delayed. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Delayed school start times and adolescent sleep: A systematic review of the experimental evidence.
Minges, Karl E; Redeker, Nancy S
2016-08-01
Many schools have instituted later morning start times to improve sleep, academic, and other outcomes in response to the mismatch between youth circadian rhythms and early morning start times. However, there has been no systematic synthesis of the evidence on the effects of this practice. To examine the impact of delayed school start time on students' sleep, health, and academic outcomes, electronic databases were systematically searched and data were extracted using the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Six studies satisfied selection criteria and used pre-post, no control (n = 3), randomized controlled trial (n = 2), and quasi-experimental (n = 1) designs. School start times were delayed 25-60 min, and correspondingly, total sleep time increased from 25 to 77 min per weeknight. Some studies revealed reduced daytime sleepiness, depression, caffeine use, tardiness to class, and trouble staying awake. Overall, the evidence supports recent non-experimental study findings and calls for policy that advocates for delayed school start time to improve sleep. This presents a potential long-term solution to chronic sleep restriction during adolescence. However, there is a need for rigorous randomized study designs and reporting of consistent outcomes, including objective sleep measures and consistent measures of health and academic performance. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Cesar, Carina; Koethe, John R; Giganti, Mark J; Rebeiro, Peter; Althoff, Keri N; Napravnik, Sonia; Mayor, Angel; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Wolff, Marcelo; Padgett, Denis; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Sterling, Timothy R; Willig, James; Levison, Julie; Kitahata, Mari; Rodriguez-Barradas, Maria C; Moore, Richard D; McGowan, Catherine; Shepherd, Bryan E; Cahn, Pedro
2016-01-01
Introduction Latinos living with HIV in the Americas share a common ethnic and cultural heritage. In North America, Latinos have a relatively high rate of new HIV infections but lower rates of engagement at all stages of the care continuum, whereas in Latin America antiretroviral therapy (ART) services continue to expand to meet treatment needs. In this analysis, we compare HIV treatment outcomes between Latinos receiving ART in North America versus Latin America. Methods HIV-positive adults initiating ART at Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV (CCASAnet) sites were compared to Latino patients (based on country of origin or ethnic identity) starting treatment at North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) sites in the United States and Canada between 2000 and 2011. Cox proportional hazards models compared mortality, treatment interruption, antiretroviral regimen change, virologic failure and loss to follow-up between cohorts. Results The study included 8400 CCASAnet and 2786 NA-ACCORD patients initiating ART. CCASAnet patients were younger (median 35 vs. 37 years), more likely to be female (27% vs. 20%) and had lower nadir CD4 count (median 148 vs. 195 cells/µL, p<0.001 for all). In multivariable analyses, CCASAnet patients had a higher risk of mortality after ART initiation (adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 1.61; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.32 to 1.96), particularly during the first year, but a lower hazard of treatment interruption (AHR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.42 to 0.50), change to second-line ART (AHR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.51 to 0.62) and virologic failure (AHR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.48 to 0.57). Conclusions HIV-positive Latinos initiating ART in Latin America have greater continuity of treatment but are at higher risk of death than Latinos in North America. Factors underlying these differences, such as HIV testing, linkage and access to care, warrant further investigation. PMID:26996992
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Monique van Lettow
Full Text Available In sub-Saharan Africa, early mortality is high following initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART. We investigated 6-month outcomes and factors associated with mortality in HIV-infected adults being assessed for ART initiation and presenting with weight loss, chronic fever or diarrhea, and with negative TB sputum microscopy.A prospective cohort study was conducted in Malawi, investigating mortality in relation to ART uptake, microbiological findings and treatment of opportunistic infection (OIs, 6 months after meeting ART eligibility criteria.Of 469 consecutive adults eligible for ART, 74(16% died within 6 months of enrolment, at a median of 41 days (IQR 20-81. 370(79% started ART at a median time of 18 days (IQR 7-40 after enrolment. Six-month case-fatality rates were higher in patients with OIs; 25/121(21% in confirmed/clinical TB and 10/50(20% with blood stream infection (BSI compared to 41/308(13% in patients with no infection identified. Median TB treatment start was 27 days (IQR 17-65 after enrolment and mortality [8 deaths (44%] was significantly higher among 18 culture-positive patients with delayed TB diagnosis compared to patients diagnosed clinically and treated promptly with subsequent culture confirmation [6/34 (18%;p = 0.04]. Adjusted multivariable analysis, excluding deaths in the first 21 days, showed weight loss >10%, low CD4 count, severe anemia, laboratory-only TB diagnosis, and not initiating ART to be independently associated with increased risk of death.Mortality remains high among chronically ill patients eligible for ART. Prompt initiation of ART is vital: more than half of deaths were among patients who never started ART. Diagnostic and treatment delay for TB was strongly associated with risk of death. More than half of deaths occurred without identification of a specific infection. ART programmes need access to rapid point-of-care-diagnostic tools for OIs. The role of early empiric OI treatment in this population
Skovdal, Morten; Campbell, Catherine; Nyamukapa, Constance; Gregson, Simon
2011-06-09
Social constructions of masculinity have been shown to serve as an obstacle to men's access and adherence to antiretroviral therapies (ART). In the light of women's relative lack of power in many aspects of interpersonal relationships with men in many African settings, our objective is to explore how male denial of HIV/AIDS impacts on their female partners' ability to access and adhere to ART. We conducted a qualitative case study involving thematic analysis of 37 individual interviews and five focus groups with a total of 53 male and female antiretroviral drug users and 25 healthcare providers in rural eastern Zimbabwe. Rooted in hegemonic notions of masculinity, men saw HIV/AIDS as a threat to their manhood and dignity and exhibited a profound fear of the disease. In the process of denying and avoiding their association with AIDS, many men undermine their wives' efforts to access and adhere to ART. Many women felt unable to disclose their HIV status to their husbands, forcing them to take their medication in secret, and act without a supportive treatment partner, which is widely accepted to be vitally important for adherence success. Some husbands, when discovering that their wives are on ART, deny them permission to take the drugs, or indeed steal the drugs for their own treatment. Men's avoidance of HIV also leaves many HIV-positive women feeling vulnerable to re-infection as their husbands, in an attempt to demonstrate their manhood, are believed to continue engaging in HIV-risky behaviours. Hegemonic notions of masculinity can interfere with women's adherence to ART. It is important that those concerned with promoting effective treatment services recognise the gender and household dynamics that may prevent some women from successfully adhering to ART, and explore ways to work with both women and men to identify couples-based strategies to increase adherence to ART.
Roles of family dynamics on adherence to highly active antiretroviral ...
African Journals Online (AJOL)
Background: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been proven to be the only effective treatment for HIV/AIDS worldwide. Good adherence to HAART might require good family support. Objective: To determine the family dynamics and social support of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and its ...
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C.A.T. Pinheiro
2002-10-01
Full Text Available A cross-sectional study was conducted on HIV-infected adults being treated with antiretroviral drugs at a reference service in Southern Brazil. Participants answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and were tested by scales assessing sociocognitive variables. Adherence to treatment was assessed by a self-report inventory developed for the study. Clinical information was obtained from the patients' records. Significance tests were conducted using univariate logistic regressions followed by multivariate logistic regression analysis. A total of 195 patients participated in the study and 56.9% of them reported > or = 95% adherence on the previous two days. In univariate analysis, the odds of adherence increased with self-efficacy (a person's conviction that he/she can successfully execute the behavior required to produce a certain desired outcome in taking medications as prescribed (OR = 3.50, 95% CI 1.90-6.55, and decreased with perception of negative affect and physical concerns (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.53-0.95. The odds were lower for taking antiretroviral medications >4 times a day (OR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.94 and higher for patients with 8 years of schooling (OR = 2.28, 95% CI 1.12-4.66. In the multivariate analysis, self-efficacy (OR = 3.33, 95% CI 1.69-6.56 and taking medication >4 times a day (OR = 0.34, 95% CI 0.14-0.80 were independently associated with adherence. Self-efficacy was the most important predictor of adherence, followed by number of times antiretroviral medication was taken per day. Among sociodemographic and clinical variables, only the number of years of schooling was associated with adherence. Motivational interventions based on self-efficacy may be useful for increasing treatment adherence.
Roos, Annemieke; Linn-Rasker, Suzanne P.; van Domburg, Ron T.; Tijssen, Jan P.; Berghout, Arie
2005-01-01
BACKGROUND: The treatment of hypothyroidism with levothyroxine is effective and simple; however, recommendations for the starting dose vary considerably. To our knowledge, the levothyroxine starting dose has never been studied prospectively. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized,
Friis, Anna M. C.; Gyllensten, Katarina; Aleman, Anna; Ernberg, Ingemar; Åkerlund, Börje
2010-01-01
We evaluated the effect of combination anti-retroviral treatment (cART) on the host control of EBV infection in moderately immunosuppressed HIV-1 patients. Twenty HIV-1 infected individuals were followed for five years with repeated measurements of EBV DNA load in peripheral blood lymphocytes in relation to HIV-RNA titers and CD4+ cell counts. Individuals with optimal response, i.e. durable non-detectable HIV-RNA, showed a decline of EBV load to the level of healthy controls. Individuals with non-optimal HIV-1 control did not restore their EBV control. Long-lasting suppression of HIV-replication after early initiation of cART is a prerequisite for re-establishing the immune control of EBV. PMID:21994658
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Anna M. C. Friis
2010-03-01
Full Text Available We evaluated the effect of combination anti-retroviral treatment (cART on the host control of EBV infection in moderately immunosuppressed HIV-1 patients. Twenty HIV-1 infected individuals were followed for five years with repeated measurements of EBV DNA load in peripheral blood lymphocytes in relation to HIV-RNA titers and CD4+ cell counts. Individuals with optimal response, i.e. durable non-detectable HIV-RNA, showed a decline of EBV load to the level of healthy controls. Individuals with non-optimal HIV-1 control did not restore their EBV control. Long-lasting suppression of HIV-replication after early initiation of cART is a prerequisite for re-establishing the immune control of EBV.
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Phirum Lay
Full Text Available Although HIV disease stage at ART initiation critically determines ART outcomes, few reports have longitudinally monitored this within Asia. Using prospectively collected data from a large ART program at Sihanouk Hospital Center of Hope in Cambodia, we report on the change in patient characteristics and outcomes over a ten-year period.We conducted a retrospective analysis including all adults (≥ 18 years old starting ART from March 2003-March 2013 in a non-governmental hospital in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The cumulative incidence of death, lost to follow-up (LTFU, attrition (death or LTFU and first line treatment failure were calculated using Kaplan-Meier methods. Independent risk factors for these outcomes were determined using Cox regression modeling.Over the ten-year period, 3581 patients initiated ART with a median follow-up time of 4.8 years (IQR 2.8-7.2. The median age was 35 years (IQR 30-41, 54% were female. The median CD4 count at ART initiation increased from 22 cells/μL (IQR 4-129 in 2003 to 218 (IQR 57-302 in 2013. Over the 10 year period, a total of 282 (7.9% individuals died and 433 (12.1% were defined LTFU. Program attrition (died or LTFU was 11.1% (95% CI: 10.1%- 12.4% at one year, 16.3% (95% CI: 15.1%-17.6% at three years, 19.8% (95% CI: 18.5%-21.2% at five years and 23.3% (95% CI: 21.6-25.1 at ten years. Male sex and low baseline body mass index (BMI were associated with increased attrition. Factors independently associated with mortality included a low baseline CD4 count, older age, male sex, low baseline BMI and hepatitis B co-infection. Individuals aged above 40 years old had an increased risk of mortality but were less likely to LTFU. There were a total of 137 individuals with first line ART failure starting second line treatment. The probability of first line failure was estimated at 2.8% (95% CI: 2.3%-3.4% at 3 years, 4.6% (95% CI: 3.9%-5.5% at 5 years and 7.8% (95% CI 4.8%-12.5% at ten years of ART. The probability was
Estill, Janne; Ford, Nathan; Salazar-Vizcaya, Luisa; Haas, Andreas D; Blaser, Nello; Habiyambere, Vincent; Keiser, Olivia
2016-03-01
The number of patients in need of second-line antiretroviral drugs is increasing in sub-Saharan Africa. We aimed to project the need of second-line antiretroviral therapy in adults in sub-Saharan Africa up to 2030. We developed a simulation model for HIV and applied it to each sub-Saharan African country. We used the WHO country intelligence database to estimate the number of adult patients receiving antiretroviral therapy from 2005 to 2014. We fitted the number of adult patients receiving antiretroviral therapy to observed estimates, and predicted first-line and second-line needs between 2015 and 2030. We present results for sub-Saharan Africa, and eight selected countries. We present 18 scenarios, combining the availability of viral load monitoring, speed of antiretroviral scale-up, and rates of retention and switching to second-line. HIV transmission was not included. Depending on the scenario, 8·7-25·6 million people are expected to receive antiretroviral therapy in 2020, of whom 0·5-3·0 million will be receiving second-line antiretroviral therapy. The proportion of patients on treatment receiving second-line therapy was highest (15·6%) in the scenario with perfect retention and immediate switching, no further scale-up, and universal routine viral load monitoring. In 2030, the estimated range of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy will remain constant, but the number of patients receiving second-line antiretroviral therapy will increase to 0·8-4·6 million (6·6-19·6%). The need for second-line antiretroviral therapy was two to three times higher if routine viral load monitoring was implemented throughout the region, compared with a scenario of no further viral load monitoring scale-up. For each monitoring strategy, the future proportion of patients receiving second-line antiretroviral therapy differed only minimally between countries. Donors and countries in sub-Saharan Africa should prepare for a substantial increase in the need for second
Keller, Peggy S; Gilbert, Lauren R; Haak, Eric A; Bi, Shuang; Smith, Olivia A
2017-04-01
Early school start times may curtail children's sleep and inadvertently promote sleep restriction. The current study examines the potential implications for early school start times for behavioral problems in public elementary schools (student ages 5-12 years) in Kentucky. School start times were obtained from school Web sites or by calling school offices; behavioral and disciplinary problems, along with demographic information about schools, were obtained from the Kentucky Department of Education. Estimated associations controlled for teacher/student ratio, racial composition, school rank, enrollment, and Appalachian location. Associations between early school start time and greater behavioral problems (harassment, in-school removals, suspensions, and expulsions) were observed, although some of these associations were found only for schools serving the non-Appalachian region. Findings support the growing body of research showing that early school start times may contribute to student problems, and extend this research through a large-scale examination of elementary schools, behavioral outcomes, and potential moderators of risk. Copyright © 2017 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Schomaker, Michael; Egger, Matthias; Ndirangu, James; Phiri, Sam; Moultrie, Harry; Technau, Karl; Cox, Vivian; Giddy, Janet; Chimbetete, Cleophas; Wood, Robin; Gsponer, Thomas; Bolton Moore, Carolyn; Rabie, Helena; Eley, Brian; Muhe, Lulu; Penazzato, Martina; Essajee, Shaffiq; Keiser, Olivia; Davies, Mary-Ann
2013-01-01
Background There is limited evidence on the optimal timing of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in children 2–5 y of age. We conducted a causal modelling analysis using the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS–Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) collaborative dataset to determine the difference in mortality when starting ART in children aged 2–5 y immediately (irrespective of CD4 criteria), as recommended in the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 guidelines, compared to deferring to lower CD4 thresholds, for example, the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm3 or CD4 percentage (CD4%) <25%. Methods and Findings ART-naïve children enrolling in HIV care at IeDEA-SA sites who were between 24 and 59 mo of age at first visit and with ≥1 visit prior to ART initiation and ≥1 follow-up visit were included. We estimated mortality for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds for up to 3 y using g-computation, adjusting for measured time-dependent confounding of CD4 percent, CD4 count, and weight-for-age z-score. Confidence intervals were constructed using bootstrapping. The median (first; third quartile) age at first visit of 2,934 children (51% male) included in the analysis was 3.3 y (2.6; 4.1), with a median (first; third quartile) CD4 count of 592 cells/mm3 (356; 895) and median (first; third quartile) CD4% of 16% (10%; 23%). The estimated cumulative mortality after 3 y for ART initiation at different CD4 thresholds ranged from 3.4% (95% CI: 2.1–6.5) (no ART) to 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%–3.5%) (ART irrespective of CD4 value). Estimated mortality was overall higher when initiating ART at lower CD4 values or not at all. There was no mortality difference between starting ART immediately, irrespective of CD4 value, and ART initiation at the WHO 2010 recommended threshold of CD4 count <750 cells/mm3 or CD4% <25%, with mortality estimates of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.3%–3.5%) and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.4%–3.5%) after 3 y, respectively. The
Matas, Carla Gentile; Samelli, Alessandra Giannella; Magliaro, Fernanda Cristina Leite; Segurado, Aluisio
2017-08-02
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and infections related to it can affect multiple sites in the hearing system. The use of High-Activity Anti-Retroviral Therapy (HAART) can cause side effects such as ototoxicity. Thus, no consistent patterns of hearing impairment in adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus / Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome have been established, and the problems that affect the hearing system of this population warrant further research. This study aimed to compare the audiological and electrophysiological data of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive patients with and without Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, who were receiving High-Activity Anti-Retroviral Therapy, to healthy individuals. It was a cross-sectional study conducted with 71 subjects (30-48 years old), divided into groups: Research Group I: 16 Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive individuals without Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (not receiving antiretroviral treatment); Research Group II: 25 Human Immunodeficiency Virus-positive individuals with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (receiving antiretroviral treatment); Control Group: 30 healthy subjects. All individuals were tested by pure-tone air conduction thresholds at 0.25-8kHz, extended high frequencies at 9-20kHz, electrophysiological tests (Auditory Brainstem Response - ABR, Middle Latency Responses - MLR, Cognitive Potential - P300). Research Group I and Research Group II had higher hearing thresholds in both conventional and high frequency audiometry when compared to the control group, prolonged latency of waves I, III, V and interpeak I-V in Auditory Brainstem Response and prolonged latency of P300 Cognitive Potential. Regarding Middle Latency Responses, there was a decrease in the amplitude of the Pa wave of Research Group II compared to the Research Group I. Both groups with Human Immunodeficiency Virus had higher hearing thresholds when compared to healthy individuals (group exposed to antiretroviral
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Fox, Zoe V; Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro; D'Arminio Monforte, Antonella
2011-01-01
these recommendations. Methods: In EuroSIDA, virological failure (VF) was defined as confirmed VL>1,000 copies/ml after =4 months continuous use of any antiretroviral in a =3-drug regimen started during or after 2002. We assessed whether a resistance test was performed around VF (from 4 months before to 1 year after VF...
Longitudinal Outcomes of Start Time Delay on Sleep, Behavior, and Achievement in High School.
Thacher, Pamela V; Onyper, Serge V
2016-02-01
To establish whether sleep, health, mood, behavior, and academics improved after a 45-minute delay in high school start time, and whether changes persisted longitudinally. We collected data from school records and student self-report across a number of domains at baseline (May 2012) and at two follow-up time points (November 2012 and May 2013), at a public high school in upstate New York. Students enrolled during academic years (AY) 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index; the DASS-21; the "Owl-Lark" Scale; the Daytime Sleepiness Index; and a brief self-report of health. Reports from school records regarding attendance, tardiness, disciplinary violations, and academic performance were collected for AY 2010-2011 through 2013-2014. Students delayed but did not extend their sleep period; we found lasting improvements in tardiness and disciplinary violations after the start-time delay, but no changes to other variables. At the first follow-up, students reported 20 minutes longer sleep, driven by later rise times and stable bed times. At the second follow-up, students maintained later rise times but delayed bedtimes, returning total sleep to baseline levels. A delay in rise time, paralleling the delay in the start time that occurred, resulted in less tardiness and decreased disciplinary incidents, but larger improvements to sleep patterns may be necessary to affect health, attendance, sleepiness, and academic performance. Later start times improved tardiness and disciplinary issues at this school district. A delay in start time may be a necessary but not sufficient means to increase sleep time and may depend on preexisting individual differences. A commentary on this article appears in this issue on page 267. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.
2013-11-01
In the present update of the guidelines, a starting combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) is recommended in symptomatic patients, in pregnant women, in serodiscordant couples with a high risk of transmission, in patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus requiring treatment, and in patients with HIV-related nephropathy. Guidelines on cART are included in the event of a concurrent diagnosis of HIV infection with an AIDS-defining event. In asymptomatic naïve patients, cART is recommended if the CD4(+) lymphocyte count is 500cells/μL, cART can be delayed, although it may be considered in patients with liver cirrhosis, chronic infection due to hepatitis C virus, high cardiovascular risk, plasma viral load (PVL) >10(5)copies/mL, CD4(+) lymphocyte percentage 55 years. cART in naïve patients requires a combination of 3 drugs, and its aim is to achieve undetectable PVL. Treatment adherence plays a key role in sustaining a favorable response. cART can, and should be, changed if virological failure occurs, in order to return to undetectable PVL. Approaches to cART in acute HIV infection, in women, in pregnancy, in tuberculosis, and post-exposure prophylaxis are also examined. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.
Sauceda, John A; Johnson, Mallory O; Saberi, Parya
2016-11-01
HIV + White, Latino, and African Americans (N = 1131) completed a survey advertised on social media to re-examine the effect of depressive symptoms (via the Patient Health Questionnaire; PHQ-9) and race/ethnicity on antiretroviral therapy nonadherence (defined as past 3-month, 4-day treatment interruption). An adjusted logistic regression showed a 15 % increase in odds for a treatment interruption per 1-unit increase on the PHQ-9. The effect of depressive symptoms on nonadherence was greater for Latinos (OR = 1.80, p depressive symptomatology.
Llenas-García, Jara; Wikman-Jorgensen, Philip; Hobbins, Michael; Mussa, Manuel Aly; Ehmer, Jochen; Keiser, Olivia; Mbofana, Francisco; Wandeler, Gilles
2016-08-01
In 2013, Mozambique adopted Option B+, universal lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all pregnant and lactating women, as national strategy for prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV. We analysed retention in care of pregnant and lactating women starting Option B+ in rural northern Mozambique. We compared ART outcomes in pregnant ('B+ pregnant'), lactating ('B+ lactating') and non-pregnant non-lactating women of childbearing age starting ART according to clinical and/or immunological criteria ('own health') between July 2013 and June 2014. Lost to follow-up was defined as no contact >180 days after the last visit. Multivariable competing risk models were adjusted for type of facility (type 1 vs. peripheral type 2 health centre), age, WHO stage and time from HIV diagnosis to ART. Over 333 person-years of follow-up (243 'B+ pregnant', 65'B+ lactating' and 317 'own health' women), 3.7% of women died and 48.5% were lost to follow-up. 'B+ pregnant' and 'B+ lactating' women were more likely to be lost in the first year (57% vs. 56.9% vs. 31.6%; P pregnant' (adjusted subhazard ratio [asHR]: 2.77; 95% CI: 2.18-3.50; P HIV in rural settings with weak health systems will depend on specific improvements in counselling and retention measures, especially at the beginning of treatment. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Redeeming Lost Mothers: Adolescent Antiretroviral Treatment and the Making of Home in South Africa.
Vale, Beth; Thabeng, Mildred
2016-01-01
In this article, we explore how adolescent antiretroviral treatment (ART) might be signified to repair sociality in Eastern Cape homes that have been ruptured by HIV/AIDS and maternal loss. The post-apartheid period has exposed these families to new forms of social fragmentation, propelled by the disintegration of wage labor, declining marriage rates, and a rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic. Drawing on eight months of ethnographic fieldwork (August 2013-April 2014), we show that in the homes of some adolescents born with HIV, these present-day domestic ruptures were discursively connected to the past shortcomings of their dead and absent mothers. In some familial narratives lost mothers were accused of disobeying their elders, neglecting their children, and flouting custom; their social transgressions were made manifest in their child's inherited HIV. By signifying adolescent ART-taking as an enactment of the discipline and care purportedly absent in their mothers, these families might also attempt to imbue ART, beyond its biomedical function, as a means of social repair.
Attonito, Jennifer; Dévieux, Jessy G; Lerner, Brenda D G; Hospital, Michelle M; Rosenberg, Rhonda
2014-01-01
Psychosocial factors may directly impact HIV health measures such as viral load (VL) whether or not patients are taking antiretroviral treatment (ART) consistently. Structural equation modeling plus Baron and Kenny's (1986) four-step approach were used to test a mediated model predicting VL among 246 HIV-infected adults who were on ART. Exogenous variables were social support, barriers to adherence, and stress. Moderators were alcohol use, marijuana use, and neurocognitive impairment. A small positive association between marijuana use and ART adherence approached significance. Only barriers to adherence predicted a decrease in adherence rates and an increase in VL. No other factors were significantly associated with either VL or adherence, and no interaction effects between exogenous variables and moderators were identified. The association between barriers to adherence and VL was partially mediated by ART adherence. Findings provide modest support for a direct link between psychosocial variables and a virologic response to ART. Copyright © 2014 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Acute Liver Failure among Patients on Efavirenz-Based Antiretroviral Therapy
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Innocent Lule Segamwenge
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Objectives. To describe the clinical characteristics of patients presenting with fulminant liver failure after varying periods of exposure to Efavirenz containing antiretroviral medications. Methods. We report a series of 4 patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV infection who were admitted with acute liver failure (ALF over a 6-month period. All these patients had been treated with a range of Efavirenz containing antiretroviral regimens and were negative for hepatitis A, B, and C infections as well as other opportunistic infections, all were negative for autoimmune hepatitis, and none had evidence of chronic liver disease or use of alcohol or herbal medications. Information on patient clinical characteristics, current antiretroviral regimen, CD4 count, HIV-1 RNA levels, and clinical chemistry parameters was collected. Informed consent was provided. Results. During a 6-month period, four patients without other known risk factors for acute hepatitis presented with symptomatic drug-induced liver injury with varying symptoms and outcomes. The pattern of liver injury was hepatocellular for all the 4 cases. Liver biopsies were done for all the four cases and the results showed a heavy mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate with eosinophils. For three patients withdrawal of Efavirenz from their antiretroviral regimen was sufficient to restore transaminase levels to normal and led to improvement of clinical symptoms. For one patient his clinical course was characterized by fulminant liver failure and fluctuating episodes of hepatic encephalopathy which ultimately resulted in his death. Conclusion. Hepatotoxicity of Efavirenz is not as rare as previously described in the literature and does actually present with fatal outcomes. The key message to note is that frequent monitoring of liver enzymes should be done at initiation of antiretroviral therapy and should continue throughout the treatment period.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Audelin, A.M.; Lohse, N.; Obel, N.
2009-01-01
BACKGROUND: Newer antiretroviral treatment regimens for HIV carry a lower risk of inducing drug resistance mutations. We estimated changes in incidence rates (IRs) of new mutations in HIV-infected individuals receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Population-based data...... were obtained from the Danish HIV Cohort Study and the Danish HIV Sequence Database. We included treatment-naive patients initiating HAART after December 1997 and computed time to first drug resistance mutation, identified as new mutations detected within 1 year after a 60-day period of treatment.......077). The IR of PI resistance decreased from 7.5 (1.4-21.8) in 1999 to 2.9 (0.7-11.4) in 2002-2003 (P=0.148). The IRs were low for specific resistance mutations, except for M184V (IR 5.6 [4.0-7.9]) and K103N (IR 8.2 [5.6-12.0]). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of acquired drug resistance has decreased among HIV...
The cost of antiretroviral therapy in Haiti
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Fitzgerald Daniel W
2008-02-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background We determined direct medical costs, overhead costs, societal costs, and personnel requirements for the provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART to patients with AIDS in Haiti. Methods We examined data from 218 treatment-naïve adults who were consecutively initiated on ART at the GHESKIO Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti between December 23, 2003 and May 20, 2004 and calculated costs and personnel requirements for the first year of ART. Results The mean total cost of treatment per patient was $US 982 including $US 846 in direct costs, $US 114 for overhead, and $US 22 for societal costs. The direct cost per patient included generic ART medications $US 355, lab tests $US 130, nutrition $US 117, hospitalizations $US 62, pre-ART evaluation $US 58, labor $US 51, non-ART medications $US 39, outside referrals $US 31, and telephone cards for patient retention $US 3. Higher treatment costs were associated with hospitalization, change in ART regimen, TB treatment, and survival for one year. We estimate that 1.5 doctors and 2.5 nurses are required to treat 1000 patients in the first year after initiating ART. Conclusion Initial ART treatment in Haiti costs approximately $US 1,000 per patient per year. With generic first-line antiretroviral drugs, only 36% of the cost is for medications. Patients who change regimens are significantly more expensive to treat, highlighting the need for less-expensive second-line drugs. There may be sufficient health care personnel to treat all HIV-infected patients in urban areas of Haiti, but not in rural areas. New models of HIV care are needed for rural areas using assistant medical officers and community health workers.
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Yaohui Ni
2018-01-01
Full Text Available Delayed administration of kallikrein after cerebral infarction can improve neurological function. However, the appropriate kallkrein treatment time after ischemic stroke has not been illuminated. In this study, we compared the long-term outcome among three kallikrein therapeutic regimens starting at different time points following mouse cerebral ischemia. Furthermore, the protective mechanisms involving neurogenesis, angiogenesis, and AKT-GSK3β-VEGF signaling pathway were analyzed. Human tissue kallikrein was injected through the tail vein daily starting at 8 h, 24 h, or 36 h after right middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO until the 28th day. Three therapeutic regimens all protected against neurological dysfunction, but kallikrein treatment starting at 8 h after MCAO had the best efficacy. Additionally, kallikrein treatment at 8 h after MCAO significantly enhanced cell proliferation including neural stem cell and induced differentiation of neural stem cell into mature neuron. Kallikrein treatment starting at 8 h also promoted more angiogenesis than other two treatment regimens, which was associated with AKT-GSK3β-VEGF signaling pathway. Thus, we confirm that three delayed kallikrein treatments provide protection against cerebral infarction and furthermore suggest that kallikrein treatment starting at 8 h had a better effect than that at 24 h and 36 h. These findings provide the experimental data contributing to better clinical application of exogenous kallikrein.
Timing of start of dialysis in diabetes mellitus patients: a systematic literature review.
Nacak, Hakan; Bolignano, Davide; Van Diepen, Merel; Dekker, Friedo; Van Biesen, Wim
2016-02-01
Diabetes mellitus is a frequent cause of the need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Historically, RRT was started earlier in patients with diabetes, in an attempt to prevent complications of uraemia and diabetes. We did a systematic review to find support for this earlier start of dialysis in patients with versus without diabetes. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and CENTRAL databases were searched for articles about the timing of dialysis initiation in (subgroups of) patients with diabetes and CKD Stage 5. A total of 340 papers were screened and 11 papers were selected to be reviewed. Only three studies showed data of at least one subgroup of patients with diabetes. Two observational studies concluded that start of dialysis with a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is beneficial with regard to survival, one did not find a difference and six observational studies concluded that start of dialysis with a lower eGFR is associated with better survival in patients with diabetes. The effect of timing of initiation of dialysis did not differ between patients with versus without diabetes. Lastly, one randomized controlled trial (two papers) reported that there was no difference in survival between start at higher versus lower eGFR overall and a P-value for the interaction with diabetes of P = 0.63, indicating no difference between patients with versus without diabetes with regard to the timing of start of dialysis and subsequent mortality on dialysis. There is no difference between early (eGFR) and late (lower eGFR) start of RRT with regard to mortality in patients with versus without diabetes. RRT should thus be initiated based on the same criteria in all patients, irrespective of the presence or absence of diabetes. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved.
It's Not Just the Pills: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis of HIV Antiretroviral Adherence Research.
Barroso, Julie; Leblanc, Natalie M; Flores, Dalmacio
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves the health and longevity of people living with HIV infection (PLWH) and also prevents transmission of the virus. Yet, lack of adherence to ART regimens has been a persistent problem, even with simpler regimens. Guidelines that deal with ART adherence are based almost solely on quantitative studies; this focus ignores the context and complexity of patients' lives. Guidelines are also focused on the individual. We argue that the solution is to include the broader communities in which patients live, and to deal with systemic disparities that persist worldwide; this can be done in part through demedicalizing HIV care for healthy PLWH. We present findings from a qualitative meta-synthesis of 127 studies conducted around the world on the last two pillars of the HIV treatment cascade: starting and remaining on ART until optimal viral suppression is achieved. We use Maslow's hierarchy of needs to frame our findings. Copyright © 2017 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Galárraga, Omar; Wirtz, Veronika J.; Figueroa-Lara, Alejandro; Santa-Ana-Tellez, Yared; Coulibaly, Ibrahima; Viisainen, Kirsi; Medina-Lara, Antonieta; Korenromp, Eline L.
2013-01-01
Background As antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV/AIDS is scaled-up globally, information on per-person costs is critical to improve efficiency in service delivery and maximize coverage and health impact. Objective To review studies on delivery unit costs for adult and pediatric ART provision per-patient-year, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) interventions per mother-infant pair screened or treated, in low- and middle-income countries. Methods Systematic review of English, French and Spanish publications from 2001 to 2009, reporting empirical costing that accounted for at least antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, laboratory testing and personnel. Expenditures were analyzed by country income level and cost component. All costs were standardized to 2009 US dollars. Results Analyses covered 29 eligible, comprehensive costing studies. In the base case, in low-income countries (LIC), median, ART cost per patient-year was $792 (mean: $839, range: $682-$1089); for lower-middle-income countries (LMIC), the median was $932 (mean: $1246, range: $156-$3904); and for upper-middle-income countries (UMIC) the median was $1454 (mean: $2783, range: $1230-$5667). ARV drugs were largest component of overall ART cost in all settings (62%, 50% and 47% in LIC, LMIC and UMIC respectively). Out of 26 ART studies, 14 report which drug regimes were used, and only one study explicitly reported second line treatment costs. The second cost driver was laboratory cost in LIC and LMIC (14% and 19.5%) whereas it was personnel costs in UMIC (26%). Two studies specified the types of laboratory tests costed, and three studies specifically included above-facility-level personnel costs. Three studies reported detailed PMTCT costs, and two studies reported on pediatric ART. Conclusions There is a paucity of data on the full ART and PMTCT delivery unit costs, in particular for low-and middle-income countries. Heterogeneity in activities costed and insufficient detail regarding
Factors related to orthodontic treatment time in adult patients
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Ana Camila Esteves de Oliveira Melo
2013-10-01
Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The length of time that it takes an orthodontist to treat adult patients varies widely. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate how different variables influence treatment time. METHODS: Seventy clinical case reports of successfully treated adult patients were examined. The patients were selected from 4,723 records held by three experienced orthodontists. The influence exerted by the following variables on treatment time was assessed: age, sex, facial pattern, severity of malocclusion (measured by the PAR index, sagittal relationship of canines, type of brackets (ceramic or metal, tooth extractions, missed appointments and orthodontic appliance issues/breakages, the latter being the dependent variable. Assessment was performed by multiple linear regression analysis, followed by the stepwise method with P < 0.05. RESULTS: The number of times a patient missed their appointment (no-show (R² = 14.4%, p < 0.0001 and the number of appliance issues/breakages (R² = 29.71%, p = 0.0037 significantly affected variability in treatment time, and these two variables together can predict 43.75% (R² total of the overall variability in treatment time. Other factors, such as canine relationship at the beginning of treatment, bracket type (metal or ceramic, tooth extractions, age at start of treatment, severity of the initial malocclusion, sex and facial pattern had no significant bearing on treatment time. CONCLUSIONS: The duration of orthodontic treatment in adults, when performed by experienced orthodontists, is mainly influenced by factors related to patient compliance. However, several factors which were not included in this study may contribute to variability in orthodontic treatment time.
Improving on-time surgical starts: the impact of implementing pre-OR timeouts and performance pay.
Martin, Luke; Langell, John
2017-11-01
Operating room (OR) time is expensive. Underutilized OR time negatively impacts efficiency and is an unnecessary cost for hospitals. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a pre-OR timeout and performance pay incentive on the frequency of on-time, first surgical starts. At a single Veterans Affairs Medical Center, we implemented a pre-OR timeout in the form of a safety-briefing checklist and a modest performance pay incentive for on-time starts (>90% compliance) for attending surgeons. Data were collected on all first-start cases beginning before implementation in 2008 and continued through 2015. Each year, an average of 960 first starts occurred across nine surgical divisions. Before implementation of either the timeout or pay incentive, only 15% of cases started on time, and by 2015, greater than 72% were on time (P 60 min were not significant (P = 0.31; P = 0.81). Assuming a loss of 7 min per case for delays pay for on-time starts significantly improves OR utilization and reduces unnecessary costs. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Agu, Kenneth Anene; Oqua, Dorothy; Agada, Peter; Ohiaeri, Samuel I; Adesina, Afusat; Abdulkareem, Mohammed Habeeb; King, Rosalyn C; Wutoh, Anthony K
2014-06-01
The patient's perception and satisfaction are increasingly considered as a useful factor in the assessment of competency of health care providers and quality of care. However, these patient focused assessments are largely ignored when assessing health care outcomes. The study assessed the perception and satisfaction of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) with pharmaceutical services received in outpatient HIV treatment settings. Seventeen HIV treatment centres in Nigeria. This cross-sectional survey included 2,700 patients randomly selected from 26,319 HIV patients on ART, who received pharmaceutical services in the study setting. A study-specific Likert-type instrument was administered to the participants at point of exit from the pharmacy. Midpoint of the 5-point scale was computed and scores above it were regarded as positive while below as negative. Chi-square was used for inferential statistics. All reported p values were 2-sided at 95 % confidence interval (CI). Patient satisfaction with pharmaceutical services. Of 2,700 patients sampled, data from 1,617 (59.9 %) were valid for analysis; 62.3 % were aged 26-40 years and 65.4 % were females. The participants had received pharmaceutical services for a mean duration of 25.2 (95 % CI 24.3-26.1) months. Perception of participants regarding the appearance of pharmacy was positive while that regarding the pharmacists' efforts to solve patients' medication related problems was negative. The participants' rating of satisfaction with the waiting time to access pharmaceutical services was negative; the satisfaction decreases with increasing waiting time. However, the satisfaction with the overall quality of pharmaceutical services received was rated as positive; 90.0 % reported that they got the kind of pharmaceutical services they wanted; 98.2 % would come back to the pharmacy if they were to seek help again and would recommend services to others. The level of satisfaction was found to be associated with
Marx, Robert; Tanner-Smith, Emily E; Davison, Colleen M; Ufholz, Lee-Anne; Freeman, John; Shankar, Ravi; Newton, Lisa; Brown, Robert S; Parpia, Alyssa S; Cozma, Ioana; Hendrikx, Shawn
2017-07-03
A number of school systems worldwide have proposed and implemented later school start times as a means of avoiding the potentially negative impacts that early morning schedules can have on adolescent students. Even mild sleep deprivation has been associated with significant health and educational concerns: increased risk for accidents and injuries, impaired learning, aggression, memory loss, poor self-esteem, and changes in metabolism. Although researchers have begun to explore the effects of delayed school start time, no one has conducted a rigorous review of evidence to determine whether later school start times support adolescent health, education, and well-being. We aimed to assess the effects of a later school start time for supporting health, education, and well-being in high school students.Secondary objectives were to explore possible differential effects of later school start times in student subgroups and in different types of schools; to identify implementation practices, contextual factors, and delivery modes associated with positive and negative effects of later start times; and to assess the effects of later school start times on the broader community (high school faculty and staff, neighborhood, and families). We conducted the main search for this review on 28 October 2014 and updated it on 8 February 2016. We searched CENTRAL as well as 17 key electronic databases (including MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts), current editions of relevant journals and organizational websites, trial registries, and Google Scholar. We included any randomized controlled trials, controlled before-and-after studies, and interrupted time series studies with sufficient data points that pertained to students aged 13 to 19 years and that compared different school start times. Studies that reported either primary outcomes of interest (academic outcomes, amount or quality of sleep, mental health indicators, attendance, or alertness) or secondary
Parrott, F.R.; Mwafulirwa, C.; Ngwira, B.; Nkhwazi, S.; Floyd, S.; Houben, R.M.G.J.; Glynn, J.R.; Crampin, A.C.; French, N.
2011-01-01
Background Treatment seeking delays among people living with HIV have adverse consequences for outcome. Gender differences in treatment outcomes have been observed in sub-Saharan Africa. Objective To better understand antiretroviral treatment (ART) seeking behaviour in HIV-infected adults in rural
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Grint, D.; Peters, L.; Rockstroh, J. K.
2014-01-01
HCV/HIV coinfected patients. Methods: EuroSIDA patients taking combination antiretroviral therapy were included. Poisson regression identified factors associated with antiretroviral treatment discontinuation. Results: A total of 9535 HIV-positive patients with known HCV status were included (6939...
Assefa, Yibeltal; Hill, Peter S; Williams, Owain D
2018-05-01
At September's 2017 United Nations General Assembly, a state-of-the-art HIV medicine was announced to be made available at just $75 per person per year. There have been a number of strategies that the global AIDS community and countries have utilized to reduce prices and make antiretrovirals (ARVs) accessible for people living with HIV/AIDS. There appears to be an opportunity for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) to benefit from the often painful and laboured history of driving down the prices of ARVs. In general, the success of lowering prices for ARVs has stemmed from the politics needed to initially support generic entry into the on-patent market. The use of flexibilities present in the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) have been used to overcome patent barriers, with the use of compulsory licenses and/or the threat of their use as instruments for strengthening the bargaining power in price negotiations. These strategies have been combined with new financing mechanisms that have promoted more effective procurement and price negotiations. Partnership among the different stakeholders has also been critical in this regard. Countries have also invested in their health systems and implemented several strategies to reduce stigma and discrimination to increase access to and improve utilization of ARVs. This article suggests that any future international initiatives to increase access to DAAs can learn from these lessons surrounding price reduction, improved financing, advocacy, as well as health systems strengthening and stigma reduction. Adopting and reconfiguring these strategies will also incur substantial savings in time, money and lives. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DEFF Research Database (Denmark)
Brandt, Lea; Benfield, Thomas; Kronborg, Gitte
2013-01-01
Still no effective HIV-1 prophylactic or therapeutic vaccines are available. However, as the proportion of HIV-1-infected individuals on antiretroviral treatment is increasing, knowledge about the residual immune response is important for the possible development of an HIV-1 vaccine.......Still no effective HIV-1 prophylactic or therapeutic vaccines are available. However, as the proportion of HIV-1-infected individuals on antiretroviral treatment is increasing, knowledge about the residual immune response is important for the possible development of an HIV-1 vaccine....
Review of differentiated approaches to antiretroviral therapy distribution.
Davis, Nicole; Kanagat, Natasha; Sharer, Melissa; Eagan, Sabrina; Pearson, Jennifer; Amanyeiwe, Ugochukwu Ugo
2018-02-22
In response to global trends of maximizing the number of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), this review summarizes literature describing differentiated models of ART distribution at facility and community levels in order to highlight promising strategies and identify evidence gaps. Databases and gray literature were searched, yielding thirteen final articles on differentiated ART distribution models supporting stable adult patients. Of these, seven articles focused on distribution at facility level and six at community level. Findings suggest that differentiated models of ART distribution contribute to higher retention, lower attrition, and less loss to follow-up (LTFU). These models also reduced patient wait time, travel costs, and time lost from work for drug pick-up. Facility- and community-level ART distribution models have the potential to extend treatment availability, enable improved access and adherence among people living with HIV (PLHIV), and facilitate retention in treatment and care. Gaps remain in understanding the desirability of these models for PLHIV, and the need for more information the negative and positive impacts of stigma, and identifying models to reach traditionally marginalized groups such as key populations and youth. Replicating differentiated care so efforts can reach more PLHIV will be critical to scaling these approaches across varying contexts.
[Perception of pain by patients receiving antiretroviral treatment in North Kivu, DR Congo].
Escoffier, Claire; Kambale, Alain; Paluku, Faustin; Kabuayi, Jean-Pierre; Boillot, François
2010-01-01
This operational research conducted among TB patients co-infected with HIV in North Kivu had three objectives: (i) to clarify the local perception of a certain type of pain (michi in the local language) in patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART); (ii) to identify the attitudes of health care personnel regarding the management of ART side effects; and (iii) to explore ways to improve the quality of life of patients on ART and provide them with pain relief. Twenty in-depth interviews were conducted with patients on ART and their medical care providers in district health centers of North-Kivu and at patients' homes. A semantic analysis of the term michi revealed a nosologic folk entity based on a naturalistic view of the body; the term michi is used to name: (i) the "roots" of plants or trees; (ii) channels (veins, arteries, but also nerves and tendons) in the body through which fluids (blood, water) and energy are conveyed; (iii) different types of acute pain, possibly located along these channels. The description (location, duration, and intensity) of the functional signs and the context of their occurrence (while taking Stavudine) confirmed the medical diagnosis of acute sensory neuropathies. Although a classic ART side effect, neuropathies are underdiagnosed by health workers who find it difficult to recognize signs of treatment toxicity in apparently trivial symptoms. Different reasons account for this: (i) healthcare staff have little time to spend with TB/HIV patients and thus provide inadequate management of functional symptoms; (ii) insufficient attention is paid to patients' acute pain, which is often perceived as "normal"; (iii) insufficient knowledge of ART side effects due to staff turnover higher than the frequency of training that programmes. The study was conducted as part of the DR Congo national programmes for TB and AIDS and led to the formulation of recommendations about improving, especially through training, the assessment of functional
Follow-up on long-term antiretroviral therapy for cats infected with feline immunodeficiency virus.
Medeiros, Sheila de Oliveira; Abreu, Celina Monteiro; Delvecchio, Rodrigo; Ribeiro, Anísia Praxedes; Vasconcelos, Zilton; Brindeiro, Rodrigo de Moraes; Tanuri, Amilcar
2016-04-01
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a lentivirus that induces AIDS-like disease in cats. Some of the antiretroviral drugs available to treat patients with HIV type 1 are used to treat FIV-infected cats; however, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not used in cats as a long-term treatment. In this study, the effects of long-term ART were evaluated in domestic cats treated initially with the nucleoside transcriptase reverse inhibitor (NTRI) zidovudine (AZT) over a period ranging from 5-6 years, followed by a regimen of the NTRI lamivudine (3TC) plus AZT over 3 years. Viral load, sequencing of pol (reverse transcriptase [RT]) region and CD4:CD8 lymphocyte ratio were evaluated during and after treatment. Untreated cats were evaluated as a control group. CD4:CD8 ratios were lower, and uncharacterized resistance mutations were found in the RT region in the group of treated cats. A slight increase in viral load was observed in some cats after discontinuing treatment. The data strongly suggest that treated cats were resistant to therapy, and uncharacterized resistance mutations in the RT gene of FIV were selected for by AZT. Few studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of long-term antiretroviral therapy in cats. To date, resistance mutations have not been described in vivo. © ISFM and AAFP 2015.
Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)
Walter de Araujo Eyer-Silva
2012-08-01
Full Text Available Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS in HIV-infected subjects initiating antiretroviral therapy most commonly involves new or worsening manifestations of previously subclinical or overt infectious diseases. Reports of non-infectious IRIS are much less common but represent important diagnostic and treatment challenges. We report on a 34-year-old HIV-infected male patient with no history of gout who developed acute gouty arthritis in a single joint one month after initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy.
Braitstein, Paula; Ayuo, Paul; Mwangi, Ann; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Musick, Beverly; Siika, Abraham; Kimaiyo, Sylvester
2010-02-01
To describe first change or discontinuation in combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) among previously treatment naive, HIV-infected adults in a resource-constrained setting. The United States Agency for International Development-Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare Partnership has enrolled >90,000 HIV-infected patients at 18 clinics throughout western Kenya. Patients in this analysis were aged > or =18 years, previously antiretroviral treatment naive, and initiated to cART between January 2006 and November 2007, with at least 1 follow-up visit. A treatment change or discontinuation was defined as change of regimen including single drug substitutions or a complete halting of cART. There were 14,162 patients eligible for analysis and 10,313 person-years of follow-up, of whom 1376 changed or stopped their cART. Among these, 859 (62%) changed their regimen (including 514 patients who had a single drug substitution) and 517 (38%) completely discontinued cART. The overall incidence rate (IR) of cART changes or stops per 100 person-years was 13.3 [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.7-14.1]. The incidence was much higher in the first year of post-cART initiation (IR: 25.0, 95% CI: 23.6-26.3) compared with the second year (IR: 2.4, 95% CI: 2.0-2.8). The most commonly cited reason was toxicity (46%). In multivariate regression, individuals were more likely to discontinue cART if they were World Health Organization stage III/IV [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR): 1.37, 95% CI: 1.11-1.69] or were receiving a zidovudine-containing regimen (AHR: 4.44, 95% CI: 3.35-5.88). Individuals were more likely to change their regimen if they were aged > or =38 years (AHR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.23-1.69), had to travel more than 1 hour to clinic (AHR: 1.34, 95% CI: 1.15-1.57), had a CD4 at cART initiation < or =111 cells/mm3 (AHR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.29-1.77), or had been receiving a zidovudine-containing regimen (AHR: 3.73, 95% CI: 2.81-4.95). Those attending urban clinics and those receiving
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Reuben Kiggundu
2014-07-01
Full Text Available Cryptococcosis is the most common cause of meningitis in Africa due to the high burden of HIV. Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS is a frequent and deadly complication of cryptococcal meningitis. We report a fatal case of cryptococcal-IRIS in a pregnant woman that began after starting antiretroviral therapy (unmasking IRIS and markedly worsened postpartum after delivery (paradoxical IRIS.
Maiga, Almoustapha Issiaka; Fofana, Djeneba Bocar; Cisse, Mamadou; Diallo, Fodié; Maiga, Moussa Youssoufa; Traore, Hamar Alassane; Maiga, Issouf Alassane; Sylla, Aliou; Fofana, Dionke; Taiwo, Babafemi; Murphy, Robert; Katlama, Christine; Tounkara, Anatole; Calvez, Vincent; Marcelin, Anne-Geneviève
2012-01-01
Objectives We describe the outcomes of second-line drug resistance profiles and predict the efficacy of drugs for third-line therapy in patients monitored without the benefit of plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load (VL) or resistance testing. Methods We recruited 106 HIV-1-infected patients after second-line treatment failure in Mali. VL was determined by the Abbott RealTime system and the resistance by the ViroSeq HIV-1 genotyping system. The resistance testing was interpreted using the latest version of the Stanford algorithm. Results Among the 106 patients, 93 had isolates successfully sequenced. The median age, VL and CD4 cells were respectively 35 years, 72 000 copies/mL and 146 cells/mm3. Patients were exposed to a median of 4 years of treatment and to six antiretrovirals. We found 20% of wild-type viruses. Resistance to etravirine was noted in 38%, to lopinavir in 25% and to darunavir in 12%. The duration of prior nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor exposure was associated with resistance to abacavir (P < 0.0001) and tenofovir (P = 0.0001), and duration of prior protease inhibitor treatment with resistance to lopinavir (P < 0.0001) and darunavir (P = 0.06). Conclusion Long duration of therapy prior to failure was associated with high levels of resistance and is directly related to limited access to VL monitoring and delayed switches to second-line treatment, precluding efficacy of drugs for third-line therapy. This study underlines the need for governments and public health organizations to recommend the use of VL monitoring and also the availability of darunavir and raltegravir for third-line therapies in the context of limited-resource settings. PMID:22888273
Assefa, Yibeltal; Gilks, Charles F; Lynen, Lutgarde; Williams, Owain; Hill, Peter S; Tolera, Taye; Malvia, Alankar; Van Damme, Wim
2017-07-01
Ethiopia is one of the countries which has scaled up antiretroviral treatment (ART) over the past decade. This study reviews the performance of the ART program in Ethiopia during the past decade, and identifies successes and weaknesses toward ending AIDS in the country. A review and synthesis of data was conducted using multiple data sources: reports from all health facilities in Ethiopia to the Federal Ministry of Health, HIV/AIDS estimates and projections, and retrospective cohort and cross-sectional studies conducted between 2005/6 and 2014/15. The ART program has been successful over several critical areas: (1) ART coverage improved from 4% to 54%; (2) the median CD4 count/mm 3 at the time of ART initiation increased from 125 in 2005/6 to 231 in 2012/13; (3) retention in care after 12 months on ART has increased from 82% to 92%. In spite of these successes, important challenges also remain: (1) ART coverage is not equitable: among regions (5.6%-93%), between children (25%) and adults (60%), and between female (54%) and male patients (69%); (2) retention in care is variable among regions (83%-94%); and, (3) the shift to second-line ART is slow and low (0·58%). The findings suggest that the ART program should sustain the successes and reflect on the shortcomings toward the goal of ending AIDS. It is important to capitalize on and calibrate the interventions and approaches utilized to scale up ART in the past. Analysis of the treatment cascade, in order to pinpoint the gaps and identify appropriate solutions, is commendable in this regard. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Dupuis, Danielle N.
2015-01-01
The Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement (CAREI) conducted two analyses with the purpose of examining the association between elementary school start time and students' academic achievement in mathematics and reading in Wayzata Public Schools. The first analysis examined the association between elementary school start time and…
Fogel, Jessica M.; Taha, Taha E.; Sun, Jin; Hoover, Donald R.; Parsons, Teresa L.; Kumwenda, Johnstone J.; Mofenson, Lynne M.; Fowler, Mary Glenn; Hendrix, Craig W.; Kumwenda, Newton I.; Eshleman, Susan H.; Mirochnick, Mark
2012-01-01
First-line antiretroviral treatment regimens in resource-limited settings used in breastfeeding mothers often include stavudine (d4T). Limited data describing d4T concentrations in breast milk are available. We analyzed d4T concentrations in 52 mother-infant pairs using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (lower limit of quantification: 5 ng/ml in plasma, 20 ng/ml in breast milk). Median (interquartile range) d4T concentrations were 86 (36–191) ng/ml in maternal plasma, 151 (48–259) ng/ml in whole milk, 190 (58–296) ng/ml in skim milk, and <5 (<5-<5) ng/ml in infant plasma. While d4T is concentrated in breast milk relative to maternal plasma, the infant d4T dose received from breast milk is very small and not clinically significant. PMID:22614899
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Koye Digsu
2012-10-01
Full Text Available Abstract Background An estimated 2.5 million children were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of 2009, 2.3 million (92% in sub-Saharan Africa. Without treatment, a third of children with HIV will die of AIDS before their first birthday, half dying before two years of age. Hence, this study aimed to assess magnitude and predictors of mortality among children on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART at a referral hospital in North-West Ethiopia. Methods Institution based retrospective follow up study was carried out among HIV-positive children from January 1st, 2006 - March 31st, 2011. Information on relevant variables was collected from patients’ charts and registries. Life table was used to estimate the cumulative survival of children. Log rank tests were employed to compare survival between the different categories of the explanatory variables. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was fitted to identify predictors of mortality. Results A total of 549 records were included in the analysis. The mean age at initiation of treatment was 6.35 ±3.78 SD years. The median follow up period was 22 months. At the end of the follow up, 41(7.5% were dead and 384(69.9% were alive. Mortality was 4.0 deaths per 100 child-years of follow-up period. The cumulative probabilities of survival at 3, 6, 12, 24, and 60 months of ART were 0.96, 0.94, 0.93, 0.92 and 0.83 respectively. Majority (90.2% of the deaths occurred within the first year of treatment. Absence of cotrimoxazole preventive therapy (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] = 4.74, 95% CI: 2.17, 10.34, anaemia (haemoglobin level Conclusions There was a high rate of early mortality. Hence, starting ART very early reduces disease progression and early mortality; close follow up of all children of HIV-positive mothers is recommended to make the diagnosis and start treatment at an earlier time before they develop severe immunodeficiency.
Warner, Courtney J; Walsh, Daniel B; Horvath, Alexander J; Walsh, Teri R; Herrick, Daniel P; Prentiss, Steven J; Powell, Richard J
2013-11-01
Lean process improvement techniques are used in industry to improve efficiency and quality while controlling costs. These techniques are less commonly applied in health care. This study assessed the effectiveness of Lean principles on first case on-time operating room starts and quantified effects on resident work hours. Standard process improvement techniques (DMAIC methodology: define, measure, analyze, improve, control) were used to identify causes of delayed vascular surgery first case starts. Value stream maps and process flow diagrams were created. Process data were analyzed with Pareto and control charts. High-yield changes were identified and simulated in computer and live settings prior to implementation. The primary outcome measure was the proportion of on-time first case starts; secondary outcomes included hospital costs, resident rounding time, and work hours. Data were compared with existing benchmarks. Prior to implementation, 39% of first cases started on time. Process mapping identified late resident arrival in preoperative holding as a cause of delayed first case starts. Resident rounding process inefficiencies were identified and changed through the use of checklists, standardization, and elimination of nonvalue-added activity. Following implementation of process improvements, first case on-time starts improved to 71% at 6 weeks (P = .002). Improvement was sustained with an 86% on-time rate at 1 year (P < .001). Resident rounding time was reduced by 33% (from 70 to 47 minutes). At 9 weeks following implementation, these changes generated an opportunity cost potential of $12,582. Use of Lean principles allowed rapid identification and implementation of perioperative process changes that improved efficiency and resulted in significant cost savings. This improvement was sustained at 1 year. Downstream effects included improved resident efficiency with decreased work hours. Copyright © 2013 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All