Determination of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Regimen in the Prevention of Potential Pediatric HIV-1 Infection by the Multi-criteria Decision Making Theory

Abstract

With the use of fuzzy PROMETHEE method, current study analysed and evaluated the preferred and alternative post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) regimens that can be used in infants and children. PEP is a combination of anti-HIV drugs that can be prescribed after a possible exposure to HIV infection with the aim of preventing infection. The fuzzy PROMETHEE method is a multi-criteria decision maker technique which allows the mutual comparison of different alternatives in a system. Thus, different PEP regimens were evaluated using this technique with their corresponding parameters. The relative importance (weights) of the used parameters for each criterion was determined by expert’s opinions and the use of guidelines. Our study indicated that amongst the PEP regimens, raltegravir+tenofovir/emtricitabine (RAL+TDF/FTC) was found to be the most potent PEP regimen that can be applied in infants and children in necessary situations.