Large Cohort Of HIV-infected Women Research Articles

Association between pregnancy at enrollment into HIV care and loss to care among women in the Democratic Republic of Congo, 2006-2013.

BackgroundLoss to care is high among asymptomatic HIV-infected women initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. However, whether pregnancy itself plays a role in the high loss to care rate is uncertain. We compared loss to care over seven years between pregnant and non-pregnant women at enrollment into HIV care in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).MethodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of all ART-naive women aged 15–45 initiating HIV care at two large clinics in Kinshasa, DRC, from 2007–2013. Pregnancy status was recorded at care enrollment. Patients were classified as having no follow-up if they did not return to care after the initial enrollment visit. Among those with at least one follow-up visit after enrollment, we classified patients as lost to care if more than 365 days had passed since their last clinic visit. We used logistic regression to model the association between pregnancy status and no follow-up, and Cox proportional hazards regression to model the association between pregnancy status and time to loss to care.ResultsOf 2175 women included in the analysis, 1497 (68.8%) were pregnant at enrollment. Compared to non-pregnant women, pregnant women were less likely to be over 35 years of age (19.1% vs. 31.9%, p<0.0001) and less likely to be in WHO stage III or IV (9.0% vs. 26.3%, p<0.0001). Among pregnant women, 106 (7.1%) were not seen after enrollment, versus 25 (3.7%) non-pregnant women (adjusted odds ratio 2.01, 95% CI 1.24–3.24). Of the 2,044 women with at least one follow-up visit, 46.5% of pregnant women and 46.7% of non-pregnant women were lost to care by 5 years; hazards of loss to care were similar for pregnant and non-pregnant women (adjusted hazard ratio 1.08, 95% CI 0.93–1.26).ConclusionsIn this large cohort of HIV-infected women, patients pregnant at care enrollment were more likely to never return for follow-up. Among those who attended at least one follow-up visit, loss to care was not different between pregnant and non-pregnant women, suggesting that pregnancy itself may not be the main driver of the high attrition observed in this cohort.

Performance of p16INK4a ELISA as a primary cervical cancer screening test among a large cohort of HIV-infected women in western Kenya: a 2-year cross-sectional study

ObjectiveA biomarker with increased specificity for cervical dysplasia compared with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing would be an attractive option for cervical cancer screening among HIV-infected women in resource-limited settings. p16INK4a...

Common clinical conditions - age, low BMI, ritonavir use, mild renal impairment - affect tenofovir pharmacokinetics in a large cohort of HIV-infected women.

Tenofovir is used commonly in HIV treatment and prevention settings, but factors that correlate with tenofovir exposure in real-world settings are unknown. Intensive pharmacokinetic studies of tenofovir in a large, diverse cohort of HIV-infected women over 24 h at steady state were performed and factors that influenced exposure [assessed by areas under the concentration-time curves (AUCs)] identified. HIV-infected women (n = 101) on tenofovir-based therapy underwent intensive 24-h pharmacokinetic sampling. Data on race/ethnicity, age, exogenous steroid use, menstrual cycle phase, concomitant medications, recreational drugs and/or tobacco, hepatic and renal function, weight, and BMI were collected. Multivariable models using forward stepwise selection identified factors associated with effects on AUC. Glomerular filtration rates (GFRs) prior to starting tenofovir were estimated by the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation using both creatinine and cystatin-C measures. The median (range) of tenofovir AUCs was 3350 (1031-13 911) ng × h/ml. Higher AUCs were associated with concomitant ritonavir use (1.33-fold increase, P = 0.002), increasing age (1.21-fold increase per decade, P = 0.0007), and decreasing BMI (1.04-fold increase per 10% decrease in BMI). When GFR was calculated using cystatin-C measures, mild renal insufficiency prior to tenofovir initiation was associated with higher subsequent exposure (1.35-fold increase when pre-tenofovir GFR <70 ml/min, P = 0.0075). Concomitant ritonavir use, increasing age, decreasing BMI, and lower GFR prior to tenofovir initiation as estimated by cystatin C were all associated with elevated tenofovir exposure in a diverse cohort of HIV-infected women. Clinicians treating HIV-infected women should be aware of common clinical conditions that affect tenofovir exposure when prescribing this medication.

Dyslipidaemia in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy. Analysis of 922 patients from the Spanish VACH cohort

BackgroundInformation concerning lipid disturbances in HIV-infected women on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is scarce. The objective of the study is to describe the lipid profile in a large cohort of HIV-infected women on contemporary ART and analyse differences between regimes and patient's characteristics.MethodsObservational, multicentre, cross-sectional study from the Spanish VACH Cohort. 922 women on stable ART without lipid-lowering treatment were included.ResultsMedian age was 42 years, median CD4 lymphocyte count was 544 cells/mm3, and 85.6% presented undetectable HIV-1 viral load. Median total cholesterol (TC) was 189 mg/dL (interquartile range, IQR, 165-221), HDL cholesterol 53 mg/dL (IQR, 44-64), LDL cholesterol 108 mg/dL (IQR, 86-134), and triglycerides 116 mg/dL (IQR, 85-163). Mean accumulated time on ART was 116 months; 47.4% were on NNRTI-based regimes, 44.7% on PI, and 6.7% on only-NRTI therapy. 43.8% were also hepatitis C (HCV) coinfected. Patients on PI treatment presented higher TC/HDL ratio than those on NNRTI (p < 0.001). Significantly higher HDL values were observed in NNRTI-treated patients. HCV-coinfected patients presented lower TC/HDL ratio than the non HCV-coinfected. In multivariate analysis, factors independently associated with TC/HDL ratio were age, triglyceride levels and HCV co-infection. PI treatment presented a non-significant association with higher TC/HDL ratio.ConclusionsIn HIV-infected women, the NNRTI-based ART is associated with a better lipid profile than the PI-based. Factors unrelated to ART selection may also exert an independent, significant influence on lipids; in particular, age, and triglyceride levels are associated with an increased TC/HDL ratio while HCV co-infection is associated with a reduced TC/HDL ratio.

Correlates of prevalent hypertension in a large cohort of HIV-infected women: Women's Interagency HIV Study

Correlates of hypertension were assessed in 1266 HIV-positive and 368 HIV-negative women in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Hypertension prevalence was similar in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women (26 versus 28%, P = 0.38). Factors associated with hypertension included increasing age (P < 0.0001), African-American race (P < 0.0001), and body mass index greater than 30 kg/m (P < 0.0001), whereas current pregnancy was protective (P < 0.04). HIV infection, CD4 cell count, HIV-1 viral load, and antiretroviral therapy were not associated with hypertension.

Impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy on anemia and relationship between anemia and survival in a large cohort of HIV-infected women: Women's Interagency HIV Study.

Anemia is common in HIV-infected individuals and may be associated with decreased survival. To ascertain the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on anemia and the relationship between anemia and overall survival in HIV-infected women. A prospective multicenter study of HIV-1 infection in women. Visits occurred every 6 months, including a standardized history, physical examination, and comprehensive laboratory evaluation. The setting was a university-affiliated clinic at 6 sites in the United States. Participants were 2056 HIV-infected women from the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS). The outcome measure was anemia, defined as hemoglobin (Hb) <12 g/dL. Survival analysis was based on overall mortality during the follow-up period. Among HIV-infected women who were not anemic at baseline, 47% became anemic by 3.5 years of follow-up. On multivariate analysis, the use of HAART was associated with resolution of anemia even when used for only 6 months (odds ratio [OR] = 1.45; P < 0.05). In the multivariate model, a CD4 cell count <200 cells/microL (OR = 0.56; P < 0.001); HIV-1 RNA level > or =50,000 copies/mL (OR = 0.65; P < 0.001), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) value <80 fL (OR = 0.40; P < 0.001) were also associated with an inability to correct anemia. Similarly, use of HAART for 12 months or more was associated with a protective effect against development of anemia (OR = 0.71; P < 0.001). Among HIV-infected women, anemia was independently associated with decreased survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.58; P < 0.001). Other factors associated with decreased survival included a CD4 cell count <200 cells/microL (HR = 5.83; P < 0.001), HIV-1 RNA level > or = 50,000 copies/mL (HR = 2.12; P < 0.001), and clinical diagnosis of AIDS (HR = 2.83; P < 0.001). Anemia is an independent risk factor for decreased survival among HIV-infected women. HAART therapy for as little as 6 months is associated with resolution of anemia.

Predictors of proteinuria and renal failure among women with HIV infection

Glomerular disease with proteinuria and renal failure are complications of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. While studies suggest risk factors for both include black race and lower CD4 lymphocyte count, they have not been established in population-based cohorts. This study examines the risk factors for proteinuria and renal failure in a large cohort of HIV-infected women not selected for the presence of renal disease. This prospective cohort includes 2059 women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV study (WIHS). WIHS is a longitudinal study of the clinical course of HIV infection in which subjects are followed biannually with a detailed exam including urine analysis, serum creatinine, CD4 lymphocyte count, and HIV RNA level. Proteinuria was defined as > or =+1 on urine dipstick exam on at least two consecutive urine analyses, and renal failure was defined as a doubling of serum creatinine. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between clinical variables and the presence of proteinuria on initial evaluation in a cross-sectional analysis. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate the associations between clinical variables and time to renal failure among study participants with proteinuria in a prospective longitudinal analysis. Of 2057 HIV-positive women, 32% (N=671) had proteinuria on initial evaluation. Predictors of proteinuria include increasing (log) HIV RNA level [odds ratio (OR)=1.05], black race (OR=2.0), absolute CD4 lymphocyte count < or =200 cells/mm3 (OR=1.41), and the presence of hepatitis C antibody (OR=1.27; all P < 0.0001). Absolute CD4 lymphocyte count < or =200 cells/mm3 [hazard ratio (HR)=3.57, P=0.001], detectable HIV RNA level (HR=2.33, P=0.02), increasing systolic blood pressure (HR=1.02, P=0.002), and decreasing albumin (HR=3.33, P=0.0001) and increasing creatinine (1.67, P=0.0001) were all associated with the development of renal failure. This analysis establishes the associations between both increasing HIV RNA level and decreasing CD4 lymphocyte count with the presence of proteinuria and occurrence of renal failure. Additionally, it demonstrates an association between proteinuria and a positive hepatitis C antibody. To lessen the presence and progression of renal disease among HIV-infected patients, future research should focus on suppression of the HIV RNA level and improvement in CD4 lymphocyte count.

Discontinuation of potent antiretroviral therapy: predictive value of and impact on CD4 cell counts and HIV RNA levels.

To characterize predictors and consequences of discontinuing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in terms of CD4 cell count, HIV RNA, and reported side-effects in a large cohort of HIV-infected women. Cohort study. A total of 1058 HIV-infected women initiated potent ART before September 1999. For each 6 month period after October 1996 we determined the proportion of potent ART users who downshifted to non-potent ART and who discontinued all ART. We examined the role of CD4 cell count and HIV RNA with regard to ART discontinuation. Between October 1996 and September 1999, 1058 individuals contributed 3362 visits at which potent ART was reported in the previous 6 months. Overall rates of 6 month downshifting and discontinuation were 10.0% and 6.7%. The proportion of individuals discontinuing all ART increased from 2.9% in late 1996 to 9.1% in mid 1999 (P < 0.001). Individuals with high HIV RNA levels were more likely to discontinue (P < 0.05). Compared to those who continued on potent ART, individuals who discontinued experienced large declines (P < 0.001) in CD4 cell counts and were more than three times more likely (P < 0.001) to experience HIV RNA increases. However, over one-third of those discontinuing ART reported side-effects and this subset had smaller CD4 cell count declines as compared to discontinuers not reporting side-effects (P = 0.147). In a large cohort of HIV-infected women, an increasing proportion of potent ART users discontinued ART over 3 years. Higher HIV RNA levels predicted discontinuation. Immediate immunological/virological deleterious consequences were observed. Side-effects were the most common reason for discontinuation and CD4 cell count declines were larger among those who did not cite side-effects as the reason for discontinuation.

Prevalence and Correlates of Anemia in a Large Cohort of HIV-Infected Women: Women's Interagency HIV Study

Summary: Anemia is a common manifestation of HIV infection, occurring in approximately 30% of patients with asymptomatic infection and in as many as 75% to 80% of those with AIDS. Anemia has been associated with decreased quality of life and decreased survival. We performed a cross-sectional study nested within a multicenter prospective cohort study to describe the prevalence of anemia in 2056 HIVinfected and 569 HIV-negative women as well as to define the demographic, clinical, immunologic, and virologic correlates of anemia among HIV-infected women. A total of 37% of HIV-positive women and 17% of HIV-negative women had hemoglobin levels < 12 g/dl (p < .001). Factors associated with anemia in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women included mean corpuscular volume (MCV) < 80 fl (p < .001) and black race (p < .001). Among HIV-infected women, multivariate logistic analyses revealed that African American race (p < .0001), MCV < 80 fl (p < .0001), CD4 count < 200 per microliter (p < .0001), higher HIV RNA in plasma (p = .02), current use of ZDV (p = .01), and history of clinical AIDS (p = .004) were all independent predictors of anemia. These data indicate that worsening parameters of HIV disease are associated with anemia among HIV-infected women. Black women and women with low MCV values are at increased risk for anemia independent of HIV status.

Prevalence and correlates of anemia in a large cohort of HIV-infected women: Women's Interagency HIV Study.

Anemia is a common manifestation of HIV infection, occurring in approximately 30% of patients with asymptomatic infection and in as many as 75% to 80% of those with AIDS. Anemia has been associated with decreased quality of life and decreased survival. We performed a cross-sectional study nested within a multicenter prospective cohort study to describe the prevalence of anemia in 2056 HIV-infected and 569 HIV-negative women as well as to define the demographic, clinical, immunologic, and virologic correlates of anemia among HIV-infected women. A total of 37% of HIV-positive women and 17% of HIV-negative women had hemoglobin levels < 12 g/dl (p < .001). Factors associated with anemia in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women included mean corpuscular volume (MCV) < 80 fl (p < .001) and black race (p < .001). Among HIV-infected women, multivariate logistic analyses revealed that African American race (p < .0001), MCV < 80 fl (p < .0001), CD4 count < 200 per microliter (p <.0001), higher HIV RNA in plasma (p = .02), current use of ZDV (p = .01), and history of clinical AIDS (p = .004) were all independent predictors of anemia. These data indicate that worsening parameters of HIV disease are associated with anemia among HIV-infected women. Black women and women with low MCV values are at increased risk for anemia independent of HIV status.