Patients Lost To Follow-up Research Articles

Loss to follow-up: Understand its determinants among tuberculosis patients, in Coimbra District (2005–2017)

IntroductionTuberculosis patients who abscond from treatment are more likely to contribute to ongoing transmission. This growing concern has led to the development of this study in order to assess risk factors among Tuberculosis patients lost to follow up (LTFU) notified in the Coimbra District between 2005 and 2017. Material and methodsA case-control study was designed to compare Tuberculosis patients LTFU (cases) to those successfully treated (controls). Forty-two LTFU cases were compared to 712 controls. Social and demographic data, co-morbidities, disease location, previous treatment history, drug resistance pattern and time period related to economic crisis were analyzed. In order to determine independent risk factors, numeric data was compared by one sample t-test; categorical data compared by the chi-square test or the fisher exact test, and included in a logistic regression analysis, in order to analyze their association to LTFU as a dependent variable. ResultsUnivariate analysis found that LTFU patients were more likely to be immigrants (OR:2,54; 95%CI,1,36-4,75;p < 0,01); unemployed (OR:1,99; 95%CI, 1,08-3,69;p = 0,03); civil construction workers (OR:2,53; 95%CI,1,22-5,27;p = 0,01), have a history of drug (OR:3,29; 95%CI,1,57-6,91;p < 0,01), alcohol (OR:2,16; 95%CI,1,41-3,32; p < 0,01), and tobacco abuse (OR:1,60; 95%CI,1,12-2,30; p=0,02), HIV (OR:4,15; 95%CI,2,12-8,13; p < 0,01), Hepatitis C (OR:4,51; 95%CI,1,95-10,45; p < 0,01) and Hepatitis B (OR:12,97; 95%CI,3,00–56,02; p < 0,01) virus infection. Multivariate analysis found immigrants (aOR:3,08; 95% CI, 1,20-7,93; p = 0,02) and alcohol abuse (aOR:2,81; 95% CI, 1,22-6,47; p = 0,01) to be the strongest LTFU predictor. ConclusionsLTFU likelihood was strongly associated to addictive behaviours and immigrants. It is important that the medical teams prioritize these patients for intensive follow-up care. It is recommended stronger coordination with other support services such as mental health and substance abuse programs. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis makes necessary to highlight all of the strategies available to its prevention and management; those, should include legislative responses towards recalcitrant patients, particularly when all other less restrictive measures fail.

Targeted Telephone-Based Outreach Reconnects Glaucoma Patients With Subspecialty Care.

A personalized telephone-based intervention is a cost-effective method to return overdue patients with open angle glaucoma (OAG) to subspecialty care. Patients who accepted care overwhelmingly preferred in-person appointments with their provider instead of hybrid visits with telehealth. To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephone-based outreach strategy to reconnect OAG patients with subspeciality care. Established patients with OAG who were seen before March 1, 2021, but had not returned for care in the following year were contacted via a telephone-based intervention. Patients lost to follow-up (LTF) were offered the option of an in-person visit or a hybrid telehealth visit, which combined in-office testing of vision, intraocular pressure, and optic nerve imaging with a virtual consultation with their glaucoma specialist on a separate date. Of 2727 patients with OAG, 351 (13%) had not returned for recommended care. Outbound calls reached 176 of those patients (50%). Nearly half of all patients contacted readily accepted care, with 71 scheduling in-person appointments (93%) and 5 selecting hybrid visits (6.6%). Medication refills were requested by 17 of those 76 patients, representing nearly a third of the 56 patients who were treated with topical glaucoma medications. Assessment of the program 90 days later found that 40 patients had returned for care, 100 patients had transferred or declined further care, and 40 patients were identified as deceased, lowering the LTF rate to 6.4%, with 15 patients still scheduled for future visits. On the basis of an average call duration of 2.8±2.0 minutes, the added cost of returning a patient with OAG to care by the program was $28.11. Providing targeted outreach by telephone is an effective and cost-efficient strategy to reconnect OAG patients LTF with subspecialty care.

Exploring Estimates and Reasons for Lost to Follow-Up Among People Living With HIV on Antiretroviral Therapy in Kisumu County, Kenya.

A better understanding why people living with HIV (PLHIV) become lost to follow-up (LTFU) and determining who is LTFU in a program setting is needed to attain HIV epidemic control. This retrospective cross-sectional study used an evidence-sampling approach to select health facilities and LTFU patients from a large HIV program supporting 61 health facilities in Kisumu County, Kenya. Eligible PLHIV included adults 18 years and older with at least 1 clinic visit between September 1, 2016, and August 31, 2018, and were LTFU (no clinical contact for ≥90 days after their last expected clinic visit). From March to June 2019, demographic and clinical variables were collected from a sample of LTFU patient files at 12 health facilities. Patient care status and retention outcomes were determined through program tracing. Of 787 LTFU patients selected and traced, 36% were male, median age was 30.5 years (interquartile range: 24.6-38.0), and 78% had their vital status confirmed with 560 (92%) alive and 52 (8%) deceased. Among 499 (89.0%) with a retention outcome, 233 (46.7%) had stopped care while 266 (53.3%) had self-transferred to another facility. Among those who had stopped care, psychosocial reasons were most common {65.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 58.9 to 71.1]} followed by structural reasons [29.6% (95% CI: 24.1 to 35.8)] and clinic-based reasons [3.0% (95% CI: 1.4 to 6.2)]. We found that more than half of patients LTFU were receiving HIV care elsewhere, leading to a higher overall patient retention rate than routinely reported. Similar strategies could be considered to improve the accuracy of reporting retention in HIV care.

An initiative to improve follow-up of patients with diabetic retinopathy.

This study describes the implementation of an electronic medical record (EMR)-based initiative aimed at identifying and reducing the number of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) lost to follow-up (LTF). Providers were enlisted to review the EMRs and re-engage patients with DR seen 1 year prior and who had not returned for care within the past 6 months. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify demographic, clinical and sociomedical factors associated with being LTF, as well as those predictive of re-engagement. Out of 673 patients with DR, 78 (12%) were identified as LTF. Patients LTF were more likely to be younger (p= 0.001) and have poorly controlled haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c ≥ 8%, p= 0.04) and cholesterol (LDL ≥ 100 mg/dL, p< 0.001) levels. These patients were also more likely to have completed fewer ophthalmology appointments (p< 0.001), and less likely to have had retinal imaging within the last year (p< 0.001). Charts reviewed 1 month after the EMR-based initiative revealed that 22 patients (28%) had been successfully re-engaged by providers, while 56 patients (72%) remained LTF. History of prior treatment for DR was associated with re-engagement by providers (p= 0.04). One month following the provider-based intervention, the LTF rate dropped to 8.3%, and by 1 year only 3.6% of the patients remained LTF. Electronic medical record-based tools can successfully identify DR patients as being LTF, offering an opportunity for providers to re-engage patients in a timely manner. Future studies are needed to determine the long-term impact of patient re-engagement on DR outcomes and efficiency of clinical practice.

Registry Studies Use Inconsistent Methods to Account for Patients Lost to Follow-up, and Rates of Patients LTFU Are High

PurposeTo determine methods described in the literature to account for patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) in registry studies and whether rates of patient LTFU are within acceptable margins.MethodsA scoping review, where a literature search is conducted for studies from 9 arthroscopy registries, was performed on EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the annual reports of each registry. Inclusion criteria included studies with information on patient-reported outcome measures and being based on 9 national registries identified. Exclusion criteria included review articles, conference abstracts, studies not based on registry data, and studies from regional, claims-based, or multicenter registries. Studies were then divided into categories based on method of LTFU analysis used.ResultsThirty-six articles were identified for the final analysis. Categories for LTFU analysis included dropout analyses (n = 10), referencing validation studies (n = 12), contacting nonresponders (n = 4), and sensitivity analyses (n = 1). Referencing validation studies was the most common method (n = 12). Majority (n = 35) of the studies exceeded the recommended maximum rates for LTFU.ConclusionsRegistry studies use inconsistent methods to account for patient LTFU, and rates of patients LTFU are unacceptably high.Clinical RelevanceThe impact of patients LTFU in studies related to arthroscopic intervention is unknown. A universal method for accounting for patient follow-up is needed.

Visual/anatomical outcome of diabetic macular edema patients lost to follow-up for more than 1\xa0year

To investigate the visual/anatomical outcome of diabetic macular edema (DME) patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) for more than 1 year during intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment. A retrospective review of 182 treatment-naïve DME patients was performed. Among them, we identified patients LTFU for more than 1 year during anti-VEGF treatment. Visual acuity and anatomic outcomes at the first visit, last visit before being LTFU, return visit, and after re-treatment were analyzed and compared with those of DME patients with regular follow-up. Patients who had continuous follow-up visits were assigned to the control group. Sixty patients (33%) with DME were LTFU for more than 1 year during anti-VEGF treatment. Multivariate analysis revealed that the ratio of male (p = 0.004), diabetes mellitus (DM) duration less than 5 years (p = 0.015), and poor early anatomic response (p = 0.012) were higher compared to the control group. Eighteen patients returned to the clinic and received re-treatment. After re-treatment with anti-VEGF, central subfield thickness (CST) was significantly improved to the CST of before LTFU. However, visual acuity did not recover to the level before LTFU (0.63 ± 0.26 vs. 0.45 ± 0.28, p = 0.003). About thirty percent of DME patients were LTFU for more than 1 year. Permanent visual loss was observed in these LTFU patients. Patients with a high risk of LTFU such as male, early DM, and poor response after initial injections should be treated more aggressively to improve the visual outcomes.

Loss to follow-up correction increased mortality estimates in HIV–positive people on antiretroviral therapy in Mozambique

ObjectivesPeople living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) may be lost to follow-up (LTFU), which hampers the assessment of outcomes. We estimated mortality for patients starting ART in a rural region in sub-Saharan Africa and examined risk factors for death, correcting for LTFU. Study Design and SettingWe analyzed data from Ancuabe, Mozambique, where patients LTFU are traced by phone and home visits. We used cumulative incidence functions to estimate mortality and LTFU. To correct for LTFU, we revised outcomes based on tracing data using different inverse probability weights (maximum likelihood, Ridge regression, or Bayesian model averaging). We fitted competing risk models to identify risk factors for death and LTFU. ResultsThe analyses included 4,492 patients; during 8,152 person-years of follow-up, 486 patients died, 2,375 were LTFU, 752 were traced, and 603 were found. At 4 years after starting ART, observed mortality was 11.9% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.9–13.0), but 23.5% (95% CI: 19.8–28.0), 21.6% (95% CI: 18.7–25.0), and 23.3% (95% CI: 19.7–27.6) after correction with maximum likelihood, Ridge regression, and Bayesian model averaging weights, respectively. The risk factors for death included male sex, lower CD4 cell counts, and more advanced clinical stage. ConclusionIn ART programs with substantial LTFU, mortality estimates need to take LTFU into account.

Loss to follow-up and opportunities for reengagement in HIV care in rural Mozambique: A prospective cohort study.

Patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) over the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cascade have poor clinical outcomes and contribute to onward HIV transmission. We assessed true care outcomes and factors associated with successful reengagement in patients LTFU in southern Mozambique.Newly diagnosed HIV-positive adults were consecutively recruited in the Manhiça District. Patients LTFU within 12 months after HIV diagnosis were visited at home from June 2015 to July 2016 and interviewed for ascertainment of outcomes and reasons for LTFU. Factors associated with reengagement in care within 90 days after the home visit were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards model.Among 1122 newly HIV-diagnosed adults, 691 (61.6%) were identified as LTFU. Of those, 557 (80.6%) were approached at their homes and 321 (57.6%) found at home. Over 50% had died or migrated, 10% had been misclassified as LTFU, and 252 (78.5%) were interviewed. Following the visit, 79 (31.3%) reengaged in care. Having registered in care and a shorter time between LTFU and visit were associated with reengagement in multivariate analyses: adjusted hazards ratio of 3.54 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.81-6.92; P < .001] and 0.93 (95% CI: 0.87-1.00; P = .045), respectively. The most frequently reported barriers were the lack of trust in the HIV-diagnosis, the perception of being in good health, and fear of being badly treated by health personnel and differed by type of LTFU.Estimates of LTFU in rural areas of sub-Saharan Africa are likely to be overestimated in the absence of active tracing strategies. Home visits are resource-intensive but useful strategies for reengagement for at least one-third of LTFU patients when applied in the context of differentiated care for those LTFU individuals who had already enrolled in HIV care at some point.

Cardiac arrest survivors lost to follow-up after 3-Months, 6-Months and 1-Year

BackgroundLong-term assessment of global functional outcomes in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors allows for evaluation of acute care practices and referral to rehabilitation services. Given that many post-CA patients are lost to follow-up (LTFU), we explored whether these patients are systematically different from those who complete follow-up based on demographic, resuscitation and outcome characteristics. MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study of 168 English-speaking CA survivors between 9/25/2016 and 5/31/2018. We measured demographic data and global functional outcomes using Modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) in-person at hospital discharge, and via telephone at 3-, 6-months, and 1-year. We compared patients LTFU (e.g., failure to contact or refused to follow-up) with those contacted. Patients who were hospitalized, in a rehabilitation facility, missed by the research team, or dead were considered not eligible for follow-up. ResultsOf the 116 patients eligible for follow-up at 3-months, the majority completed follow-up (n = 69; 59.5%) and 47 (40.5%) were LTFU. Conversely, at 6-months and 1-year, fewer subjects were assessed (42% and 47%) compared to those who were LTFU (58% and 53%), respectively. At 3-months, LTFU patients were younger, unmarried, and had longer ICU stay. At 6-months and 1-year, LTFU patients were primarily male, had a non-shockable primary rhythm, and non-cardiac arrest etiologies. ConclusionsOver one-third of patients are LTFU during the first year after CA, and differences emerged for demographics and characteristics of the event. Future research should account for the informative, non-random distribution of patients LTFU.

Outcomes of Patients Lost to Follow-up in African Antiretroviral Therapy Programs: Individual Patient Data Meta-analysis

Low retention on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has emerged as a threat to the Joint United Nations Programme on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets. We examined outcomes of patients who started cART but were subsequently lost to follow-up (LTFU) in African treatment programs. This was a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis of studies that traced patients who were LTFU. Outcomes were analyzed using cumulative incidence functions and proportional hazards models for the competing risks of (i) death, (ii) alive but stopped cART, (iii) silent transfer to other clinics, and (iv) retention on cART. Nine studies contributed data on 7377 patients who started cART and were subsequently LTFU in sub-Saharan Africa. The median CD4 count at the start of cART was 129 cells/μL. At 4 years after the last clinic visit, 21.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 20.8%-22.7%) were known to have died, 22.6% (95% CI, 21.6%-23.6%) were alive but had stopped cART, 14.8% (95% CI, 14.0%-15.6%) had transferred to another clinic, 9.2% (95% CI, 8.5%-9.8%) were retained on cART, and 31.6% (95% CI, 30.6%-32.7%) could not been found. Mortality was associated with male sex, more advanced disease, and shorter cART duration; stopping cART with less advanced disease andlonger cART duration; and silent transfer with female sex and less advanced disease. Mortality in patients LTFU must be considered for unbiased assessments of program outcomes and UNAIDS targets in sub-Saharan Africa. Immediate start of cART and early tracing of patients LTFU should be priorities.

The Effect of Monitoring Viral Load and Tracing Patients Lost to Follow-up on the Course of the HIV Epidemic in Malawi: A Mathematical Model.

BackgroundAntiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces HIV transmission, but treated patients may again become infectious. We used a mathematical model to determine whether ART as prevention is more effective if viral load (VL) is routinely monitored and patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) traced.MethodsWe simulated ART cohorts to parameterize a deterministic transmission model calibrated to Malawi. We investigated the following strategies for improving treatment and retention: monitoring VL every 12 or 24 months, tracing patients LTFU, or a generic strategy leading to uninterrupted treatment. We tested 3 scenarios, where ART scale-up continues at current (Universal ART), reduced (Failed scale-up), or accelerated speed (Test&Treat).ResultsIn the Universal ART scenario, between 2017 and 2020 (2050), monitoring VL every 24 months prevented 0.5% (0.9%), monitoring every 12 months prevented 0.8% (1.4%), tracing prevented 0.3% (0.5%), and uninterrupted treatment prevented 5.5% (9.9%) of HIV infections. Failed scale-up resulted in 25% more infections than the Universal ART scenarios, whereas Test&Treat resulted in 7%–8% less.ConclusionsTest&Treat reduces transmission of HIV, despite individual cases of treatment failure and ART interruption. Whereas viral load monitoring and tracing have only a minor impact on transmission, interventions that aim to minimize treatment interruptions can further increase the preventive effect of ART.

Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer: Are We Failing Latino Patients at a Large Safety Net Hospital?

Active surveillance (AS) is one recommended option for low-risk prostate cancer and involves close follow-up and monitoring. Our objective was to determine whether non-clinical trial patients adhere to AS protocols and how many are lost to follow-up (LTFU). Retrospective chart review was performed for patients with nonmetastatic prostate cancer who initiated AS at Los Angeles County Hospital (LAC) and University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (Norris) between January 1, 2008, and January 1, 2015. Competing-risks regression analyses examined the difference in LTFU rates of AS patients in the 2 institutions and examined the association between LTFU and patient characteristics. We used California Cancer Registry data to verify if patients LTFU were monitored and/or treated at other LAC medical facilities. We found 116 patients at LAC and 98 at Norris who met the AS criteria for this study. Patients at LAC and Norris had similar tumor characteristics but differed in median income, race, primary language spoken, distance residing from hospital, and socioeconomic status (SES). LTFU was significantly different between the institutions: 57 ± 7% at LAC and 32 ± 6% at Norris at 5 years (P<.001). By multivariable analysis, the main determinant of LTFU was SES (P= .045). By 5 years, the chance of an LAC patient remaining on AS was 8 ± 6% compared to 20 ± 6% for a Norris patient (P< .001). Successful AS implementation relies on patient follow-up. We found that patients on AS from lower SES strata are more often LTFU. Identifying barriers to follow-up and compliance among low SES patients is critical to ensure optimal AS.

Self-transfer and mortality amongst adults lost to follow-up in ART programmes in low- and middle-income countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

To ascertain estimates of adult patients, recorded as lost to follow-up (LTFU) within antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes, who have self-transferred care, died or truly stopped ART in low- and middle-income countries. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Science Direct, LILACS, IndMed and AIM databases (2003-2013) and IAS/AIDS conference abstracts (2011-2013) were searched for tracing studies reporting the proportion of traced patients found to have self-transferred, died or stopped ART. These estimates were then combined using random-effects meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed through subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Twenty eight studies were eligible for inclusion, reporting true outcomes for 10,806 traced patients attending approximately 258 ART facilities. None were from outside sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty three studies reported 4.5-54.4% traced LTFU patients self-transferring care, providing a pooled estimate of 18.6% (95% CI 15.8-22.0%). A significant positive association was found between rates of self-transfer and LTFU in the ART cohort. The pooled estimates for unreported deaths were 38.8% (95% CI 30.8-46.8%; 27 studies) and 28.6% (95% CI 21.9-36.0%; 20 studies) for patients stopping ART. A significant decrease in unreported deaths from 50.0% (95% CI 41.5-58.4%) to 30.0% (95% CI 21.1-38.9%) was found comparing study periods before and after 31 December 2007. Substantial unaccounted for transfers and deaths amongst patients LTFU confirms that retention and mortality is underestimated where the true outcomes of LTFU patients are not ascertained.

Tracing of Patients Lost to Follow-up and HIV Transmission

Treatment as prevention depends on retaining HIV-infected patients in care. We investigated the effect on HIV transmission of bringing patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) back into care. Mathematical model. Stochastic mathematical model of cohorts of 1000 HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral therapy, based on the data from 2 clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi. We calculated cohort viral load (sum of individual mean viral loads each year) and used a mathematical relationship between viral load and transmission probability to estimate the number of new HIV infections. We simulated 4 scenarios: "no LTFU" (all patients stay in care), "no tracing" (patients LTFU are not traced), "immediate tracing" (after missed clinic appointment), and "delayed tracing" (after 6 months). About 440 of 1000 patients were LTFU over 5 years. Cohort viral loads (million copies/mL per 1000 patients) were 3.7 [95% prediction interval (PrI), 2.9-4.9] for no LTFU, 8.6 (95% PrI, 7.3-10.0) for no tracing, 7.7 (95% PrI, 6.2-9.1) for immediate, and 8.0 (95% PrI, 6.7-9.5) for delayed tracing. Comparing no LTFU with no tracing, the number of new infections increased from 33 (95% PrI, 29-38) to 54 (95% PrI, 47-60) per 1000 patients. Immediate tracing prevented 3.6 (95% PrI, -3.3 to 12.8) and delayed tracing 2.5 (95% PrI, -5.8 to 11.1) new infections per 1000. Immediate tracing was more efficient than delayed tracing: to 116 and 142 tracing efforts, respectively, were needed prevent 1 new infection. Tracing of patients LTFU enhances the preventive effect of antiretroviral therapy, but the number of transmissions prevented is small.

Return to Normal Life After AIDS as a Reason for Lost to Follow-up in a Community-Based Antiretroviral Treatment Program

To understand reasons for lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) from a community-based antiretroviral therapy program in Uganda.Retrospective cohort of patients LTFU between May 31, 2001, to May 31, 2010, was examined. A representative sample of 579 patients traced to ascertain their outcomes.Mixed methods were used. Using "stopped care" as the hazard and "self-transferred" as the comparator, we examined using Cox proportional multivariable model risk factors for stopping care.Overall, 2933 of 3954 (74.0%) patients were LTFU. Of 579 of 2933 (19%) patients sampled for tracing, 32 (5.5%) were untraceable, 66(11.4 %) were dead, and 481 (83.0%) found alive. Of those found alive, 232 (40.0%) stopped care, 249 (43.0%) self-transferred, whereas 61 (12.7%) returned to care at Reach Out Mbuya HIV/AIDS Initiative. In adjusted hazards ratios, born-again religion, originating from outside Kampala, resident in Kampala for <5 years but >1 year, having school-age children who were out of school, non-HIV disclosure, CD4 counts >250 cells per cubic millimeter and pre-antiretroviral therapy were associated with increased risk of stopping care. Qualitative interviews revealed return to a normal life as a key reason for LTFU. Of 61 patients who returned to care, their median CD4 count at LTFU was higher than on return into care (401/mm³ vs. 205/mm³, P < 0.0001).Many patients become LTFU during the course of years, necessitating the need for effective mechanisms to identify those in need of close monitoring. Efforts should be made to improve referrals and mechanisms to track patients who transfer to different facilities. Additionally, tracing of patients who become LTFU is required to convince them to return.

Task-Shifting to Community Health Workers: Evaluation of the Performance of a Peer-Led Model in an Antiretroviral Program in Uganda

Task shifting to community health workers (CHW) has received recognition. We examined the performance of community antiretroviral therapy and tuberculosis treatment supporters (CATTS) in scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Reach Out, a community-based ART program in Uganda. Retrospective data on home visits made by CATTS were analyzed to examine the CATTS ability to perform home visits to patients based on the model's standard procedures. Qualitative interviews conducted with 347 randomly selected patients and 47 CATTS explored their satisfaction with the model. The CATTS ability to follow-up with patients worsened from patients requiring daily, weekly, monthly, to three-monthly home visits. Only 26% and 15% of them correctly home visited patients with drug side effects and a missed clinic appointment, respectively. Additionally, 83% visited stable pre-ART and ART patients (96%) more frequently than required. Six hundred eighty of the 3650 (18%) patients were lost to follow-up (LTFU) during the study period. The mean number of patients LTFU per CATTS was 40.5. Male (p = 0.005), worked for longer durations (p = 0.02), and had lower education (p = 0.005). An increased number of patients (p = 0.01) were associated with increased LTFU. Ninety-two percent of the CATTS felt the model could be improved by reducing the workload. CATTS who were HIV positive, female, not residing in the same village as their patients, more educated, married, on ART, and spent less time with the patients were rated better by their patients. The Reach-Out CHW model is labor-intensive. Triaged home visits could improve performance and allow CATTS time to focus on patients requiring more intensive follow-up.

Loss to Followup in HIV-Infected Patients from Asia-Pacific Region: Results from TAHOD.

This study examined characteristics of HIV-infected patients in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database who were lost to follow-up (LTFU) from treatment and care. Time from last clinic visit to 31 March 2009 was analysed to determine the interval that best classified LTFU. Patients defined as LTFU were then categorised into permanently LTFU (never returned) and temporary LTFU (re-entered later), and these groups compared. A total of 3626 patients were included (71% male). No clinic visits for 180 days was the best-performing LTFU definition (sensitivity 90.6%, specificity 92.3%). During 7697 person-years of follow-up, 1648 episodes of LFTU were recorded (21.4 per 100-person-years). Patients LFTU were younger (P = 0.002), had HIV viral load ≥500 copies/mL or missing (P = 0.021), had shorter history of HIV infection (P = 0.048), and received no, single- or double-antiretroviral therapy, or a triple-drug regimen containing a protease inhibitor (P < 0.001). 48% of patients LTFU never returned. These patients were more likely to have low or missing haemoglobin (P < 0.001), missing recent HIV viral load (P < 0.001), negative hepatitis C test (P = 0.025), and previous temporary LTFU episodes (P < 0.001). Our analyses suggest that patients not seen at a clinic for 180 days are at high risk of permanent LTFU, and should be aggressively traced.

Outcomes and associated risk factors of patients traced after being lost to follow-up from antiretroviral treatment in Lilongwe, Malawi

BackgroundLoss to follow-up is a major challenge of antiretroviral treatment (ART) programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Our objective was to a) determine true outcomes of patients lost to follow-up (LTFU) and b) identify risk factors associated with successful tracing and deaths of patients LTFU from ART in a large public sector clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi.MethodsPatients who were more than 2 weeks late according to their last ART supply and who provided a phone number or address in Lilongwe were eligible for tracing. Their outcomes were updated and risk factors for successful tracing and death were examined.ResultsOf 1800 patients LTFU with consent for tracing, 724 (40%) were eligible and tracing was successful in 534 (74%): 285 (53%) were found to be alive and on ART; 32 (6%) had stopped ART; and 217 (41%) had died. Having a phone contact doubled tracing success (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.4-3.0) and odds of identifying deaths [aOR = 1.8 (1.2-2.7)] in patients successfully traced. Mortality was higher when ART was fee-based at initiation (aOR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.1-4.7) and declined with follow-up time on ART. Limiting the analysis to patients living in Lilongwe did not change the main findings.ConclusionAscertainment of contact information is a prerequisite for tracing, which can reveal outcomes of a large proportion of patients LTFU. Having a phone contact number is critical for successful tracing, but further research should focus on understanding whether phone tracing is associated with any differential reporting of mortality or LTFU.

Incidence and risk factors associated with lost to follow-up in a Belgian cohort of HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy

Being lost to follow-up (LTFU) is a major problem in caring for persons with HIV infection. We describe the proportions and characteristics of LTFU in a Belgian outpatient HIV clinic. All patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) who attended at least two consultations were included. Patients not returning within the following year were considered LTFU. Multivariate analysis using logistic regression was performed. The LTFU rate was 5.5% on average and remained stable over the years. Patients LTFU were more often intravenous drug users (odds ratio [OR] = 3.48), not covered by health insurance (OR = 6.69), living outside the province (OR = 1.49) and treated with a complex initial HAART regimen (OR = 5.80). Increased age was also associated with a higher risk of LTFU. Patients at risk for LTFU after starting HAART should be the targeted for reinforced counselling and HIV treatment centres should establish systems to trace patients LTFU.

Challenges for retrospective cohort studies: A profile of patients who refuse participation or are lost to follow-up

6615 Background: As hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) has increasingly become a curative option for many diseases, studying long-term complications has assumed critical importance. A major issue in conducting scientifically rigorous long-term follow up studies with large cohorts is the ability to track patients, and obtain informed consents. High participation rates are critical to avoid selection bias and ensure generalizability. Methods: A mass consenting process was implemented to obtain informed consents from 1056 City of Hope HCT patients transplanted during 1976–2006 who were one+ year survivors and alive in June 2007. This process involved mailing consent forms followed by phone calls. Patients were classified as consented, refused, or lost-to-follow-up (LTFU). Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics indicative of higher risks for refusal or LTFU were identified. Results: Study patients comprised 58% males, and 53% Caucasians. Median age at HCT was 34 years (0.6–73); median age at study initiation was 47 years (6–81); and median time from HCT to study initiation was 10 years (1–30). Primary diagnoses included acute/chronic leukemia (43%), Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin lymphoma (36%), multiple myeloma (9%), and other miscellaneous diagnoses (12%). Fifty percent received allogeneic HCT. At the end of the process, 46% consented, 17% refused, and 37% were LTFU. Compared to consented patients, males, Asians, and younger patients were more likely to refuse consent. Patients LTFU were more likely to have lower SES, a longer time since HCT, in addition to being males, Asians and younger at HCT (Table). Conclusions: This study demonstrates the critical need for maintaining up-to-date contact information on patients after HCT in order to obtain valid long-term follow-up data. It also describes the characteristics of the sub-population that are more likely to refuse or be LTFU, information necessary for planning targeted interventions in long-term follow-up initiatives. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.