Short Antiretroviral Therapy Research Articles

Factors Associated with Loss to Follow-Up Among Patients Receiving HIV Treatment in Nairobi, Kenya.

We investigated factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) in 24 urban health facilities in Nairobi, Kenya. We conducted a retrospective analysis of routinely collected data to assess factors associated with LTFU in the period October 1, 2016, to June 30, 2017. LTFU was defined as no antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill for ≥90 days and no documentation of transfer, death, or treatment cessation in the patient chart, and if no lapse of ≥90 days between ART refills, patients were considered retained in care. Multivariable logistic regression modeling was used to compute odds ratios and 95% confidence interval (CI) for LTFU. Our analysis included 633 individuals who were LTFU and 13,098 individuals retained in care. Most participants (69.6%) were women, and median age was 33.0 years (interquartile range, 27.2-38.3 years). Median ART duration was shorter among those LTFU (0.4 years) than retained patients (2.5 years, p < .0001). Being male [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.30; 95% CI: 1.04-1.63, p = .02], transferring into facilities while already receiving ART (aOR 11.58; 95% CI: 8.23-16.29, p < .0001), and having a shorter ART duration (<6 months) were associated with increased odds of LTFU. Patients who transferred into a facility while already receiving ART had the highest adjusted odds of being LTFU compared with those retained in care. In this urban and highly mobile population, transferring into facilities while already receiving ART was strongly associated with LTFU. Focusing programming efforts on patients transferring between urban clinics to identify reasons for transfer and potential barriers to treatment adherence could help improve patient outcomes. Supplementary case management and support may be needed to promote a seamless transition and ensure uninterrupted engagement in HIV care and treatment.

Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS during Pregnancy and Delivery and Associated Factors in the Region of Couffo in Benin

Evaluation of the effectiveness of the mother-to-child HIV Prevention Program, in Benin in 2016 reported a national rate of 6.7%. The Region of Couffo, within 12 Regions (departments) in the country, had the highest rate of transmission, which was 16.1%. The study aimed to determine transmission rate during pregnancy and delivery as well as the factors associated with it. This is a retrospective and analytical study based on a sample of seventy (70) babies born to HIV-infected mothers in 2016 in Couffo. Key findings showed, there is a perinatal transmission of five percent (5%) and the factors associated with this transmission are: delay in carrying out first antenatal visits at the health facility, low frequency of visits performed versus number requested and appropriate time, poor health condition of mothers during pregnancy, absence or late start of antiretroviral care and treatment during pregnancy, irregular intake of intermittent presumptive treatment at sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine to prevent malaria, a short antiretroviral therapy (less than three months) for mothers before delivery and the default in cleaning mother’s genital tract with betadine after the woman’s water broke.

Intestinal Barrier Impairment and Immune Activation in HIV-Infected Advanced Late Presenters are Not Dependent on CD4 Recovery.

Damage of the mucosal barrier in HIV infection, microbial translocation, and immune activation can persist even in patients on successful antiretroviral therapy (ART) especially advanced late presenters. The aim of this study was to find factors that determine immune activation and bacterial translocation in HIV-infected advanced late presenters on suppressive ART. Forty-three late presenters (CD4 < 200cells/µl prior to ART) on successful ART (more than 2years of ART) with optimal and suboptimal CD4 recovery were enrolled into this study. The serum concentrations of intestinal fatty acid-binding peptide (I-FABP), zonulin-1, programmed cell death-1 protein (PCDP-1), and soluble (s)CD14 were measured using the ELISA test. We found higher serum levels of I-FABP and sCD14 in successfully antiretroviral-treated advanced late presenters compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0004). The serum concentration of PCDP-1 and zonulin-1 in HIV-infected patients did not differ from healthy controls. The levels of microbial translocation and immune activation markers were not associated with the degree of CD4 recovery. A serum concentration of I-FABP above 2.03ng/ml was independently associated with a shorter ART (OR 0.78; p = 0.03). Older age was related to serum levels of sCD14 above 2.35µg/ml (OR 1.1; p = 0.01). Higher serum levels of I-FABP and sCD14 in successfully antiretroviral-treated advanced late presenters compared to healthy subjects suggest an incomplete reconstruction of the intestinal barrier and sustained immune activation despite good CD4 recovery. It was not the CD4 level, but the length of the suppressive ART that was found to be associated with the restoration of the intestinal barrier.

Depression and Response to Antiretroviral Therapy in the Dominican Republic

Background: Depression is common in HIV-infected patients and may affect response to Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). We analyzed anonymized data from the DR’s major non-governmental ART clinics to estimate the prevalence of and characteristics associated with Clinically-significant Depressive Symptomatology (CSDS) in Dominican Republic (DR) ART patients, and its impact on response to ART. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data obtained by questionnaires screening for CSDS, ART adherence, and food insecurity in a convenience sample of non-acutely ill ART patients seen in the collaborating clinics in 20 workdays in May-June 2013. Demographic characteristics and most recent CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts and plasma HIV-RNA levels (“viral loads”) were obtained by medical record review. Factors associated with CSDS and poor ART response were identified by comparing prevalence of CSDS and ART failure by patient characteristics. Results: Of 205 patients, 61 (29.8%) met criteria for CSDS. CSDS prevalence was higher among residents in bateyes (sugarcane plantation-worker barracks) (100%) than in those residing elsewhere (26.9%; p<0.001) and in patients reporting food insecurity (52.2%) than in those denying it (18.8%); p<0.001). Patients taking ART for less than 36 months were more likely to have CSDS (38.6%) than those with longer ART duration (23.8%; p=0.02). Proportions of patients with viral suppression were higher in: females (64.9%) than males (48.8%; p=0.02); patients with ART for over 36 months (66.0%) versus those with shorter ART duration (47.0%; p=0.009); patients reporting perfect (63.4%) versus imperfect adherence (42.3%; p=0.009), and; patients without CSDS (64.0%) versus those with CSDS (40.0%; p=0.002). When controlled for perfect ART adherence, ART duration, and gender in logistic regression, CSDS was independently associated with decreased likelihood of viral suppression (OR=0.4; 95% confidence interval=[0.2-0.8]; p=0.006). Conclusions: CSDS is associated with ART failure even when controlled for adherence. Depression treatment may improve ART response and patients’ quality of life.

Factors Associated with Different Patterns of Nonadherence to HIV Care in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Health system responsiveness (HSR), a measure of patient health care experience, may influence adherence to HIV/AIDS care and be an important predictor of outcomes. We studied the relationship between HSR, patient factors, and visit nonadherence in 16 President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief-supported HIV/AIDS clinics in Dar es Salaam. An HSR survey was administered in 2009, and all clinic visits 1 year following the interviews were analyzed for 720 patients on antiretrovirals (ARVs). Definitions of visit nonadherence were (1) low visit constancy ([VC], no visit in ≥1 quarter), (2) gaps in care (>60 days between visits), (3) no visit in last quarter (VLQ). The relationships between factors were analyzed using multivariate analysis with adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) reported. Few patients were nonadherent using VLQ (14%) and VC (28%). Gaps in care were more common (49.6%) and associated with younger age (AOR: 3.86 [2.02-7.40]), no explanation of side effects (AOR: 2.21 [1.49-3.28]), and shorter antiretroviral therapy (ART) duration (0-3 months AOR: 1.49 [1.09-2.03]; 3-6 months AOR: 2.44 [1.40-4.25]). No VLQ was associated with younger age (AOR: 3.40 [1.63-7.07]), poor health care worker (HCW) communication (AOR: 4.83 [1.39-16.78]), and less time on ART (0-3 months AOR: 5.04 [2.47-10.30]; 3-6 months AOR: 3.09 [1.72-5.57]). Younger age, poor HCW communication, and shorter ART duration also predicted lower VC, as did higher patient-HCW ratios. The rates of visit nonadherence differed based on the definitions used. Younger age, shorter time on ART, and poor HCW communication predicted lower adherence regardless of the definition. More work is needed to understand the relationship between HSR, patient factors, and different patterns of visit nonadherence and their impact on ART outcomes.