Tracking missed opportunities for an early HIV diagnosis in a population of people living with HIV with known time of infection

PurposeThe goal of 90-90-90 first requires the expansion of access to HIV testing. Our aim was to record frequencies of HIV indicator conditions (ICs) and identify missed opportunities for an early HIV diagnosis.MethodsWe retrospectively identified ICs in a population of 231 people living with HIV with known infection dates who attended our clinic. The study population was divided into four groups: (1) those self-tested pre-emptively (47/231, 20.3%), (2) those offered targeted testing based on risk factors (67/231, 29%), (3) those tested after an IC (73/231, 31.6%) and (4) those who were not offered testing after an IC (44/231, 19%). HIV acquisition dates were estimated by molecular clock analysis.ResultsA total of 169 healthcare contacts (HCCs) were recorded. The most frequent HCC was mononucleosis-like syndrome (20.1%), unexplained weight loss (10.7%) and STIs (10.1%). AIDS-defining conditions were detected in 11.8%. Only 62.4% (73/117) of those with an IC were offered testing after their first HCC. Patients in group 4 had statistically significant delay in diagnosis compared with group 3 (109.1 weeks (IQR 56.4–238.6) vs 71.6 weeks (IQR 32.3–124.6)). The proportion of patients diagnosed as late presenters in each group was: (1) 16/47 (34%), (2) 37/67 (55.2%), (3) 43/73 (58.9%) and (4) 27/44 (61.4%) (p=0.027).ConclusionsOur study uses a combination of molecular and clinical data and shows evidence that late presentation occurs in a high proportion of patients even in the presence of an IC. Given that risk-based targeted testing has low coverage, IC-guided testing provides a reasonable alternative to facilitate earlier HIV diagnosis and to improve late diagnosis across Europe and globally.

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Echocardiographic Assessment of Asymptomatic US Air Force Members with Early HIV Infection

10.21203/rs.2.15223/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Gadiel Rafael Alvarado ◽

Courtney Usry ◽

Rosco Gore ◽

James Watts ◽

Jason Okulicz

Keyword(s):

Hiv Infection ◽

Air Force ◽

Global Longitudinal Strain ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Cvd Risk ◽

Us Air Force ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Hiv Acquisition ◽

Living With Hiv

Abstract Objective People living with HIV (PLHIV) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and development of subclinical echocardiographic abnormalities. The pathogenicity of HIV induced cardiotoxicity has been described however the time to development of echocardiographic abnormalities after HIV acquisition remains unclear. In this study we describe the echocardiographic evaluations of asymptomatic US Air Force members who were diagnosed with HIV infection. Results Patients (n=50) were predominantly male (96%), mostly black (60%), with a mean age of 28 years. At HIV diagnosis, the mean viral load was 112,585 copies/mL and CD4 count was 551 cells/uL; 2 patients were diagnosed with AIDS. All were found to have normal systolic ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) however evidence of right ventricular dilatation and cardiac remodeling was observed in 7 (14%) and 13 (26%) patients, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed no significant differences in echocardiographic findings by HIV disease severity or CVD risk factors (p >0.05 for all). This study suggests that untreated HIV may have a low impact on the development of echocardiographic abnormalities shortly after seroconversion. Longitudinal studies are warranted to determine the optimal CVD risk assessment strategies for PLHIV.

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Missed opportunities for tuberculosis prevention among patients accessing a UK HIV service

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462418773010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 29 (12) ◽

pp. 1234-1237 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hannah M Rickman ◽

Robert F Miller ◽

Stephen Morris-Jones ◽

Lusha Kellgren ◽

Simon G Edwards ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Outpatient Service ◽

Latent Tuberculosis ◽

Hiv Care ◽

Hiv Positive ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Missed Opportunities ◽

Ltbi Screening ◽

Living With Hiv

United Kingdom guidelines recommend screening for and treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in HIV-positive patients at high risk of active tuberculosis (TB) disease, but implementation is suboptimal. We investigated potential missed opportunities to identify and treat LTBI among HIV-positive patients accessing a large HIV outpatient service in London. Case records of all adult patients attending our service for HIV care diagnosed with active TB between 2011 and 2015 were reviewed to determine whether they met criteria for LTBI screening and whether screening was undertaken. Twenty-five patients were treated for TB. Of 15 (60%) patients who started TB treatment ≥6 months after HIV diagnosis, 14 (93%) met UK guideline-recommended criteria for LTBI screening and treatment; only one (7%) had been screened for LTBI. Eight of these 15 (53%) patients had additional risk factors for TB which are not reflected in current UK guidelines. Of 15 patients treated for TB ≥6 months after diagnosis of HIV, 14 (93%) had not been screened for LTBI, suggesting missed opportunities for TB prevention. People living with HIV may benefit from a broader approach to LTBI screening which takes into account additional recognised TB risk factors and ongoing TB exposure.

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Stigma mastery in people living with HIV: gender similarities and theory

Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1007/s10389-021-01480-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Charles Patrick Namisi ◽

John C. Munene ◽

Rhoda K. Wanyenze ◽

Anne R. Katahoire ◽

Rosalinda M. Parkes-Ratanshi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Women ◽

Social Exclusion ◽

Theoretical Framework ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Age Related ◽

Related Stigma ◽

Living With Hiv

Abstract Aims This study aimed to determine the prevalence of, factors associated with, and to build a theoretical framework for understanding Internalsed HIV-related Stigma Mastery (IHSM). Methods A cross-sectional study nested within a 2014 Stigma Reduction Cohort in Uganda was used. The PLHIV Stigma Index version 2008, was used to collect data from a random sample of 666 people living with HIV (PLHIV) stratified by gender and age. SPSS24 with Amos27 softwares were used to build a sequential-mediation model. Results The majority of participants were women (65%), aged ≥ 40 years (57%). Overall, IHSM was 45.5% among PLHIV, that increased with age. Specifically, higher IHSM correlated with men and older women “masculine identities” self-disclosure of HIV-diagnosis to family, sharing experiences with peers. However, lower IHSM correlated with feminine gender, the experience of social exclusion stress, fear of future rejection, and fear of social intimacy. Thus, IHSM social exclusion with its negative effects and age-related cognition are integrated into a multidimensional IHSM theoretical framework with a good model-to-data fit. Conclusion Internalised HIV-related Stigma Mastery is common among men and older women. Specificially, “masculine identities” self-disclose their own HIV-positive diagnosis to their family, share experiences with peers to create good relationships for actualising or empowerment in stigma mastery. However, social exclusion exacerbates series of negative effects that finally undermine stigma mastery by young feminine identities. Thus, stigma mastery is best explained by an integrated empowerment framework, that has implications for future practice, policy, and stigma-related research that we discuss.

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Clinical characteristics and outcomes of people living with HIV hospitalized with COVID-19: a nationwide experience

International Journal of STD & AIDS ◽

10.1177/0956462420973106 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 32 (5) ◽

pp. 435-443

Author(s):

Maria Elena Ceballos ◽

Patricio Ross ◽

Martin Lasso ◽

Isabel Dominguez ◽

Marcela Puente ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mechanical Ventilation ◽

Intensive Care ◽

General Population ◽

Clinical Characteristics ◽

Cd4 Count ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Hiv Viral Load ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Living With Hiv

In this prospective, multicentric, observational study, we describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of people living with HIV (PLHIV) requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19 in Chile and compare them with Chilean general population admitted with SARS-CoV-2. Consecutive PLHIV admitted with COVID-19 in 23 hospitals, between 16 April and 23 June 2020, were included. Data of a temporally matched-hospitalized general population were used to compare demography, comorbidities, COVID-19 symptoms, and major outcomes. In total, 36 PLHIV subjects were enrolled; 92% were male and mean age was 44 years. Most patients (83%) were on antiretroviral therapy; mean CD4 count was 557 cells/mm3. Suppressed HIV viremia was found in 68% and 56% had, at least, one comorbidity. Severe COVID-19 occurred in 44.4%, intensive care was required in 22.2%, and five patients died (13.9%). No differences were seen between recovered and deceased patients in CD4 count, HIV viral load, or time since HIV diagnosis. Hypertension and cardiovascular disease were associated with a higher risk of death ( p = 0.02 and 0.006, respectively). Compared with general population, the HIV cohort had significantly more men (OR 0.15; IC 95% 0.07–0.31) and younger age (OR 8.68; IC 95% 2.66–28.31). In PLHIV, we found more intensive care unit admission (OR 2.31; IC 95% 1.05–5.07) but no differences in the need for mechanical ventilation or death. In this cohort of PLHIV hospitalized with COVID-19, hypertension and cardiovascular comorbidities, but not current HIV viro-immunologic status, were the most important risk factors for mortality. No differences were found between PLHIV and general population in the need for mechanical ventilation and death.

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326. Is Antiretroviral Treatment Averting AIDS and non-AIDS Defining Malignancies in Colombia?

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.399 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S172-S173

Author(s):

Ernesto Martínez Buitrago ◽

Leonardo Arévalo Mora ◽

Mónica Mantilla Suárez ◽

Sandra Valderrama ◽

Claudia Gonzáles ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hodgkin Lymphoma ◽

Antiretroviral Treatment ◽

Treatment Success ◽

Kaposi Sarcoma ◽

Retrospective Chart Review ◽

Late Presentation ◽

Bivariate Analysis ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Cd4 Cell Count

Abstract Background The use of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has shown to modify the trend of AIDS-defining malignancies (ADM) toward non-AIDS defining malignancies (NADM); however, Latin America is a region with a known late presentation of HIV/AIDS and late initiation of ART, which could not result in averting the incidence of ADM. The epidemiology of cancers that define or not AIDS in people living with HIV in Colombia is not known. Methods The purpose of our study was to identify the trend of ADM and NADM and the effect of ART in a collective cohort of 15 centers of 8 cities in Colombia. After the institutional review board approval, the study was conducted as a retrospective chart review of patients with any diagnosis of cancer presented after the diagnosis of HIV and a year before. Demographic and clinical data related to the HIV infection, ART treatment, and cancer diagnosis were analyzed with Stata 12 software, and associations between different variables were made using univariate and bivariate analyses. Results A total of 415 patients with malignancies were included since 1986 (table). Most common cancers were Kaposi sarcoma (n = 227; 54.7%), and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (n = 80, 19,3%). Median CD4+ cell count was very low in this population (median 115.5, P25-75 39.5–243) at the time of HIV diagnosis. Most common NADM were skin cancer (n = 22; 5.3%) and Hodgkin lymphoma (15; 3.6%). The ratio of ADM:NADM was 0.5 before 1995 and increased progressively up to 3.0 after 2010 (P = 0.001) (figure). By bivariate analysis, we found a correlation of ADM with older age (P < 0.001), male gender (P = 0.03), recent years (P < 0.001), lower CD4 and higher VL at the time of cancer (P < 0.0001 for both), and mortality (P = 0.027). Cancer-associated mortality was 3.9%. Conclusion The trend for diagnosis of ADM in Colombia is increasing despite antiretroviral treatment and exceeds NADM diagnosis. Potential explaining factors are the late presentation and initiation of ART, and poor treatment success in this population. Special efforts are required to diagnose and treat HIV patients in Colombia to avert this worrying trend. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

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Missed Opportunities for Religious Organizations to Support People Living with HIV/AIDS: Findings from Tanzania

AIDS Patient Care and STDs ◽

10.1089/apc.2008.0195 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 389-394 ◽

Cited By ~ 26

Author(s):

Melissa H. Watt ◽

Suzanne Maman ◽

Mark Jacobson ◽

John Laiser ◽

Muze John

Keyword(s):

Religious Organizations ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Missed Opportunities ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Aids

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Circulating microparticles are increased amongst people presenting with HIV and advanced immune suppression in Malawi and correlate closely with arterial stiffness: a nested case control study

Wellcome Open Research ◽

10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17044.1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 264

Author(s):

Christine Kelly ◽

Rijan Gurung ◽

Raphael Kamng'ona ◽

Irene Sheha ◽

Mishek Chammudzi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Arterial Stiffness ◽

Immune Suppression ◽

Endothelial Damage ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Art Initiation ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Circulating Microparticles ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Nested Case Control

Background: We aimed to investigate whether circulating microparticle (CMPs) subsets were raised amongst people presenting with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and advanced immune suppression in Malawi, and whether they associated with arterial stiffness. Methods: Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve adults with a new HIV diagnosis and CD4 <100 cells/µL had microparticle characterisation and carotid femoral Pulse Wave Velocity (cfPWV) at 2 weeks post ART initiation. HIV uninfected controls were matched on age, systolic blood pressure (BP) and diastolic BP in a 1:1 ratio. Circulating microparticles were identified from platelet poor plasma and stained for endothelial, leucocyte, monocyte and platelet markers. Results: The median (IQ) total CMP count for 71 participants was 1 log higher in HIV compared to those without (p<0.0001) and was associated with arterial stiffness (spearman rho 0.47, p<0.001). In adjusted analysis, every log increase in circulating particles showed a 20% increase in cfPWV (95% confidence interval [CI] 4 – 40%, p=0.02). In terms of subsets, endothelial and platelet derived microparticles were most strongly associated with HIV. Endothelial derived E-selectin+ CMPs were 1.3log-fold higher and platelet derived CD42a+ CMPs were 1.4log-fold higher (both p<0.0001). Endothelial and platelet derived CMPs also correlated most closely with arterial stiffness (spearman rho: E-selectin+ 0.57 and CD42a 0.56, both p<0.0001). Conclusions: Circulating microparticles associate strongly with arterial stiffness among people living with HIV in Malawi. Endothelial damage and platelet microparticles are the predominant cell origin types and future translational studies could consider prioritising these pathways.

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Psychological distress during the initial COVID-19 pandemic in an Italian cohort of people living with HIV: an online survey

10.21203/rs.3.rs-98904/v2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Valentina Delle Donne ◽

Nicoletta Ciccarelli ◽

Valentina Massaroni ◽

Francesca Lombardi ◽

Silvia Lamonica ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Online Survey ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Physical Symptoms ◽

Lower Percentage ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Additional Information ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

The Impact

Abstract Our aim was to explore the psychological impact of the initial 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in a cohort of people living with HIV (PLWH), a population at increased risk of psychological distress. PLWH, treated at our unit, responded an online survey. Data on demographics, clinical and physical symptoms, contact history, as well as knowledge, concerns, precautionary measures and additional information required with respect to COVID-19 during the first phase of the pandemic in Italy were collected. Additionally, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) (identifying COVID-19 pandemic as specific traumatic life event) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) were also administered. Out of 98 participants, 44 (45%) revealed from mild to severe psychological impact distress from COVID-19 according to IES-R. According to DASS-21, a lower percentage of significant levels of depression (14%), anxiety (11%) or stress (6%) were reported. Higher education, unemployment, number of perceived physical COVID-19 symptoms, concerns contracting COVID-19 and the situation regarding the pandemic in Italy, and the need of additional information to prevent COVID-19 infection were positively associated to psychological distress. Moreover, female gender, older age, recent HIV diagnosis and unawareness of own viremia were associated to a higher psychological distress. Almost half of our cohort experienced significant levels of distress related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Women, elderly patients and those with recent HIV diagnosis resulted to be the more psychological fragile subgroup. Our findings could help to identify patients in need of psychological interventions to improve wellbeing of PLWH.

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Hepatitis B virus prevalence, immunization and immune response in people living with HIV/AIDS in Istanbul, Turkey: a 21-year data analysis

African Health Sciences ◽

10.4314/ahs.v21i4.16 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 1621-8

Author(s):

Esra Zerdali ◽

Inci Yilmaz Nakir ◽

Serkan Surme ◽

Mustafa Yildirim

Keyword(s):

Hepatitis B Virus ◽

Hepatitis B ◽

Antibody Response ◽

Control Measures ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Diagnosis ◽

Keywords Hiv ◽

B Virus ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Aids

Objective: We aimed to determine Hepatitis B virus (HBV) prevalence, immune status, and the prevalence of antibody response in people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Istanbul, Turkey. Methods: The study includes PLWHA aged 18 years and older who were followed-up for at least 6 months from 1997 to 2018. Results: Of the 653 patients with PLWHA, 99 (15.2%) were both antiHBc-IgG and antiHBs positive, 120 (18.3%) were antiHBc-IgG positive/antiHBs negative. HBsAg was positive in 40 (6.1%) patients. HBsAg positive coinfection (≤40 years 4.6% vs. >40 years 21.7%, p<0.001) and antiHBc-IgG positivity/antiHBs negativity (≤40 years 14.0% vs. >40 years 26.5, p<0.001) were higher in PLWHA older than 40 years. The prevalence of HIV/HBV coinfection reached a peak level of 22.2% in 2004, and it decreased to 3.3% in 2018. The prevalence of immunization before HIV diagnosis was low (15.6%). The prevalence of antibody response (anti-HBs>10 IU/L) after immunization for HBV was 50%. A higher protective response was associated with CD4+≥350 cell/mm3 (59.3%, p=0.014). Conclusion: HBV coexistence in PLWHA remains an imperatively important problem. The most conclusive methods in solving this problem are to prevent transmission by immunization and control measures. Also, HBV screening should in no manner be neglected in PLWHA. Keywords: HIV; Hepatitis B; prevalence.

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