scholarly journals Gaps in the Continuum of HIV Care: Long Pretreatment Waiting Time between HIV Diagnosis and Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation Leads to Poor Treatment Adherence and Outcomes

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shu Su ◽  
Shifu Li ◽  
Shunxiang Li ◽  
Liangmin Gao ◽  
Ying Cai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Adherence ◽  
Waiting Time ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Treatment Data ◽  
Poor Treatment

Background.Criteria for antiretroviral treatment (ART) were adjusted to enable early HIV treatment for people living HIV/AIDS (PLHIV) in China in recent years. This study aims to determine how pretreatment waiting time after HIV confirmation affects subsequent adherence and outcomes over the course of treatment.Methods.A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted using treatment data from PLHIV in Yuxi, China, between January 2004 and December 2015.Results.Of 1,663 participants, 348 were delayed testers and mostly initiated treatment within 28 days. In comparison, 1,315 were nondelayed testers and the median pretreatment waiting time was 599 days, but it significantly declined over the study period. Pretreatment CD4 T-cell count drop (every 100 cells/mm3) contributed slowly in CD4 recovery after treatment initiation (8% less,P<0.01) and increased the risk of poor treatment adherence by 15% (ARR = 1.15, 1.08–1.25). Every 100 days of extensive pretreatment waiting time increased rates of loss to follow-up by 20% (ARR = 1.20, 1.07–1.29) and mortality rate by 11% (ARR = 1.11, 1.06–1.21), based on multivariable Cox regression.Conclusion.Long pretreatment waiting time in PLHIV can lead to higher risk of poor treatment adherence and HIV-related mortality. Current treatment guidelines should be updated to provide ART promptly.

scholarly journals How early is too early? Challenges in ART initiation and engaging in HIV care under Treat All in Rwanda—A qualitative study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. e0251645
Author(s):  
Jonathan Ross ◽  
Charles Ingabire ◽  
Francine Umwiza ◽  
Josephine Gasana ◽  
Athanase Munyaneza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Art Initiation ◽  
Treat All

Introduction HIV treatment guidelines recommend that all people living with HIV (PLWH) initiate antiretroviral therapy (ART) as soon as possible after diagnosis (Treat All). As Treat All is more widely implemented, an increasing proportion of PLWH are likely to initiate ART when they are asymptomatic, and they may view the relative benefits and risks of ART differently than those initiating at more advanced disease stages. To date, patient perspectives of initiating care under Treat All in sub-Saharan Africa have not been well described. Methods From September 2018 to March 2019, we conducted individual, semi-structured, qualitative interviews with 37 patients receiving HIV care in two health centers in Kigali, Rwanda. Data were analyzed using a mixed deductive and inductive thematic analysis approach to describe perceived barriers to, facilitators of and acceptability of initiating and adhering to ART rapidly under Treat All. Results Of 37 participants, 27 were women and the median age was 31 years. Participants described feeling traumatized and overwhelmed by their HIV diagnosis, resulting in difficulty accepting their HIV status. Most were prescribed ART soon after diagnosis, yet fear of lifelong medication and severe side effects in the immediate period after initiating ART led to challenges adhering to therapy. Moreover, because many PLWH initiated ART while healthy, taking medications and attending appointments were visible signals of HIV status and highly stigmatizing. Nonetheless, many participants expressed enthusiasm for Treat All as a program that improved health as well as health equity. Conclusion For newly-diagnosed PLWH in Rwanda, initiating ART rapidly under Treat All presents logistical and emotional challenges despite the perceived benefits. Our findings suggest that optimizing early engagement in HIV care under Treat All requires early and ongoing intervention to reduce trauma and stigma, and promote both individual and community benefits of ART.

Prognostic value of PSA progression in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients (pts) treated in the COU-AA-302 trial.

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. e16541-e16541
Author(s):  
David Lorente ◽  
Rebeca Lozano ◽  
Guillermo de Velasco ◽  
Maria De Julian ◽  
Miguel Rodrigo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prognostic Value ◽  
Radiographic Progression ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Progression Free Survival ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer ◽  
First Line Therapy ◽  
Psa Progression ◽  
The Impact

e16541 Background: PSA is a widely used biomarker for monitoring outcome in mCRPC. Current treatment guidelines do not consider PSA progression before at least 12 weeks of treatment, and recommend treatment continuation in pts experiencing progression by PSA only, without radiographic or clinicall progression. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of a PSA progression in mCRPC pts treated with first-line therapy. Methods: We analyzed the value of a PSA progression (PSAProg) at cycle 5 in pts treated in the COU-AA-302 trial. PSAProg was defined as an increase ≥ 25% and ≥ 2 ng/mL from baseline, confirmed by a second reading. Radiographic progression (RadProg) was defined as per PCWG2 criteria for bone scan or RECIST progression. Survival and radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) from the time of PSAProg was calculated using Kaplan-Meier estimates. Cox-regression models were used to evaluate the impact of PSAProg and treatment arm on survival. Results: 1088 pts were randomized in the COU-AA-302 trial. 908 pts (83.5%) had valid baseline and cycle 5 PSA values. Of these, 222 (24.4%) pts experienced PSAProg, which was confirmed in 195 (21.5%) pts; 45/479 (9.4%) of abiraterone and 150/429 (35%) of placebo-treated pts. A confirmed PSAProg was associated with shorter survival (37.8 vs 26m; HR: 1.8; p < 0.001) and rPFS (13.9 vs 5.6m; HR:2.1; p < 0.001). Median survival from the time of PSAProg was 22.2m (95%CI:18.9-25.4). Abiraterone-treated pts had a significantly longer survival from the time of PSAProg (23.1 vs 17.4m; HR: 0.64; p = 0.018). 111 pts (56,9%) experienced PSAprog without RadProg; in pts with PSAprog only, median time to RadProg was 7.4m (95%CI:7.1-12.9). No differences in rPFS from the time of PSAprog were observed in abiraterone vs placebo-treated pts (HR: 0.99; p = 0.963). Conclusions: 9.4% of abiraterone-treated pts in the COU-AA-302 trial experienced PSAProg at 12 weeks (cycle 5 day 1). PSAProg was associated with significantly worse survival. Abiraterone increased survival from the time of PSAProg, which supports its continued use in pts with PSA progression only at 12 weeks. This study was carried out under YODA Project #2018-3011.

scholarly journals Association between Depression and HIV Treatment Outcomes in a US Military Population with HIV Infection

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Carney ◽  
Colton Daniel ◽  
Xiaohe Xu ◽  
Thankam Sunil ◽  
Anuradha Ganesan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Virologic Failure ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Hiv Treatment Outcomes

Abstract Background: Depression is common among HIV-infected individuals and may contribute to suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and subsequent inability to attain viral load (VL) suppression. We evaluated longitudinal HIV treatment outcomes in US Military HIV Natural History Study (NHS) participants with depression. Methods: Male NHS participants with available ICD-9 data for mental health diagnoses, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) measures, and self-reported adherence (SRA) were included. ART use was defined as ART initiation between 2006-2010, with follow-up through 2015. SRA was defined as taking ³95% of ART doses and continuous ART was defined as longitudinal ART use with gaps <30 days. Continuous VL suppression was defined as maintaining VLs <200 c/mL on ART. To analyze the association between depression and HIV treatment outcomes, latent class analysis was used to create classes of depression trajectories: low depression (LD), recent onset depression (ROD) and high Depression (HD). Results: Participants had a mean age of 32 (±8.3) years at HIV diagnosis, and similar proportions were Caucasian (44.3%) or African American (40.8%). Overall, older participants at HIV diagnosis had greater odds of having 95% SRA (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02-1.12), and African Americans had lower odds (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22-0.76) compared to Caucasians (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.52-4.28). However, there was no difference in SRA by depression trajectory. Participants with HD had a trend towards taking ART continuously (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.99-3.09), and those with ROD had significantly higher odds of virologic failure (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.91). Conclusions: Although there was no observed association between depression and SRA, participants with ROD had lower odds of attaining the HIV treatment goal of VL suppression. Continued efforts to identify and aggressively manage mental health disorders is important to success along the HIV care continuum.

scholarly journals Systemic Delays in the Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy for Clinically Eligible HIV-Infected Patients in Houston, Texas

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 232595821877404 ◽  
Author(s):  
Osaro Mgbere ◽  
Maria Rodriguez-Barradas ◽  
Karen Joan Vigil ◽  
Melanie McNeese ◽  
Fazal Tabassam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Medical Care ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Medical Decision ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Harris County ◽  
Starting Point

Background: The current US HIV treatment guidelines support initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for persons with HIV for personal health benefits and prevention of HIV transmission. However, high levels of adherence to ART are critical to maximize individual and public health benefits. We examined the nonclinical barriers to ART initiation for clinically eligible individuals and the provider- and patient-related factors associated with these barriers among HIV-infected patients in Houston/Harris County, Texas. Methods: We analyzed data obtained from a probability sample of HIV medical care providers (HMCPs) in 13 outpatient facilities in Houston/Harris County, Texas surveyed between June and September 2009. We used an inductive thematic approach to code HMCP responses to an open-ended question that asked the main reasons why providers may delay initiating ART for clinically eligible patients. Results: The reasons cited by providers for delaying ART for clinically eligible patients were adherence (42.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 28.5-57.8), acceptance (30%; 95% CI: 18.1-45.4), and structural concerns (27.5%; 95% CI: 16.1-42.8), with significant variations ( P < .0001) noted across patients’ race/ethnicity and transmission category. HIV medical care providers with 6 to 10 years’ experience in HIV care and those providing medical care for more than 100 patients monthly were about 4 times (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 3.80; 95% CI: 1.20-5.92; P = .039) and 10 times (aOR: 10.36; 95% CI: 1.42-22.70; P = .019) more likely to state adherence and acceptance concerns, respectively, as reasons for delaying ART for clinically eligible patients. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the fact that clinical guidelines are only a starting point for medical decision-making process and that patients themselves play an important role. HMCP access to referrals for other medical issues, support services, and treatment education may help improve adherence and patient readiness for ART, thereby avoiding systemic delays.

scholarly journals Association between depression and HIV treatment outcomes in a US military population with HIV infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon Carney ◽  
Colton Daniels ◽  
Xiaohe Xu ◽  
Thankam Sunil ◽  
Anuradha Ganesan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Treatment Outcomes ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Virologic Failure ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Lower Odds ◽  
Us Military ◽  
Hiv Treatment Outcomes

Abstract Background Depression is common among HIV-infected individuals and may contribute to suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and subsequent inability to attain viral load (VL) suppression. We evaluated associations between depression, self-reported adherence, and longitudinal HIV treatment outcomes in US Military HIV Natural History Study (NHS) participants with and without depression. Methods Male NHS participants with available ICD-9 data for mental health diagnoses, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) measures, and self-reported adherence (SRA) were included. ART use was defined as ART initiation between 2006 and 2010, with follow-up through 2015. SRA was defined as taking 95% of ART doses and continuous ART was defined as longitudinal ART use with gaps  < 30 days. Continuous VL suppression was defined as maintaining VLs  < 200 c/mL on ART. To analyse the association between depression and HIV treatment outcomes, latent class analysis was used to create classes of depression trajectories: low depression (LD), recent onset depression (ROD) and high Depression (HD). Results Participants had a mean age of 32 (± 8.3) years at HIV diagnosis, and similar proportions were Caucasian (44.3%) or African American (40.8%). Overall, older participants at HIV diagnosis had greater odds of having 95% self-reported adherence (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.02–1.12), and African Americans had lower odds (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.22–0.76) compared to Caucasians (OR 1.49, 95% CI 0.52–4.28). However, there was no difference in SRA by depression trajectory. Participants with HD had an increased odds of taking ART continuously (OR 1.75, 95% CI 0.99–3.09), and those with ROD had significantly higher odds of virologic failure (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.38–0.91). Conclusions Although there was no observed association between depression and SRA, participants with ROD had lower odds of attaining the HIV treatment goal of VL suppression. Continued efforts to identify and aggressively manage mental health disorders is important to success along the HIV care continuum.

scholarly journals “If He’s Abusing You . . . the Baby Is Going to Be Affected”: HIV-Positive Pregnant Women’s Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 839-861
Author(s):  
Adele Marais ◽  
Caroline C. Kuo ◽  
Robin Julies ◽  
Dan J. Stein ◽  
John A. Joska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Hiv Positive ◽  
Hiv Diagnosis ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Engagement In Hiv Care

Pregnancy represents a time of increased risk for intimate partner violence (IPV), and an HIV diagnosis further increases the vulnerability of this at-risk group. This study explores experiences of recent IPV using qualitative interviews with N = 12 HIV-positive pregnant women recruited from a clinical setting in South Africa, a location with a high global prevalence of IPV and HIV. Partner dynamics around IPV resulted in HIV shame and stigma and adversely affected engagement in HIV care and HIV treatment behaviors. The results highlight the challenges women face in navigating disclosure of both IPV and HIV, accessing necessary support, and engaging in both HIV-related and pregnancy-related care in the context of an abusive relationship.

scholarly journals Changing Clinician Practices and Attitudes Regarding the Use of Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Treatment and Prevention

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Buchacz ◽  
Jennifer Farrior ◽  
Geetha Beauchamp ◽  
Laura McKinstry ◽  
Ann E. Kurth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Treatment Guidelines ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Unprotected Sex ◽  
Hiv Care ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Treatment And Prevention ◽  
Clinician Practices

As part of the HPTN 065 study in the Bronx, New York and Washington, the authors, we surveyed clinicians to assess for shifts in their practices and attitudes around HIV treatment and prevention. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-prescribing clinicians at 39 HIV care sites were offered an anonymous Web-based survey at baseline (2010-2011) and at follow-up (2013). The 165 respondents at baseline and 141 respondents at follow-up had similar characteristics—almost 60% were female, median age was 47 years, two-thirds were physicians, and nearly 80% were HIV specialists. The percentage who reported recommending ART irrespective of CD4 count was higher at follow-up (15% versus 68%), as was the percentage who would initiate ART earlier for patients having unprotected sex with partners of unknown HIV status (64% versus 82%), and for those in HIV-discordant partnerships (75% versus 87%). In line with changing HIV treatment guidelines during 2010 to 2013, clinicians increasingly supported early ART for treatment and prevention.

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