Why do young adults living with HIV perform poorly on combined antiretroviral therapy (CART)? – a Zimbabwean perspective

BACKGROUND Youth are globally recognized as being vulnerable to HIV. Younger age has been correlated with worse health outcomes. Mobile health (mHealth) delivered interventions have the potential to meet youth where they are, using a device they already access. OBJECTIVE Using pre-defined benchmarks, we sought to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of WYZ, an mHealth application, for improved engagement in care and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among youth and young adults living with HIV (YLWH). WYZ was designed and developed with input from YLWH using a Human-Centered Design approach and based on the Information, Motivation, Behavioral Skills framework to address common barriers to care and ART adherence among YLWH. METHODS We recruited YLWH (18–29 years old) in the San Francisco Bay Area to take part in a six-month pilot trial. Their participation included completing a baseline and exit survey and participating in seven phone check-ins about their use of WYZ. RESULTS YLWH (N= 79) reported high levels of feasibility and acceptability with WYZ use. We met pre-defined benchmarks for recruitment, mean log-ins per week, tracking ART adherence, posting chat topics, and app crashes reported. Ease of app download, install, and set up, as well as comfort with security, privacy, and anonymity were highly rated. Additionally, participants reported high satisfaction for a research project that was remotely conducted. Participants used the app for shorter timeframes compared to the pre-defined benchmarks. CONCLUSIONS We noted high feasibility and acceptability with WYZ. Further research to examine the efficacy of WYZ will enable YLWH and their providers to make informed decisions when using, recommending, and prescribing it for improved engagement in HIV care and ART adherence. CLINICALTRIAL NCT03587857

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The Initial Months of Antiretroviral Therapy and Its Influence on AGEs, HMGB1, and sRAGE Levels in Asymptomatic HIV-Infected Individuals

Mediators of Inflammation ◽

10.1155/2016/2909576 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Karen Ingrid Tasca ◽

Juliana Trindade Caleffi ◽

Camila Renata Correa ◽

Mariana Gatto ◽

Caio Cavassan de Camargo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

High Mobility ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

C Reactive Protein ◽

Metabolic Markers ◽

Reactive Protein ◽

Glycation End Products ◽

Combined Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Asymptomatic Hiv

The development of the typical comorbidities of aging which currently affects people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) can be partially ascribed to the persistent immune activation and chronic inflammation characterizing these individuals. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect exerted by combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) administration on plasma levels of HMGB1 (high mobility group box protein-1), AGEs (advanced glycation end products), their soluble receptor sRAGE, cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP), and some metabolic markers in asymptomatic PLWHA. Analyses were performed longitudinally in 30 PLWHA, before and about 6–12 months after cART initiation. We observed that lower levels of AGEs in post-cART group were accompanied by an increase of CRP and triglyceride levels already in the early months of therapy. Because of the current ever-earlier recommendations to start cART and its prolonged use, these and other markers should be investigated in order to monitor and postpone the appearance of non-AIDS comorbidities in PLWHA.

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Absence of peripapillary retinal nerve-fiber–layer thinning in combined antiretroviral therapy-treated, well-sustained aviremic persons living with HIV

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0229977 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (3) ◽

pp. e0229977 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Cedric Lamirel ◽

Nadia Valin ◽

Julien Savatovsky ◽

François-Xavier Lescure ◽

Anne-Sophie Alonso ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Nerve Fiber ◽

Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer ◽

Fiber Layer ◽

Nerve Fiber Layer ◽

Persons Living With Hiv ◽

Combined Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Living With Hiv ◽

Retinal Nerve Fiber

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Incidence of Tuberculosis as a Opportunistic Infection in Patients with HIV Getting Combined Anti Retroviral Therapy

Medical Journal of Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences ◽

10.3126/mjpahs.v2i2.28195 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2 (2) ◽

pp. 217-220

Author(s):

Manoj Koirala ◽

Buddhi Bahadur Thapa ◽

Basanta Kumar Tamrakar ◽

Surya Bahadur Hamal ◽

Bishow Raj Baral ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Opportunistic Infection ◽

Active Tuberculosis ◽

People Living With Hiv ◽

Hiv Patients ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Cervical Gland ◽

Combined Antiretroviral Therapy ◽

Hiv Seroconversion ◽

Living With Hiv

Introduction: The risk of active Tuberculosis increases after HIV seroconversion. It progressively increases with declining immunity. Tuberculosis (TB) epidemics in HIV has led to a dramatic upsurge in global TB incidence, resulting in remarkable increase in morbidity and mortality. Many clinical studies had shown that TB is one of the commonest opportunistic infection. This study is conducted to see the incidence of tuberculosis as an opportunistic infection in patients with HIV getting combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) Materials and Methods: This was a hospital based cross-sectional comparative study. Five hundred patients with HIV who are getting cART were enrolled in the study. Results: Analysis of individuals with HIV in our study amongst the 500 patients 266 (53.2%) were males and the remaining 234 (46.68%) were females. Amongst these HIV patients 48(18.04%) males and 17(7.26%) females had tuberculosis. 65(13%) of patients were TB/HIV co-infected. 2(4.1%) of these male TB/HIV patients had cervical gland TB. Conclusion: The incidence of tuberculosis in HIV infected individuals is high. TB is the commonest opportunistic infection (OIs) in people living with HIV/AIDS. Males are predominant gender to have TB/HIV co-infection.

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