1.0 Introduction

British <scp>HIV A</scp>ssociation guidelines for the management of hepatitis viruses in adults infected with <scp>HIV</scp> 2013

To investigate whether an unrecognised diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) at the start of antiretroviral therapy (ART) influences subsequent CD4+ T cell (CD4) count recovery in an urban HIV clinic in Uganda. In a retrospective cohort study, a multivariable polynomial mixed effects model was used to estimate CD4 recovery in the first 96 weeks of ART in two groups of patients: prevalent TB (started ART while on TB treatment), unrecognised TB (developed TB within 6 months after start ART). Included were 511 patients with a median baseline CD4 count of 57 cells/mm(3) (interquartile range: 22-130), of whom 368 (72%) had prevalent TB and 143 (28%) had unrecognised TB. Compared with prevalent TB, unrecognised TB was associated with lower CD4 count recovery at 96 weeks: -22.3 cells/mm(3) (95% confidence interval -43.2 to -1.5, P = 0.036). These estimates were adjusted for gender, age, baseline CD4 count and the use of zidovudine-based regimen. Unrecognised TB at the time of ART initiation resulted in impaired CD4 recovery compared with TB treated before ART initiation. More vigilant screening with more sensitive and rapid TB diagnostics prior to ART initiation is needed to decrease the risk of ART-associated TB and sub-optimal immune reconstitution.

EASL Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of hepatitis C virus infection

5.0 What to start

Letter to the Editor: Treatment as Prevention: Are HIV Clinic Patients Interested in Starting Antiretroviral Therapy to Decrease HIV Transmission?

Universal hepatitis B vaccination in adults aged 19–59 years: Updated recommendations of the advisory committee on immunization practices—United States, 2022

As the importance of quality in health care provision is increasingly recognised, it is opportune to consider quality care as a key link between clinical and public health approaches to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This region has the lion's share of the global epidemic and the least resources to respond. Looking at health problems using a 'quality lens' may help bridge the gaps between clinical care and public health, the current and desired standard of care, and prevention and treatment. Quality care, with prompt diagnosis and effective treatment, of people with HIV infection is crucial for good individual health outcomes, public health outcomes (in terms of decreased HIV transmission) and societal outcomes (increased productivity and decreased costs of health provision for HIV-related care). A spotlight on quality care can bring clinicians and public health practitioners together in working towards universal access to quality HIV care and prevention - one of the greatest health challenges faced in developing countries in Africa today.

Acceleration of confirmed coronary artery disease among HIV-infected patients on potent antiretroviral therapy.

BackgroundWeight gain and obesity in people living with HIV have been associated with increased risk for non-AIDS-related comorbidities, and integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based regimens may lead to comparatively more weight gain than other regimens. We evaluated body mass index (BMI) following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation among participants in the US Military HIV Natural History Study (NHS).MethodsOf 961 NHS participants started on initial ART between 2006–2017, 496 men who had available baseline BMI data and were virally suppressed (< 200 c/mL) at 1 and 2 years of follow-up were included (Tables 1 and 2). ART was categorized by anchor class to include INSTIs, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs). Linear growth-curve modeling was used to predict BMI changes from ART initiation through 2 years of follow-up in participants stratified by baseline BMI (< 25 vs. ≥25 kg/m2) at ART start and anchor drug class. Demographic and HIV-related characteristics were analyzed as independent variables.ResultsOverall, the predicted BMI increased over 2 years regardless of baseline BMI (Table 3). There was a trend toward decreased BMI on ART for those with BMI ≥ 25 treated with a non-INSTI regimen (−0.63, P = 0.079). In participants with BMI < 25, all regimens were associated with overall gains in BMI except for those with high viral load (>100,000 c/mL) started on PI regimens (−1.61, P = 0.013). For those with BMI ≥ 25, only INSTI- and PI-based regimens were significantly associated with increased BMI (INSTI 0.54, P = 0.000; NNRTI 0.11, P = 0.174; PI 0.39, P = 0.006). Observed BMI increases for INSTI and PI regimens were also associated with increased time from HIV diagnosis to ART initiation (INSTI 0.35, P = 0.003; PI 0.44, P = 0.037). African Americans with BMI ≥ 25 on INSTIs had the greatest predicted gains in BMI (1.84, P = 0.007).ConclusionIn our cohort of young military members with HIV infection, those with baseline BMI < 25 experienced BMI gains across all ART classes. Among those with baseline BMI ≥ 25, African Americans on INSTI regimens had the greatest BMI gains. Further studies are needed to determine whether NNRTI regimens should be considered in certain individuals at risk for INSTI-associated weight gain.DisclosuresAll authors: No reported disclosures.

Long-term effects of early antiretroviral initiation on HIV reservoir markers: a longitudinal analysis of the MERLIN clinical study

BackgroundIn adults it is well documented that there are substantial losses to the programme between HIV testing and start of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The magnitude and reasons for loss to follow-up and death between HIV diagnosis and start of ART in children are not well defined.MethodsWe searched the PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies on children followed between HIV diagnosis and start of ART in low-income settings. We examined the proportion of children with a CD4 cell count/percentage after after being diagnosed with HIV infection, the number of treatment-eligible children starting ART and predictors of loss to programme. Data were extracted in duplicate.ResultsEight studies from sub-Saharan Africa and two studies from Asia with a total of 10,741 children were included. Median age ranged from 2.2 to 6.5 years. Between 78.0 and 97.0% of HIV-infected children subsequently had a CD4 cell count/percentage measured, 63.2 to 90.7% of children with an eligibility assessment met the eligibility criteria for the particular setting and time and 39.5 to 99.4% of the eligible children started ART. Three studies reported an association between low CD4 count/percentage and ART initiation while no association was reported for gender. Only two studies reported on pre-ART mortality and found rates of 13 and 6 per 100 person-years.ConclusionMost children who presented for HIV care met eligibility criteria for ART. There is an urgent need for strategies to improve the access to and retention to care of HIV-infected children in resource-limited settings.

Linkage to Care, Antiretroviral Treatment Initiation, and Viral Suppression of Acute HIV-Infected Individuals Identified From an Emergency Department–Based HIV Screening and Linkage-to-Care Program

To determine and compare the clinical and immunologic outcomes for HIV-infected women initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with and without previous exposure to single-dose nevirapine in the MTCT-Plus programme - Kampala, Uganda, from 2003 to 2011. Retrospective comparison of prospectively collected programmatic data of clinical and immunologic treatment outcomes among HIV-infected Ugandan women, with and without prior exposure to sdNVP, who received NNRTI-based ART for a median follow-up of 6years. Of the 408 women in the programme, 289 (70.8%) were started on ART, of whom 205 (70.9%) had prior exposure to sdNVP. Clinical, immunologic and combined (clinical and or immunologic) treatment failure occurred in 29 (10.0%), 132 (45.7%) and 142 (49.1%) women, respectively. There was no significant difference in the distribution of time to immunologic failure for women by exposure to sdNVP (log-rank P=0.98). In Cox proportional hazard modelling, exposure to sdNVP was not associated with immunologic failure [adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=0.89, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.61-1.30]. CD4 count >100cells/mm(3) at initiation was associated with reduced incidence of immunologic failure in adjusted analyses (HR=0.32, 95% CI: 0.22-0.48). HIV-infected Ugandan women initiated on an NVP-based ART regimen had similar immunologic treatment outcomes irrespective of previous NVP exposure. CD4 cell count prior to initiating HAART was a key prognostic factor for successful long-term immunologic treatment outcomes. In poor settings, regular follow-up of patients on HAART with adequate counselling to promote adherence and safe disclosure may promote low clinical failure rates.

The majority children living with HIV infection now survive into adulthood because of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), but few data exist on their growth during adolescent years. This study investigated growth patterns and evaluated factors associated with suboptimal growth in adolescents with perinatally-acquired HIV infection. This retrospective cohort study included HIV-infected adolescents, aged 13 to 18 years, with at least 5 years of ART follow-up at a large HIV clinic in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. Weight-for-age Z-scores (WAZ), height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) and body mass index (BMI)-for-age Z-scores were calculated using World Health Organization (WHO) growth standards. Growth velocity graphs were generated utilising the mean height change calculated at 6-monthly intervals, using all available data after ART initiation, to calculate the annual change. Other collected data included WHO HIV disease staging, CD4%, HIV viral loads (VLs), ART regimens and tuberculosis co-infection. Included were 288 children with a median age of 6.5 years (IQR 4.2;8.6 years) at ART initiation, and 51.7% were male. At baseline the majority of children had severe disease (92% WHO stages 3&4) and were started on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimens (79.2%). The median CD4% was 13.5% (IQR 7.9;18.9) and median HIV viral load log 5.0 (IQR 4.4;5.5). Baseline stunting (HAZ <-2) was prevalent (55.9%), with a median HAZ of -2.2 (IQR -3.1;-1.3). The median WAZ was -1.5 (IQR -2.5;-0.8), with 29.2% being underweight-for-age (WAZ <-2). The peak height velocity (PHV) in adolescents with baseline stage 3 disease was higher than for those with stage 4 disease. Being older at ART start (p<0.001) and baseline stunting (p<0.001) were associated with poorer growth, resulting in a lower HAZ at study exit, with boys more significantly affected than girls (p<0.001). Suboptimal growth in adolescents with perinatally-acquired HIV infection is a significant health concern, especially in children who started ART later in terms of age and who had baseline stunting and is more pronounced in boys than in girls.

Guidelines for pre- and intra-operative care in gynecologic/oncology surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS®) Society recommendations — Part I