131 research outputs found

    Trends in detectable viral load by calendar year in the Australian HIV observational database

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    Background Recent papers have suggested that expanded combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) through lower viral load may be a strategy to reduce HIV transmission at a population level. We assessed calendar trends in detectable viral load in patients recruited to the Australian HIV Observational Database who were receiving cART. Methods Patients were included in analyses if they had started cART (defined as three or more antiretrovirals) and had at least one viral load assessment after 1 January 1997. We analyzed detectable viral load (>400 copies/ml) in the first and second six months of each calendar year while receiving cART. Repeated measures logistic regression methods were used to account for within and between patient variability. Rates of detectable viral load were predicted allowing for patients lost to follow up. Results Analyses were based on 2439 patients and 31,339 viral load assessments between 1 January 1997 and 31 March 2009. Observed detectable viral load in patients receiving cART declined to 5.3% in the first half of 2009. Predicted detectable viral load based on multivariate models, allowing for patient loss to follow up, also declined over time, but at higher levels, to 13.8% in 2009. Conclusions Predicted detectable viral load in Australian HIV Observational Database patients receiving cART declined over calendar time, albeit at higher levels than observed. However, over this period, HIV diagnoses and estimated HIV incidence increased in Australia

    Antiretroviral treatment change among HIV, hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus co-infected patients in the Australian HIV Observational Database

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    Objectives: To assess the impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on rates of change of antiretroviral treatment among patients co-infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and/or hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD). Methods: Analysis was based on 805 of the 2218 patients recruited to the AHOD by March 2003, who had commenced HAART after 1 January 1997, who had recorded test results for HBV surface antigen and anti-HCV antibody, and who had follow-up of more than 3 months. The effect of hepatitis co-infection on the rate of antiretroviral treatment change after commencing HAART was assessed using a random-effect Poisson regression model. Results: Among those included in the analyses, the prevalences of HBV and HCV were 4.8% and 12.8%, respectively. The overall rate of combination antiretroviral treatment change was 0.74 combinations per year. Factors independently associated with an increased rate of change of combination antiretroviral treatment were: prior AIDS-defining illness; prior exposure to double combination antiretroviral therapy; and antiretroviral treatment class. Co-infection with HBV and/or HCV was not found to be significantly associated with the rate of combination antiretroviral treatment change. Conclusions: While both HBV and HCV co-infections are relatively common in the AHOD, they do not appear to be serious impediments to the treatment of HIV-infected patients. © 2005 British HIV Association

    CD4:CD8 ratio comparison between cohorts of HIV-positive Asians and Caucasians upon commencement of antiretroviral therapy

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    Background: In the era of effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) CD4:CD8 ratio is proposed as a potential marker for HIV-positive (HIV+) patients at increased risk for non-AIDS comorbidities. The current study aims to compare CD4:CD8 ratio between Asian and Caucasian HIV+ patients. Methods: HIV+ patients from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) and the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) meeting specific criteria were included. In these analyses Asian and Caucasian status were defined by cohort. Factors associated with a low CD4:CD8 ratio (cutoff 1) at 12 and 24 months post ART commencement were assessed using logistic regression. Results: There were 591 patients from AHOD and 2,620 patients from TAHOD who met the inclusion criteria. TAHOD patients had a significantly (P1 (P=0.475). Conclusions: We found a significantly lower CD4:CD8 ratio prior to commencing ART in TAHOD compared to AHOD even after adjusting for confounders. However, after adjustment, there was no significant difference between the cohorts in odds of achieving normal ratio. Baseline CD4+ and CD8+ counts seem to be the main driver for this difference between these two populations.ope

    Cancer, immunodeficiency and antiretroviral treatment: Results from the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD)

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    The objective of the study was to conduct a within-cohort assessment of risk factors for incident AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs) and non-ADCs (NADCs) within the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD).A total of 2181 AHOD registrants were linked to the National AIDS Registry/National HIV Database (NAR/NHD) and the Australian Cancer Registry to identify those with a notified cancer diagnosis. Included in the current analyses were cancers diagnosed after HIV infection. Risk factors for cancers were also assessed using logistic regression methods.One hundred and thirty-nine cancer cases were diagnosed after HIV infection among 129 patients. More than half the diagnoses (n = 68; 60%) were ADCs, of which 69% were Kaposi's sarcoma and 31% non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Among the NADCs, the most common cancers were melanoma (n = 10), lung cancer (n = 6), Hodgkin's lymphoma (n = 5) and anal cancer (n = 5). Over a total of 21021 person-years (PY) of follow-up since HIV diagnosis, the overall crude cancer incidence rate for any cancer was 5.09/1000 PY. The overall rate of cancers decreased from 15.9/1000 PY [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.25-25.40/1000 PY] for CD4 counts 350 cells/μL. Lower CD4 cell count and prior AIDS diagnoses were significant predictors for both ADCs and NADCs.ADCs remain the predominant cancers in this population, although NADC rates have increased in the more recent time period. Immune deficiency is a risk factor for both ADCs and NADCs

    Investigating rates and predictors of viral blips, low-level viraemia and virological failure in the Australian HIV observational database

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    Objectives: Australia has made significant progress towards achieving the UNAIDS's 95-95-95 cascade targets including HIV viral suppression. To investigate the burden of HIV viraemia, we assessed viral blips, low-level viraemia (LLV) and virologic failure (VF) in an Australian cohort. Methods: We studied the proportion of people with viral suppression, viral blips, LLV and VF in the Australian HIV observational database (AHOD) between 2010 and 2021. The association between blips or LLV, and VF was investigated using Cox regression, and predictors of viral blips and LLV were assessed using repeated-measured logistic regression. Results: Among 2544 AHOD participants who were in follow-up and on antiretroviral therapy (ART) from 1 January 2010 (88.7% male), 444 had experienced VF (incidence rate: 2.45 [95% CI: 2.23–2.69] per 100 person-years [PY]) during 18,125 PY of follow-up (a median of 7.6 years). The proportion of people with VF decreased over time, whereas rates of blips and LLV remained stable. Participants with blips (hazard ratio, 2.89; 95% CI: 2.31–3.61) and LLV (4.46; 95% CI: 3.38–5.89) were at increased risk of VF. Hepatitis B co-infection, longer documented treatment interruption duration, younger age and lower CD4 at ART initiation, and protease inhibitors-based initial regimen were associated with an increased risk of VF. Common predictors of blips and LLV such as higher HIV-1 RNA and lower CD4 at ART initiation, longer treatment interruption, more VL testing and types of care settings (hospitals vs. sexual health services) were identified. Conclusions: Blips and LLV predict subsequent VF development. We identified important predictors of HIV viraemia including VF among individuals on INSTI-based regimens to help direct HIV management plans

    Combined analysis of Two-Year Follow-up from two open-label randomized trials comparing efficacy of three nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor backbones for previously untreated HIV-1 nfection: OzCombo 1 and 2

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    Purpose: To compare inhibition of HIV replication, improvements in CD4+ T-cell counts, metabolic parameters, and body shape changes after 2 years of assigned therapy in OzCombo patients. Method: Study participants were those who were recruited into the open-label OzCombo 1 (1996/1997) and OzCombo 2 (1997/1998) trials. Patients in OzCombo 1 were randomized to receive indinavir in combination with zidovudine+lamivudine (AZT+3TC; n = 35), stavudine (d4T)+3TC (n = 34), or d4T+didanosine (ddI) (n = 37). OzCombo 2 patients were randomized to the same nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) backbones with nevirapine (n = 20, 22, 23, respectively). The mean time-weighted changes from baseline in CD4 T-cell count/mL, HIV RNA (log copies/mL plasma), and proportions with detectable viral load (<500 copies plasma HIV RNA/mL) between NRTI arms over 2 years were compared by formal meta-analysis. A cross-sectional study of metabolic and body shape complications was also undertaken. Results: For the comparison of d4T+3TC and d4T+ddI to AZT+3TC, mean differences in time-weighted change from baseline in CD4 T-cell count/wL and log copies HIV RNA/mL adjusted for baseline CD4+ T-cell and HIV RNA counts were: m44 (p = .08) and m14 (p = .56) cells/wL and m0.1 (p = .40) and m0.1 (p = .6) copies/mL. Odds ratios for detectable viral load in the last study quarter were 0.6 (p = .44) and 1.0 (p = .95). The mean percent leg fat was lower in the d4T+3TC and d4T+ddI than the AZT+3TC arm (mean difference 5.1% [p = .07] and 7.6% [p = .02], respectively). Conclusion: For all regimens, virological control and immunological response were maintained over 2 years. Regimens containing d4T and particularly d4T+ddI were significantly associated with increased peripheral fat loss compared with AZT+3TC

    Treatment and disease outcomes of migrants from low- and middle-income countries in the Australian HIV Observational Database cohort

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    © 2015 Taylor & Francis. People from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including low- and middle-income countries, account for a third of new HIV diagnoses in Australia and are a priority for HIV prevention and treatment programs. We describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of participants in the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) and compare disease outcomes, progression to AIDS and treatment outcomes of those born in low- and middleincome countries, with those born in high-income countries and Australia. All participants enrolled in AHOD sites where country of birth is routinely collected were included in the study. Age, CD4 count, HIV viral load, antiretroviral therapy, hepatitis co-infection, all-cause mortality and AIDS illness were analysed. Of 2403 eligible participants, 77.3% were Australian born, 13.7% born in high-income countries and 9.0% born in middle- or low-income countries. Those born in Australia or high-income countries were more likely to be male (96%) than those from middleor low-income countries (76%), p < .0001 and more likely to have acquired HIV via male to male sexual contact (77%; 79%) compared with those from middle- or low-income countries (50%), p < .0001. At enrolment, mean CD4 cell count was higher in Australian born (528 cells/µL) than both those born in high-income countries (468 cells/µL) and those born in middle- and low-income countries (451 cells/µL), p < .0001; whereas the mean HIV RNA level (log10 copies/ mL) was similar in all three groups (4.44, 4.76 and 4.26, respectively), p = .19.There was no difference in adjusted incidence risk ratios for all-cause mortality and AIDS incidence in all three groups, p = .39. These findings reflect successful outcomes of people born in low- and middleincome countries once engaged in HIV care

    Risk factors associated with incident sexually transmitted infections in HIV-positive patients in the Australian HIV Observational Database: a prospective cohort study

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    OBJECTIVES: We established a subcohort of HIV-positive individuals from 10 sexual health clinics within the Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD). The aim of this study was to assess demographic and other factors that might be associated with an incident sexually transmitted infection (STI). METHODS: The cohort follow-up was from March 2010 to March 2013, and included patients screened at least once for an STI. We used survival methods to determine time to first new and confirmed incident STI infection (chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis or genital warts). Factors evaluated included sex, age, mode of HIV exposure, year of AHOD enrolment, hepatitis B or C coinfection, time-updated CD4 cell count, time-updated HIV RNA viral load, and prior STI diagnosis. RESULTS: There were 110 first incident STI diagnoses observed over 1015 person-years of follow-up, a crude rate of 10.8 [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.0-13.0] per 100 person-years. Factors independently associated with increased risk of incident STI included younger age [≥ 50 vs. 30-39 years old, adjusted hazards ratio (aHR) 0.4; 95% CI 0.2-0.8; P < 0.0001]; prior STI infection (aHR 2.5; 95% CI 1.6-3.8; P < 0.001), and heterosexual vs. men who have sex with men (MSM) as the likely route of exposure (aHR 0.2; 95% CI 0.1-0.6; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of individualsbeing treated with antiretroviral drugs, those who were MSM, who were 30-39 years old, and who had a prior history of STI, were at highest risk of a further STI diagnosis

    Factors associated with different responses to combination antiretroviral therapy in an observational cohort study of HIV-1 infected patients

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    The introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) into clinical practice for the treatment of HIV in 1995-1996 has led to dramatic reductions in mortality and morbidity. Factors linked to a positive response to therapy include a potent and tolerable regimen, good adherence and low levels of HIV drug resistance. The aims of this thesis were to investigate factors potentially associated with different responses to cART measured using virological and immunological predictive markers, and also to look at the development of toxicities to a specific regimen. The analyses were based on data from the EuroSIDA study, which is an observational cohort of 14,310 HIV-1 infected patients from Europe, Israel and Argentina. Data collected includes demographic history, CD4 cell counts, viral loads and details of all drugs taken. EuroSIDA also collects viral sequence data for its resistance database. Investigation into virological response to first-line cART across geographical regions found evidence of variation, which was most apparent in early-cART years. Virological response improved over calendar time in all regions, especially in East Europe. Neither HIV-1 subtype nor transmitted drug resistance (TDR) were found to be associated with virological response to cART, however statistical power was limited. A significantly decreased risk of virological failure was found in patients starting efavirenz compared with nevirapine, which did not appear to be explained by baseline drug resistance. Finally, incidence of abacavir discontinuation due to a hypersensitivity reaction side effect of the drug appeared to be higher in patients starting abacavir as part of first-line therapy but decreased in recent years. In conclusion, this thesis has compared a variety of different responses to antiretroviral therapy across subsets of a large heterogeneous population. It is hoped that these findings will contribute to research in monitoring trends in response to therapy and provide insight into association with the genetic variability of the virus
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