66 research outputs found
Gender and access to HIV testing and antiretroviral treatments in Thailand: why do women have more and earlier access?
In the recent scale-up of antiretroviral treatment, gender differences in access to treatment have been reported. In Thailand, as the HIV epidemic became more generalised, there has been a shift from men being disproportionately affected to increased vulnerability of women. In 2007, the Living with Antiretrovirals (LIWA-ANRS 12141) study investigated the gender distribution of all adult patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (N=513 patients) in four community hospitals in northern Thailand and factors influencing the disparities observed. From this retrospective life-event history survey, we found that proportionately more women (53%) were receiving antiretroviral therapy than men, an unexpected result for a country with a higher proportion of infections among men. They were more likely to initiate treatment within one year of diagnosis and were at a more advanced stage of the disease compared to women. This gender distribution is partly explained by the evolving dynamics of the HIV epidemic, initial prioritization of mothers for treatment and earlier access to HIV testing for women. These issues are also entangled with gender differences in the reasons and timing to HIV testing at the individual level. This study found that the majority of men underwent HIV testing for health reasons while the majority of women were tested following family events such as a spouse/child death or during pregnancy. Further qualitative research on gender specific barriers to HIV testing and care, such as perceived low risk of infection, poor access to medical care, lack of social support, actual or anticipated HIV/AIDS-related stigma would provide greater insight. In the meantime, urgent efforts are needed to increase access to voluntary counselling and testing inside and outside the family setting with targeted interventions for men
Gender and access to HIV testing and antiretroviral treatments in Thailand: Why do women have more and earlier access?
In the recent scale-up of antiretroviral treatment, gender differences in access to treatment have been reported. In Thailand, as the HIV epidemic became more generalised, there has been a shift from men being disproportionately affected to increased vulnerability of women. In 2007, the Living with Antiretrovirals (LIWA-ANRS 12141) study investigated the gender distribution of all adult patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (N = 513 patients) in four community hospitals in northern Thailand and factors influencing the disparities observed. From this retrospective life-event history survey, we found that proportionately more women (53%) were receiving antiretroviral therapy than men, an unexpected result for a country with a higher proportion of infections among men. They were more likely to initiate treatment within one year of diagnosis and were at a more advanced stage of the disease compared to women. This gender distribution is partly explained by the evolving dynamics of the HIV epidemic, initial prioritization of mothers for treatment and earlier access to HIV testing for women. These issues are also entangled with gender differences in the reasons and timing to HIV testing at the individual level. This study found that the majority of men underwent HIV testing for health reasons while the majority of women were tested following family events such as a spouse/child death or during pregnancy. Further qualitative research on gender specific barriers to HIV testing and care, such as perceived low risk of infection, poor access to medical care, lack of social support, actual or anticipated HIV/AIDS-related stigma would provide greater insight. In the meantime, urgent efforts are needed to increase access to voluntary counselling and testing inside and outside the family setting with targeted interventions for men.HIV Gender Health inequalities HIV testing Access to treatment Thailand Women Life-event histories
Les femmes à l'épreuve du VIH dans les pays du Sud : genre et accès universel à la prise en charge
Outcomes of etravirine-based antiretroviral treatment in treatment-experienced children and adolescents living with HIV in Europe and Thailand
BACKGROUND: : Etravirine (ETR) is approved as a component of second or third-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) for children living with HIV. We assessed the outcomes of ETR-based ART in children in routine care in Europe and Thailand. METHODS: Data on children aged<18 years at ETR start were pooled from 17 observational cohorts. Characteristics at ETR start, immunological and virological outcomes at 12-months, discontinuations, adverse events (AEs) and serious adverse events (SAEs) were described. Follow-up was censored at ETR discontinuation, death or last visit. RESULTS: 177 children ever received ETR. At ETR start, median [IQR] age was 15 [12, 16] years, CD4 count 480 [287, 713] cells/mm3, 70% had exposure to ART classes and 20% had viral load (VL) <50 copies/mL. 95% received ETR in combination with 1 potent drug class, mostly protease inhibitor-based regimens. Median time on ETR was 24 [7, 48] months. Amongst those on ETR at 12-months (n=141), 69% had VL<50 copies/mL. Median CD4 increase since ETR start (n=83) was 147 [16, 267] cells/mm3. Overall, 81 (46%) discontinued ETR by last follow-up. Median time to discontinuation was 23 [8, 47] months. Common reasons for discontinuation were treatment simplification (19%), treatment failure (16%) and toxicity (12%). Eight children (5%) had AEs causally associated with ETR, all dermatological/hypersensitivity reactions. Two were SAEs, both Stevens-Johnson Syndrome in children on regimens containing ETR and darunavir and were causally related to either drugs; both resolved following ART discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS:Children receiving ETR were predominantly highly treatment-experienced, over two-thirds were virally suppressed at 12-months
Lipoatrophy/Iipohypertrophy outcomes after antiretroviral therapy switch in children in the UK/Ireland
BACKGROUND:
Following widespread use of stavudine, a thymidine analogue, in antiretroviral therapy (ART) over the past three decades, up to a third of children developed lipoatrophy (LA) and/or lipohypertrophy (LH). Following phasing-out of stavudine, incidence of newly-diagnosed LA and LH declined dramatically. However, the natural history of existing cases should be explored, particularly with prolonged protease inhibitor exposure.
METHODS:
The Collaborative HIV Paediatric Study (CHIPS) is a multicentre cohort study of most HIV-infected children in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Those on ART with a LA/LH assessment recorded in 2003–2011 were included. Assessments were completed annually by consultant physicians. Using the 0–3 grading system, LA or LH was defined as grade 2 or 3. Resolution was defined as return to grade 1 or 0 in all body regions.
RESULTS:
Of 1345 children followed for median (IQR) 5.5 (2.9, 8.2) years after ART initiation, 30 developed LA and 27 developed LH, all at least 2 years after ART initiation. Median age at LA diagnosis was 11 (10, 13) years and at LH diagnosis was 13 (11, 15) years. Children with LA were more likely white (p<0.0001); lower height-for-age z-score at ART initiation (p = 0.02); initiated ART earlier (p = 0.04), with longer ART exposure (p = 0.04). Children with LH were similar to those without. Analysis of individual drugs revealed that LA was associated with greater duration of exposure to stavudine and didanosine; while LH was associated with greater duration of exposure to stavudine and ritonavir (given alone or in combination with another protease inhibitor). Median time in follow-up following ART switch was 2.8 (1.9, 4.9) and 2.5 (1.6, 4.7) years respectively. Resolution occurred in 10 (30%) of LA cases (median time to resolution 2.3 [1.8, 3.6] years) and 3 (11%) of LH cases (median time to resolution 2.0 [1.7, 2.1] years).
CONCLUSIONS:
Prevalence of LA and LH were low, with some resolution noted, especially for LA. More long-term data are needed
Safety of darunavir and atazanavir in HIV-infected children in Europe and Thailand
Background: Surveillance for mid- and long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART) toxicity in children is important for informing treatment guidelines. We assessed the safety of darunavir (DRV) and atazanavir (ATV), commonly used as second-line protease inhibitors following lopinavir/ritonavir, in Europe and Thailand. Methods: Cohorts contributed individual patient data on adverse events (AE) in those aged 24 months. Five serious drug-related clinical AEs were reported in four patients on ATV (one discontinued) and three in three patients on DRV (all discontinued), and did not substantially differ in those on approved compared to non-approved doses. Proportions on the drugs at last follow-up were 89% (383/431) for DRV and 81% (301/372) for ATV (including 73/92 with grade ≥3 hyperbilirubinaemia). Conclusions: AEs were few in number and comparable for the two drugs, with the exception of high rates of hyperbilirubinaemia for ATV; few patients discontinued due to toxicity.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe
Long-term trends in mortality and AIDS-defining events after combination ART initiation among children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection in 17 middle- and high-income countries in Europe and Thailand: A cohort study.
BACKGROUND: Published estimates of mortality and progression to AIDS as children with HIV approach adulthood are limited. We describe rates and risk factors for death and AIDS-defining events in children and adolescents after initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in 17 middle- and high-income countries, including some in Western and Central Europe (W&CE), Eastern Europe (Russia and Ukraine), and Thailand. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Children with perinatal HIV aged 6 months of cART) death and progression to AIDS were assessed. Of 3,526 children included, 32% were from the United Kingdom or Ireland, 30% from elsewhere in W&CE, 18% from Russia or Ukraine, and 20% from Thailand. At cART initiation, median age was 5.2 (IQR 1.4-9.3) years; 35% of children aged 400 c/mL predicted late death. Predictors of early and late progression to AIDS were similar. Study limitations include incomplete recording of US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) disease stage B events and serious adverse events in some countries; events that were distributed over a long time period, and that we lacked power to analyse trends in patterns and causes of death over time. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, 3,526 children and adolescents with perinatal HIV infection initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) in countries in Europe and Thailand. We observed that over 40% of deaths occurred ≤6 months after cART initiation. Greater early mortality risk in infants, as compared to older children, and in Russia, Ukraine, or Thailand as compared to W&CE, raises concern. Current severe immune suppression, being underweight, and unsuppressed viral load were associated with a higher risk of death at >6 months after initiation of cART
Predictors of 5-year mortality in HIV-infected adults starting highly active antiretroviral therapy in Thailand.
OBJECTIVE: To estimate the early and long-term mortalities and associated risk factors in adults receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Thailand. DESIGN: A prospective observational cohort study. METHODS: Previously untreated adults starting HAART in 2002-2009 were followed-up in 43 public hospitals. Kaplan-Meier probability of survival was estimated up to 5 years of therapy. Factors associated with early (≤6 months) and long-term (>6 months) mortalities were assessed using Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: A total of 1578 adults received HAART (74% women; median age, 33 years; CD4 cell count, 124/mL), with a median follow-up of 50 months (interquartile range, 41-66). Eighty-nine patients (6%) died (37 occurred ≤6 months and 52 occurred >6 months) and 183 (12%) were lost to follow-up. Probability of survival [95% confidence interval (CI)] was 97.5% (96.7% to 98.2%) at 6 months, 96.6% (95.6% to 97.4%) at 1 year, and 93.5% (91.9% to 94.8%) at 5 years. Probability of being alive and on follow-up was 80.8% (78.5% to 82.8%) at 5 years. Early mortality was associated with anemia [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 3.6, 95% CI: 1.7 to 7.5] and low CD4 count (aHR 1.6, 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.2 per 50 cells decrease) at treatment initiation. Long-term mortality was associated with persistent anemia (aHR 4.9, 95% CI: 2.1 to 11.6), CD4 increase from baseline 1000 copies per milliliter (aHR 2.8, 95% CI: 1.3 to 6.1) at 6 months of HAART; male gender; and calendar year of enrollment. CONCLUSIONS: Early mortality was associated with anemia and severe immunosuppression at initiation of therapy. Long-term mortality was associated with persistent anemia, CD4 count increase, and virological response at 6 months of therapy over baseline characteristics, highlighting the importance of laboratory monitoring
Predictors of faster virological suppression in early treated infants with perinatal HIV from Europe and Thailand
To identify predictors of faster time to virological suppression among infants starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) early in infancy
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