Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
PLOS One. 2010 October 8; Volume 5 (Issue 10); e13198.; DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0013198
Bygrave H, Kranzer K, Hilderbrand K, Whittall J, Jouquet G, et al.
PLOS One. 2010 October 8; Volume 5 (Issue 10); e13198.; DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0013198
BACKGROUND
The provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to migrant populations raises particular challenges with respect to ensuring adequate treatment support, adherence, and retention in care. We assessed rates of loss to follow-up for migrant workers compared with non-migrant workers in a routine treatment programme in Morjia, Lesotho.
DESIGN
All adult patients (≥18 years) initiating ART between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008, and followed up until the end of 2009, were included in the study. We described rates of loss to follow-up according to migrant status by Kaplan-Meier estimates, and used Poisson regression to model associations between migrant status and loss to follow-up controlling for potential confounders identified a priori.
RESULTS
Our cohort comprised 1185 people, among whom 12% (148) were migrant workers. Among the migrant workers, median age was 36.1 (29.6-45.9) and the majority (55%) were male. We found no statistically significant differences between baseline characteristics and migrant status. Rates of lost to follow up were similar between migrants and non-migrants in the first 3 months but differences increased thereafter. Between 3 and 6 months after initiating antiretroviral therapy, migrants had a 2.78-fold increased rate of defaulting (95%CI 1.15-6.73); between 6 and 12 months the rate was 2.36 times greater (95%CI 1.18-4.73), whereas after 1 year the rate was 6.69 times greater (95%CI 3.18-14.09).
CONCLUSIONS
Our study highlights the need for programme implementers to take into account the specific challenges that may influence continuity of antiretroviral treatment and care for migrant populations.
The provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) to migrant populations raises particular challenges with respect to ensuring adequate treatment support, adherence, and retention in care. We assessed rates of loss to follow-up for migrant workers compared with non-migrant workers in a routine treatment programme in Morjia, Lesotho.
DESIGN
All adult patients (≥18 years) initiating ART between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2008, and followed up until the end of 2009, were included in the study. We described rates of loss to follow-up according to migrant status by Kaplan-Meier estimates, and used Poisson regression to model associations between migrant status and loss to follow-up controlling for potential confounders identified a priori.
RESULTS
Our cohort comprised 1185 people, among whom 12% (148) were migrant workers. Among the migrant workers, median age was 36.1 (29.6-45.9) and the majority (55%) were male. We found no statistically significant differences between baseline characteristics and migrant status. Rates of lost to follow up were similar between migrants and non-migrants in the first 3 months but differences increased thereafter. Between 3 and 6 months after initiating antiretroviral therapy, migrants had a 2.78-fold increased rate of defaulting (95%CI 1.15-6.73); between 6 and 12 months the rate was 2.36 times greater (95%CI 1.18-4.73), whereas after 1 year the rate was 6.69 times greater (95%CI 3.18-14.09).
CONCLUSIONS
Our study highlights the need for programme implementers to take into account the specific challenges that may influence continuity of antiretroviral treatment and care for migrant populations.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr; JAIDS. 2011 March 1; Volume 56 (Issue 3); e75-e78.; DOI:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182097505
Bygrave H, Ford NP, van Cutsem G, Hilderbrand K, Jouquet G, et al.
J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr; JAIDS. 2011 March 1; Volume 56 (Issue 3); e75-e78.; DOI:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3182097505
BACKGROUND
The latest World Health Organization guidelines recommend replacing stavudine with tenofovir or zidovudine in first-line antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings. We report on outcomes and toxicities among patients on these different regimens in a routine treatment cohort in Lesotho.
METHODS
All adult patients initiating antiretroviral therapy from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, were included in the analysis and followed until December 31, 2009. Choice of regimen was determined by clinical criteria.
RESULTS
Of 1124 patient records analyzed, median age was 39 years, and the majority (67.7%) were women. Five hundred eighty-seven patients were started on tenofovir, 255 on zidovudine, and 282 on stavudine. Patients on zidovudine were more than twice as likely to experience a toxicity-driven regimen substitution compared with tenofovir (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.23 to 4.40); for patients on stavudine, the risk of a toxicity-driven regimen switch was almost 6 times higher than tenofovir (adjusted hazard ratio: 5.43, 95% confidence interval: 3.31 to 8.91).
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the latest World Health Organization Guidelines, in particular the adoption of tenofovir in first line, given the advantages in terms of tolerability and availability as a once-daily formulation.
The latest World Health Organization guidelines recommend replacing stavudine with tenofovir or zidovudine in first-line antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited settings. We report on outcomes and toxicities among patients on these different regimens in a routine treatment cohort in Lesotho.
METHODS
All adult patients initiating antiretroviral therapy from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2008, were included in the analysis and followed until December 31, 2009. Choice of regimen was determined by clinical criteria.
RESULTS
Of 1124 patient records analyzed, median age was 39 years, and the majority (67.7%) were women. Five hundred eighty-seven patients were started on tenofovir, 255 on zidovudine, and 282 on stavudine. Patients on zidovudine were more than twice as likely to experience a toxicity-driven regimen substitution compared with tenofovir (adjusted hazard ratio: 2.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.23 to 4.40); for patients on stavudine, the risk of a toxicity-driven regimen switch was almost 6 times higher than tenofovir (adjusted hazard ratio: 5.43, 95% confidence interval: 3.31 to 8.91).
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the latest World Health Organization Guidelines, in particular the adoption of tenofovir in first line, given the advantages in terms of tolerability and availability as a once-daily formulation.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
J Clin Microbiol. 2014 May 1; Volume 52 (Issue 5); 1343-1351.; DOI:10.1128/JCM.03519-13
Farjardo E, Metcalf CJ, Chaillet P, Aleixo L, Pannus P, et al.
J Clin Microbiol. 2014 May 1; Volume 52 (Issue 5); 1343-1351.; DOI:10.1128/JCM.03519-13
HIV-1 viral load (VL) testing is not widely available in resource-limited settings. Use of finger-prick dried blood spot (FP-DBS) samples could remove barriers related to sample collection and transport. Measurement of VL using DBS from EDTA venous blood (VB-DBS) in place of plasma has previously been validated using the NucliSENS EasyQ HIV-1 v2.0 assay, but information on the accuracy of FP-DBS samples for measuring VL is limited. This prospective study, conducted at Thyolo District Hospital in Southern Malawi, compared VL levels measured on FP-DBS samples and plasma, using the NucliSENS EasyQ HIV-1 v2.0 assay. Comparability was assessed by means of agreement and correlation (131 patients with VLs ≥100 copies/ml), and sensitivity and specificity (612 patients on ART). Samples of EDTA venous blood and FP-DBS from 1,009 HIV-infected individuals were collected and prepared in the laboratory. Bland-Altman analysis found good agreement between plasma and FP-DBS VL levels, with a mean difference of -0.35 log10, and 95% limits of agreement from -1.26 to 0.55 log10. FP-DBS had a sensitivity of 88.7% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 81.1 - 94.4%) and specificity of 97.8% (95% CI: 96.1 - 98.9%) using a 1,000 copies/ml cut-point; and a sensitivity of 83.0% (95% CI: 73.4 - 90.1%) and specificity of 100% (95% CI: 99.3-100%) using a 5,000 copies/ml cut-point. This study shows that FP-DBS is an acceptable alternative to plasma for measuring VL using the NucliSENS EasyQ HIV-1 v2.0. We are conducting a second study to assess the proficiency of health workers at preparing FP-DBS in primary healthcare clinics.