Ten‐year attrition and antiretroviral therapy response among HIV‐positive adults: a sex‐based cohort analysis from eight West African countries

IntroductionSex differences have already been reported in sub‐Saharan Africa for attrition and immunological response after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, but follow‐up was usually limited to the first two to three years after ART initiation. We evaluated sex differences on the same outcomes in the 10 years following ART initiation in West African adults.MethodsWe used cohort data of patients included in the IeDEA West Africa collaboration, who initiated ART between 2002 and 2014. We modelled no‐follow‐up and 10‐year attrition risks, and immunological response by sex using logistic regression analysis, survival analysis with random effect and linear mixed models respectively.ResultsA total of 71,283 patients (65.8% women) contributed to 310,007 person‐years of follow‐up in 16 clinics in eight West African countries. The cumulative attrition incidence at 10‐year after ART initiation reached 75% and 68% for men and women respectively. Being male was associated with an increased risk of no follow‐up after starting ART (5.1% vs. 4.0%, adjusted Odds Ratio: 1.25 [95% CI: 1.15 to 1.35]) and of 10‐year attrition throughout the 10‐year period following ART initiation: adjusted Hazard Ratios were 1.22 [95% CI: 1.17 to 1.27], 1.08 [95% CI: 1.04 to 1.12] and 1.04 [95% CI: 1.01 to 1.08] during year 1, years 2 to 4 and 5 to 10 respectively. A better immunological response was achieved by women than men: monthly CD4 gain was 30.2 and 28.3 cells/mL in the first four months and 2.6 and 1.9 cells/μL thereafter. Ultimately, women reached the average threshold of 500 CD4 cells/μL in their sixth year of follow‐up, whereas men failed to reach it even at the end of the 10‐year follow‐up period. The proportion of patients reaching the threshold was much higher in women than in men after 10 years since ART initiation (65% vs. 44%).ConclusionsIn West Africa, attrition is unacceptably high in both sexes. Men are more vulnerable than women on both attrition and immunological response to ART in the 10 years following ART initiation. Innovative tracing strategies that are sex‐adapted are needed for patients in care to monitor attrition, detect early high‐risk groups so that they can stay in care with a durably controlled infection.     

Antiretroviral therapy and Kaposi’s sarcoma trends and outcomes among adults with HIV in Latin America

IntroductionKaposi’s sarcoma (KS) remains the most frequent malignancy in persons living with HIV (PWH) in Latin America. We examined KS trends and outcomes from Latin American clinical sites in the era of increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART).MethodsCohorts in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina and Chile contributed clinical data of PWH ≥16 years old from 2000 to 2017, excluding patients with KS diagnosed before clinic enrolment. We compared KS incidence over time using multivariable incidence rate ratios. Predictors of KS before/at or after ART initiation and of mortality after KS were examined using Cox regression.ResultsOf 25 981 PWH, 481 had incident KS, including 200 ART‐naïve and 281 ART‐treated patients. From 2000 to 2017, the incidence of KS decreased from 55.1 to 3.0 per 1000 person‐years. In models adjusting for CD4 and other factors, the relative risk for KS decreased from 2000 to 2008. Since 2010, the adjusted risk of KS increased in the periods before and ≤90 days after ART initiation but decreased >90 days after ART. In addition to low CD4 and male‐to‐male sex, KS risk after ART was associated with age and history of other AIDS‐defining illnesses. Mortality after KS (approximately 25% after five years) was not associated with either year of KS diagnosis nor timing of diagnosis relative to ART initiation.ConclusionsKS incidence in Latin America has remained stable in recent years and risk is highest before and shortly after ART initiation. Early diagnosis of HIV and ART initiation remain critical priorities in the region.     

江苏省2005-2019年接受抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS合并HBV感染情况分析

目的 分析2005-2019年江苏省抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS的HBV感染情况。方法 采用回顾性资料分析,研究对象来源于中国疾病预防控制信息系统艾滋病防治基本信息系统江苏省2005-2019年HIV/AIDS首次入组抗病毒治疗数据库,采用SPSS 16.0软件进行统计学分析。分析不同特征HIV/AIDS的HBsAg检测率和HBsAg阳性率的差异及其影响因素,单因素分析采用χ²检验,多因素分析采用非条件logistic回归模型。结果 2005-2019年江苏省首次入组抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS共29 288例,总体HBsAg检测率为49.8%（14 594/29 288）,2005-2019年HBsAg检测率由0.0%（0/80）增加到75.2%（3 448/4 586）,呈逐年上升趋势。进行HBsAg检测的HIV/AIDS中,江苏省籍占81.6%（11 915/14 594）,男女性别比7.34：1（12 845：1 749）,年龄（38.5±13.8）岁,汉族占96.1%（14 023/14 594）,已婚/同居占48.9%（7 131/14 594）。男男性传播和异性性传播感染途径占97.9%（14 294/14 594）。logistic回归分析结果显示,HBsAg检测率的影响因素中,2015年及以后入组、外省户籍、已婚/同居、大专及以上文化程度、注射吸毒感染途径的人群HBsAg检测率较高。HIV/AIDS的HBsAg阳性率为8.6%（95%CI：8.2%~9.1%）,HBsAg阳性率在2016年之前均>10.0%,自2016年以后稳定在6.7%~8.2%。HBsAg阳性率的影响因素中,2015年及以后入组、女性、年龄>59岁、大专及以上学历人群的HBsAg阳性率较低,而45~59岁年龄组和少数民族人群的HBsAg阳性率较高。结论 2005-2019年江苏省首次入组抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS中,HBsAg检测率总体不高,合并HBV感染高于一般人群,需要加强其HBsAg相关检测工作。     

Concentrating stroke care provision in the Czech Republic: The establishment of Stroke Centres in 2011 has led to improved outcomes

This article describes policy processes that have led to the re-organisation of stroke care in the Czech Republic since 2011, which has been part of a broader process of care concentration in several medical fields. Currently, stroke care is provided by 13 Comprehensive and 32 Primary Stroke Centres. The paper explains factors that supported the reform implementation, reviews implications, and discusses future challenges.Mandatory reporting of quality indicators, the introduction of a benchmarking system, integration with pre-hospital emergency care, and the introduction of countrywide patient triage have supported more timely treatment for stroke patients and better quality of care. Data from the Stroke Care Quality Indicators of the Czech Stroke Society show positive trends in many areas: the number of patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis quadrupled in eight years, with 26.4 % of all acute stroke patients receiving thrombolysis in 2018. Czech Republic now ranks third in Europe in the number of thrombolysis per population and second in the number of mechanical thrombectomies per population. The Czech experience provides an example of positive outcomes of concentrated stroke care, while highlighting the importance of proper implementation processes. In particular, it is essential to involve stakeholders and to provide reputational incentives through continuous benchmarking.     

A surveillance study of patterns of reirradiation practice using external beam radiotherapy in Japan

The aim of this study was to survey the present status and patterns of reirradiation (Re-RT) practice using external beam radiotherapy in Japan. We distributed an e-mail questionnaire to the Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology partner institutions, which consisted of part 1 (number of Re-RT cases in 2008–2012 and 2013–2018) and part 2 (indications and treatment planning for Re-RT and eight case scenarios). Of the 85 institutions that replied to part 1, 75 (88%) performed Re-RTs. However, 59 of these 75 institutions (79%) reported difficulty in obtaining Re-RT case information from their databases. The responses from 37 institutions included the number of Re-RT cases, which totaled 508 in the period from 2009 to 2013 (institution median 3; 0–235), and an increase to 762 cases in the period from 2014 to 2018 (12.5; 0–295). A total of 47 physicians responded to part 2 of the survey. Important indications for Re-RT that were considered were age, performance status, life expectancy, absence of distant metastases and time interval since previous radiotherapy. In addition to clinical decision-making factors, previous total radiation dose, volume of irradiated tissue and the biologically equivalent dose were considered during Re-RT planning. From the eight site-specific scenarios presented to the respondents, >60% of radiation oncologists agreed to perform Re-RT. Re-RT cases have increased in number, and interest in Re-RT among radiation oncologists has increased recently due to advances in technology. However, several problems exist that emphasize the need for consensus building and the establishment of guidelines for practice and prospective evaluation.