Browsing by Author "Castelnuovo, Barbara"

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    Disparities in Dolutegravir Uptake Affecting Females of Reproductive Age With HIV in Low- and Middle-Income Countries After Initial Concerns About Teratogenicity : An Observational Study
    (American College of Physicians, 2022) Romo, Matthew L.; Patel, Rena C.; Edwards, Jessie K.; Humphrey, John M.; Musick, Beverly S.; Bernard, Caitlin; Maina, Mercy W.; Brazier, Ellen; Castelnuovo, Barbara; Penner, Jeremy; Wyka, Katarzyna; Wagner Cardoso, Sandra; Ly, Penh Sun; Kunzekwenyika, Cordelia; Cortés, Claudia P.; Panczak, Radoslaw; Kelvin, Elizabeth A.; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara K.; Nash, Denis; International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA); Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: The transition to dolutegravir-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) was complicated by an initial safety signal in May 2018 suggesting that exposure to dolutegravir at conception was possibly associated with infant neural tube defects. On the basis of additional evidence, in July 2019, the World Health Organization recommended dolutegravir for all adults and adolescents living with HIV. Objective: To describe dolutegravir uptake and disparities by sex and age group in LMICs. Design: Observational cohort study. Setting: 87 sites that began using dolutegravir in 11 LMICs in the Asia-Pacific; Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet); and sub-Saharan African regions of the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium. Patients: 134 672 patients aged 16 years or older who received HIV care from January 2017 through March 2020. Measurements: Sex, age group, and dolutegravir uptake (that is, newly initiating ART with dolutegravir or switching to dolutegravir from another regimen). Results: Differences in dolutegravir uptake among females of reproductive age (16 to 49 years) emerged after the safety signal. By the end of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of dolutegravir uptake among females 16 to 49 years old was 29.4% (95% CI, 29.0% to 29.7%) compared with 57.7% (CI, 57.2% to 58.3%) among males 16 to 49 years old. This disparity was greater in countries that began implementing dolutegravir before the safety signal and initially had highly restrictive policies versus countries with a later rollout. Dolutegravir uptake was similar among females and males aged 50 years or older. Limitation: Follow-up was limited to 6 to 8 months after international guidelines recommended expanding access to dolutegravir. Conclusion: Substantial disparities in dolutegravir uptake affecting females of reproductive age through early 2020 are documented. Although this disparity was anticipated because of country-level restrictions on access, the results highlight its extent and initial persistence.
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    Global estimates of viral suppression in children and adolescents and adults on antiretroviral therapy adjusted for missing viral load measurements: a multiregional, retrospective cohort study in 31 countries
    (Elsevier, 2021) Han, Win Min; Law, Matthew G.; Egger, Matthias; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara; Moore, Richard; McGowan, Catherine; Kumarasamy, Nagalingesawaran; Desmonde, Sophie; Edmonds, Andrew; Davies, Mary-Ann; Yiannoutsos, Constantin; Althoff, Keri N.; Cortes, Claudia P.; Mohamed, Thahira Jamal; Jaquet, Antoine; Anastos, Kathryn; Euvrard, Jonathan; Castelnuovo, Barbara; Salters, Kate; Esteves Coelho, Lara; Ekouevi, Didier K.; Eley, Brian; Diero, Lameck; Zaniewski, Elizabeth; Ford, Nathan; Sohn, Annette H.; Kariminia, Azar; IeDEA collaboration; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: As countries move towards the UNAIDS's 95-95-95 targets and with strong evidence that undetectable equals untransmittable, it is increasingly important to assess whether those with HIV who are receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) achieve viral suppression. We estimated the proportions of children and adolescents and adults with viral suppression at 1, 2, and 3 years after initiating ART. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, seven regional cohorts from the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium contributed data from individuals initiating ART between Jan 1, 2010, and Dec 31, 2019, at 148 sites in 31 countries with annual viral load monitoring. Only people with HIV who started ART after the time a site started routine viral load monitoring were included. Data up to March 31, 2020, were analysed. We estimated the proportions of children and adolescents (aged <18 years at ART initiation) and adults (aged ≥18 years at ART initiation) with viral suppression (viral load <1000 copies per mL) at 1, 2, and 3 years after ART initiation using an intention-to-treat approach and an adjusted approach that accounted for missing viral load measurements. Findings: 21 594 children and adolescents (11 812 [55%] female, 9782 [45%] male) from 106 sites in 22 countries and 255 662 adults (163 831 [64%] female, 91 831 [36%] male) from 143 sites in 30 countries were included. Using the intention-to-treat approach, the proportion of children and adolescents with viral suppression was 7303 (36%) of 20 478 at 1 year, 5709 (30%) of 19 135 at 2 years, and 4287 (24%) of 17 589 at 3 years after ART initiation; the proportion of adults with viral suppression was 106 541 (44%) of 240 600 at 1 year, 79 141 (36%) of 220 925 at 2 years, and 57 970 (29%) of 201 124 at 3 years after ART initiation. After adjusting for missing viral load measurements among those who transferred, were lost to follow-up, or who were in follow-up without viral load testing, the proportion of children and adolescents with viral suppression was 12 048 (64% [plausible range 43-81]) of 18 835 at 1 year, 10 796 (62% [41-77]) of 17 553 at 2 years, and 9177 (59% [38-91]) of 15 667 at 3 years after ART initiation; the proportion of adults with viral suppression was 176 964 (79% [53-80]) of 225 418 at 1 year, 145 552 (72% [48-79]) of 201 238 at 2 years, and 115 260 (65% [43-69]) of 178 458 at 3 years after ART initiation. Interpretation: Although adults with HIV are approaching the global target of 95% viral suppression, progress among children and adolescents is much slower. Substantial efforts are still needed to reach the viral suppression target for children and adolescents.
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    Outcomes of retained and disengaged pregnant women living with HIV in Uganda
    (Public Library of Science, 2021-05-21) Kiragga, Agnes N.; Twinomuhwezi, Ellon; Banturaki, Grace; Achieng, Marion; Nampala, Juliet; Bagaya, Irene; Kigozi, Joanita; Castelnuovo, Barbara; Musick, Beverly S.; Hazra, Rohan; Yiannoutsos, Constantin T.; Wools-Kaloustian, Kara K.; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Introduction: Loss-to-follow-up among women living with HIV (WLWHIV) may lead to unfavorable outcomes for both mother and exposed infant. This study traced WLWHIV disengaged from care and their infants and compared their outcomes with those retained in care. Methods: The study included WLWHIV who initiated ART during pregnancy at six public clinics in Uganda. A woman was defined as disengaged (DW) if she had not attended her 6-week post-partum visit by 10 weeks after her estimated date of delivery. DW were matched with retained women (RW) by age and duration on ART. Nurse counselors traced all selected DW via telephone and community visits to assess vital status, infant HIV sero-status and maternal HIV viral load through blood draws. Results: Between July 2017 and July 2018, 734 women (359 DW and 375 RW) were identified for the study. Tracing was attempted on 349 DW and 160 (44.6%) were successfully located and enrolled in the study. They were matched with 162 RW. Among DW, 52 (32.5%) transferred to another health facility. Very few DW, 39.0% were HIV virally suppressed (<1000 copies/ml) compared to RW 89.5%, P<0.001). Among 138 babies born to DW, 4.3% tested positive for HIV compared to 1.4% among babies born to RW (P = 0.163). Conclusion: Pregnant and breastfeeding WLWHIV who disengage from care are difficult to find in urban environments. Many have detectable viral loads, leading to the potential for an increased risk of MTCT. Efforts to reduce disengagement from care are critical for the successful elimination of MTCT in resource-limited settings.
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    Sex Differences in the Prevalence of Geriatric Syndromes Among Older People Living with HIV Attending an Urban Outpatient Clinic in Kampala, Uganda
    (Dove Press, 2024-11-26) Mbabazi, Phoebe; Banturaki, Grace; Naikoba, Suzan; Nasuuna, Esther M.; Manabe, Yukari C.; Greene, Meredith; Castelnuovo, Barbara; Medicine, School of Medicine
    Background: Older people living with HIV (PLHIV) are at high risk of developing geriatric syndromes. Data on geriatric syndromes among older PLHIV in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce. We examined sex differences in the prevalence and correlates of geriatric syndromes among PLHIV aged ≥60 years on antiretroviral therapy in Kampala, Uganda. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data obtained during the enrollment of older PLHIV into a prospective observational cohort in Kampala. We used the Poisson regression model to explore the association between the number of geriatric syndromes and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), sociodemographic factors, and HIV-related factors. Results: We included 500 participants (48.8% women) with a median age of 64 years (interquartile range, IQR: 62.68). Almost all (94.4%) participants had at least one geriatric syndrome. More women were frail (13.1% vs 5.1%, P-value = 0.01) and had lower physical performance measured using the Short Physical Performance Battery (43.3% vs 26.6%, P-value < 0.01). Similarly, more women had cognitive impairment (83.2% vs 62.9%, P-value < 0.01) and reported falling (48.8% vs 34.0%, P-value < 0.01). Women (adjusted mean ratio, AMR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05-1.30, P-value < 0.01), older age (AMR 1.11, 95% CI 1.07-1.16, P-value < 0.01), no formal education (AMR 1.39, 95% CI 1.06-1.82, P-value = 0.01), underweight (AMR 1.49, 95% CI 1.26-1.76, P-value < 0.01), World Health Organization (WHO) stage 3 or 4 (AMR 1.11, 95% CI 0.01-1.22, P-value = 0.04) and having two or more NCDs (AMR 1.11, 95% CI 1.00-1.23, P-value = 0.04) were associated with a higher number of geriatric syndromes. Conclusion: The prevalence of geriatric syndromes was high among older PLHIV and was more common in women. There is a need to incorporate the screening and management of geriatric syndromes into the care of older PLHIV in sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on women.