Browsing by Author "Davies MA"
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Item Access to antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children aged 0-19 years in the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Global Cohort Consortium, 2004-2015: A prospective cohort study.(2018-May) Desmonde S; Tanser F; Vreeman R; Takassi E; Edmonds A; Lumbiganon P; Pinto J; Malateste K; McGowan C; Kariminia A; Yotebieng M; Dicko F; Yiannoutsos C; Mubiana-Mbewe M; Wools-Kaloustian K; Davies MA; Leroy V; Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, South Africa.; Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.; Inserm U1027, Toulouse III University, Toulouse, France.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Inserm U1219, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.; Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.; CHU Sylvanus Olympio, Lomé, Togo.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.; Hopital Gabriel Touré, Bamako, Mali.; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.; School of Medicine, Universide Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.; School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.; Bordeaux School of Public Health, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.; Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Division of Epidemiology, College of Public Health, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)INTRODUCTION: Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a global priority. However, the attrition across the continuum of care for HIV-infected children between their HIV diagnosis and ART initiation is not well known. We analyzed the time from enrollment into HIV care to ART initiation in HIV-infected children within the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Global Cohort Consortium. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We included 135,479 HIV-1-infected children, aged 0-19 years and ART-naïve at enrollment, between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2015, in IeDEA cohorts from Central Africa (3 countries; n = 4,948), East Africa (3 countries; n = 22,827), West Africa (7 countries; n = 7,372), Southern Africa (6 countries; n = 93,799), Asia-Pacific (6 countries; n = 4,045), and Latin America (7 countries; n = 2,488). Follow-up in these cohorts is typically every 3-6 months. We described time to ART initiation and missed opportunities (death or loss to follow-up [LTFU]: last clinical visit >6 months) since baseline (the date of HIV diagnosis or, if unavailable, date of enrollment). Cumulative incidence functions (CIFs) for and determinants of ART initiation were computed, with death and LTFU as competing risks. Among the 135,479 children included, 99,404 (73.4%) initiated ART, 1.9% died, 1.4% were transferred out, and 20.4% were lost to follow-up before ART initiation. The 24-month CIF for ART initiation was 68.2% (95% CI: 67.9%-68.4%); it was lower in sub-Saharan Africa-ranging from 49.8% (95% CI: 48.4%-51.2%) in Central Africa to 72.5% (95% CI: 71.5%-73.5%) in West Africa-compared to Latin America (71.0%, 95% CI: 69.1%-72.7%) and the Asia-Pacific (78.3%, 95% CI: 76.9%-79.6%). Adolescents aged 15-19 years and infants <1 year had the lowest cumulative incidence of ART initiation compared to other ages: 62.2% (95% CI: 61.6%-62.8%) and 66.4% (95% CI: 65.7%-67.0%), respectively. Overall, 49.1% were ART-eligible per local guidelines at baseline, of whom 80.6% initiated ART. The following children had lower cumulative incidence of ART initiation: female children (p < 0.01); those aged <1 year, 2-4 years, 5-9 years, and 15-19 years (versus those aged 10-14 years, p < 0.01); those who became eligible during follow-up (versus eligible at enrollment, p < 0.01); and those receiving care in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (p < 0.01). The main limitations of our study include left truncation and survivor bias, caused by deaths of children prior to enrollment, and use of enrollment date as a proxy for missing data on date of HIV diagnosis, which could have led to underestimation of the time between HIV diagnosis and ART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, 68% of HIV-infected children initiated ART by 24 months. However, there was a substantial risk of LTFU before ART initiation, which may also represent undocumented mortality. In 2015, many obstacles to ART initiation remained, with substantial inequities. More effective and targeted interventions to improve access are needed to reach the target of treating 90% of HIV-infected children with ART.Item Association between hepatitis B co-infection and elevated liver stiffness among HIV-infected adults in Lusaka, Zambia.(2016-Nov) Vinikoor MJ; Mulenga L; Siyunda A; Musukuma K; Chilengi R; Moore CB; Chi BH; Davies MA; Egger M; Wandeler G; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Department of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.; Department of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. mjv3@uab.edu.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. mjv3@uab.edu.; University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia. mjv3@uab.edu.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Dakar, Dakar, Senegal.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)OBJECTIVE: To describe liver disease epidemiology among HIV-infected individuals in Zambia. METHODS: We recruited HIV-infected adults (≥18 years) at antiretroviral therapy initiation at two facilities in Lusaka. Using vibration controlled transient elastography, we assessed liver stiffness, a surrogate for fibrosis/cirrhosis, and analysed liver stiffness measurements (LSM) according to established thresholds (>7.0 kPa for significant fibrosis and >11.0 kPa for cirrhosis). All participants underwent standardised screening for potential causes of liver disease including chronic hepatitis B (HBV) and C virus co-infection, herbal medicine, and alcohol use. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with elevated liver stiffness. RESULTS: Among 798 HIV-infected patients, 651 had a valid LSM (median age, 34 years; 53% female). HBV co-infection (12%) and alcohol use disorders (41%) were common and hepatitis C virus co-infection (<1%) was rare. According to LSM, 75 (12%) had significant fibrosis and 13 (2%) had cirrhosis. In multivariable analysis, HBV co-infection as well as male sex, increased age and WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 were independently associated with LSM >7.0 kPa (all P < 0.05). HBV co-infection was the only independent risk factor for LSM >11.0 kPa. Among HIV-HBV patients, those with elevated ALT and HBV viral load were more likely to have significant liver fibrosis than patients with normal markers of HBV activity. CONCLUSIONS: HBV co-infection was the most important risk factor for liver fibrosis and cirrhosis and should be diagnosed early in HIV care to optimise treatment outcomes.Item Authors' Reply: Early Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Among Young Children: A Long Way to Go.(2015-Oct-01) Koller M; Patel K; Chi BH; Wools-Kaloustian K; Dicko F; Chokephaibulkit K; Chimbetete C; Hazra R; Ayaya S; Leroy V; Trong HK; Egger M; Davies MA; *Institute of Social & Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Switzerland †Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA ‡Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia §Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN ‖Department of Pediatrics, Gabriel Toure Hospital, Bamako, Mali ¶Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand #Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe **Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD ††Department of Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, Moi University, Kenya ‡‡INSERM, French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, U897, Bordeaux, France §§Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ‖‖School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town Faculty of Health Sciences, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)Item Brief Report: Assessing the Association Between Changing NRTIs When Initiating Second-Line ART and Treatment Outcomes.(2018-Apr-01) Rohr JK; Ive P; Horsburgh CR; Berhanu R; Hoffmann CJ; Wood R; Boulle A; Giddy J; Prozesky H; Vinikoor M; Mwanza MW; Wandeler G; Davies MA; Fox MP; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Helen Joseph Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, MA.; McCord Hospital, Durban, South Africa.; Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL.; The Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa.; School of Medicine, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Division of Infectious Diseases, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.; Center for Global Health and Development, Boston University, Boston, MA.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Medicine, Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: After first-line antiretroviral therapy failure, the importance of change in nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) in second line is uncertain due to the high potency of protease inhibitors used in second line. SETTING: We used clinical data from 6290 adult patients in South Africa and Zambia from the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Southern Africa cohort. METHODS: We included patients who initiated on standard first-line antiretroviral therapy and had evidence of first-line failure. We used propensity score-adjusted Cox proportional-hazards models to evaluate the impact of change in NRTI on second-line failure compared with remaining on the same NRTI in second line. In South Africa, where viral load monitoring was available, treatment failure was defined as 2 consecutive viral loads >1000 copies/mL. In Zambia, it was defined as 2 consecutive CD4 counts <100 cells/mm. RESULTS: Among patients in South Africa initiated on zidovudine (AZT), the adjusted hazard ratio for second-line virologic failure was 0.25 (95% confidence interval: 0.11 to 0.57) for those switching to tenofovir (TDF) vs. remaining on AZT. Among patients in South Africa initiated on TDF, switching to AZT in second line was associated with reduced second-line failure (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.35 [95% confidence interval: 0.13 to 0.96]). In Zambia, where viral load monitoring was not available, results were less conclusive. CONCLUSIONS: Changing NRTI in second line was associated with better clinical outcomes in South Africa. Additional clinical trial research regarding second-line NRTI choices for patients initiated on TDF or with contraindications to specific NRTIs is needed.Item Changes in rapid HIV treatment initiation after national "treat all" policy adoption in 6 sub-Saharan African countries: Regression discontinuity analysis.(2019-Jun) Tymejczyk O; Brazier E; Yiannoutsos CT; Vinikoor M; van Lettow M; Nalugoda F; Urassa M; Sinayobye JD; Rebeiro PF; Wools-Kaloustian K; Davies MA; Zaniewski E; Anderegg N; Liu G; Ford N; Nash D; Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Global Hepatitis Programme, HIV/AIDS Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Alabama, United States of America.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.; Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America.; Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America.; Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo and Entebbe, Uganda.; Rwanda Military Hospital, Kigali, Rwanda.; Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi.; Mwanza Intervention Trials Unit, National Institute for Medical Research, Mwanza, Tanzania.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America.; Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Most countries have formally adopted the World Health Organization's 2015 recommendation of universal HIV treatment ("treat all"). However, there are few rigorous assessments of the real-world impact of treat all policies on antiretroviral treatment (ART) uptake across different contexts. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We used longitudinal data for 814,603 patients enrolling in HIV care between 1 January 2004 and 10 July 2018 in 6 countries participating in the global International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium: Burundi (N = 11,176), Kenya (N = 179,941), Malawi (N = 84,558), Rwanda (N = 17,396), Uganda (N = 96,286), and Zambia (N = 425,246). Using a quasi-experimental regression discontinuity design, we assessed the change in the proportion initiating ART within 30 days of enrollment in HIV care (rapid ART initiation) after country-level adoption of the treat all policy. A modified Poisson model was used to identify factors associated with failure to initiate ART rapidly under treat all. In each of the 6 countries, over 60% of included patients were female, and median age at enrollment ranged from 32 to 36 years. In all countries studied, national adoption of treat all was associated with large increases in rapid ART initiation. Significant increases in rapid ART initiation immediately after treat all policy adoption were observed in Rwanda, from 44.4% to 78.9% of patients (34.5 percentage points [pp], 95% CI 27.2 to 41.7; p < 0.001), Kenya (25.7 pp, 95% CI 21.8 to 29.5; p < 0.001), Burundi (17.7 pp, 95% CI 6.5 to 28.9; p = 0.002), and Malawi (12.5 pp, 95% CI 7.5 to 17.5; p < 0.001), while no immediate increase was observed in Zambia (0.4 pp, 95% CI -2.9 to 3.8; p = 0.804) and Uganda (-4.2 pp, 95% CI -9.0 to 0.7; p = 0.090). The rate of rapid ART initiation accelerated sharply following treat all policy adoption in Malawi, Uganda, and Zambia; slowed in Kenya; and did not change in Rwanda and Burundi. In post hoc analyses restricted to patients enrolling under treat all, young adults (16-24 years) and men were at increased risk of not rapidly initiating ART (compared to older patients and women, respectively). However, rapid ART initiation following enrollment increased for all groups as more time elapsed since treat all policy adoption. Study limitations include incomplete data on potential ART eligibility criteria, such as clinical status, pregnancy, and enrollment CD4 count, which precluded the assessment of rapid ART initiation specifically among patients known to be eligible for ART before treat all. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis indicates that adoption of treat all policies had a strong effect on increasing rates of rapid ART initiation, and that these increases followed different trajectories across the 6 countries. Young adults and men still require additional attention to further improve rapid ART initiation.Item Characteristics and outcomes of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV within Southern Africa.(2020-Dec-01) Tsondai PR; Braithwaite K; Fatti G; Bolton Moore C; Chimbetete C; Rabie H; Phiri S; Sawry S; Eley B; Hobbins MA; Boulle A; Taghavi K; Sohn AH; Davies MA; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Harriet Shezi Children's Clinic, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Health Sciences, Johannesburg.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Kheth' Impilo, AIDS Free Living, Cape Town.; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.; Empilweni Services and Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.; Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; TREAT Asia/amfAR - The Foundation for AIDS Research, Bangkok, Thailand.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Alabama, USA.; Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Hospital, Stellenbosch University, Parow, South Africa.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology & Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Research & Quality Unit, SolidarMed, Lucerne.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Using data from 15 International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS in Southern Africa sites, we compared the characteristics and outcomes of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV (ALPH). METHODS: We included ALPH entering care aged less than 13 years with at least one HIV care visit during adolescence (10-19 years). We compared the characteristics and cross-sectional outcomes: transfer out, loss to follow-up (no visit in the 12 months prior to database closure), mortality, and retention between those who entered care aged less than 10 vs. aged 10-13 years; and explored predictors of mortality after age 13 years using Cox Proportional Hazards models. RESULTS: Overall, 16 229 (50% female) ALPH who entered HIV care aged less than 10 years and 8897 (54% female) aged 10-13 years were included and followed for 152 574 person-years. During follow-up, 94.1% initiated antiretroviral therapy, with those who entered care aged less than 10 more likely to have initiated antiretroviral therapy [97.9%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 97.6; 98.1%] than those who presented aged 10-13 years (87.3%, 95% CI 86.6; 88.0%). At the end of follow-up, 3% had died (entered care aged <10 vs. 10-13 years; 1.4 vs. 5.1%), 22% were loss to follow-up (16.2 vs. 33.4%), and 59% (66.4 vs. 45.4%) were retained. There was no difference in the risk of dying after the age of 13 years between adolescents entering care aged less than 10 vs. 10-13 years (adjusted hazard ratio 0.72; 95% CI 0.36; 1.42). CONCLUSION: Retention outcomes for ALPH progressively worsened with increasing age, with these outcomes substantially worse among adolescents entering HIV care aged 10-13 vs. less than 10 years.Item Characterizing the double-sided cascade of care for adolescents living with HIV transitioning to adulthood across Southern Africa.(2020-Jan) Tsondai PR; Sohn AH; Phiri S; Sikombe K; Sawry S; Chimbetete C; Fatti G; Hobbins MA; Technau KG; Rabie H; Bernheimer J; Fox MP; Judd A; Collins IJ; Davies MA; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Empilweni Services and Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, University College London (UCL), London, United Kingdom.; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.; TREAT Asia/amfAR - The Foundation for AIDS Research, Bangkok, Thailand.; SolidarMed, Luzern, Switzerland.; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.; Harriet Shezi Children's Clinic, Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Médecins Sans Frontiers, Khayelitsha, South Africa.; Kheth'Impilo, Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Global Health and Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.; Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)INTRODUCTION: As adolescents and young people living with HIV (AYLH) age, they face a "transition cascade," a series of steps associated with transitions in their care as they become responsible for their own healthcare. In high-income countries, this usually includes transfer from predominantly paediatric/adolescent to adult clinics. In sub-Saharan Africa, paediatric HIV care is mostly provided in decentralized, non-specialist primary care clinics, where "transition" may not necessarily include transfer of care but entails becoming more autonomous for one's HIV care. Using different age thresholds as proxies for when "transition" to autonomy might occur, we evaluated pre- and post-transition outcomes among AYLH. METHODS: We included AYLH aged <16 years at enrolment, receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) within International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa (IeDEA-SA) sites (2004 to 2017) with no history of transferring care. Using the ages of 16, 18, 20 and 22 years as proxies for "transition to autonomy," we compared the outcomes: no gap in care (≥2 clinic visits) and viral suppression (HIV-RNA <400 copies/mL) in the 12 months before and after each age threshold. Using log-binomial regression, we examined factors associated with no gap in care (retention) in the 12 months post-transition. RESULTS: A total of 5516 AYLH from 16 sites were included at "transition" age 16 (transition-16y), 3864 at 18 (transition-18y), 1463 at 20 (transition-20y) and 440 at 22 years (transition-22y). At transition-18y, in the 12 months pre- and post-transition, 83% versus 74% of AYLH had no gap in care (difference 9.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 7.8 to 10.9)); while 65% versus 62% were virally suppressed (difference 2.7 (-1.0 to 6.5%)). The strongest predictor of being retained post-transition was having no gap in the preceding year, across all transition age thresholds (transition-16y: adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 1.72; 95% CI (1.60 to 1.86); transition-18y: aRR 1.76 (1.61 to 1.92); transition-20y: aRR 1.75 (1.53 to 2.01); transition-22y: aRR 1.47; (1.21 to 1.78)). CONCLUSIONS: AYLH with gaps in care need targeted support to prevent non-retention as they take on greater responsibility for their healthcare. Interventions to increase virologic suppression rates are necessary for all AYLH ageing to adulthood.Item Correcting mortality estimates among children and youth on antiretroviral therapy in southern Africa: A comparative analysis between a multi-country tracing study and linkage to a health information exchange.(2024-Aug) Nyakato P; Schomaker M; Boulle A; Euvrard J; Wood R; Eley B; Prozesky H; Christ B; Anderegg N; Ayakaka I; Rafael I; Kunzekwenyika C; Moore CB; van Lettow M; Chimbetete C; Mbewe S; Ballif M; Egger M; Yiannoutsos CT; Cornell M; Davies MA; R.M Fairbanks, School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; SolidarMed, Pemba, Mozambique.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; SolidarMed, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Stellenbosch and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi.; SolidarMed, Maseru, Lesotho.; Khayelitsha ART Programme, Cape Town, South Africa.; Western Cape Government: Health and Wellness, Cape Town, South Africa.; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Madiro, Toronto, Canada.; Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Munich, Germany.; Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Gugulethu HIV Programme and Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to assess the outcomes of children, adolescents and young adults with HIV reported as lost to follow-up, correct mortality estimates for children, adolescents and young adults with HIV for unascertained outcomes in those loss to follow-up (LTFU) based on tracing and linkage data separately using data from the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS in Southern Africa. METHODS: We included data from two different populations of children, adolescents and young adults with HIV; (1) clinical data from children, adolescents and young adults with HIV aged ≤24 years from Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe; (2) clinical data from children, adolescents and young adults with HIV aged ≤14 years from the Western Cape (WC) in South Africa. Outcomes of patients lost to follow-up were available from (1) a tracing study and (2) linkage to a health information exchange. For both populations, we compared six methods for correcting mortality estimates for all children, adolescents and young adults with HIV. RESULTS: We found substantial variations of mortality estimates among children, adolescents and young adults with HIV reported as lost to follow-up versus those retained in care. Ascertained mortality was higher among lost and traceable children, adolescents and young adults with HIV and lower among lost and linkable than those retained in care (mortality: 13.4% [traced] vs. 12.6% [retained-other Southern Africa countries]; 3.4% [linked] vs. 9.4% [retained-WC]). A high proportion of lost to follow-up children, adolescents and young adults with HIV had self-transferred (21.0% and 47.0%) in the traced and linked samples, respectively. The uncorrected method of non-informative censoring yielded the lowest mortality estimates among all methods for both tracing (6.0%) and linkage (4.0%) approaches at 2 years from ART start. Among corrected methods using ascertained data, multiple imputation, incorporating ascertained data (MI(asc.)) and inverse probability weighting with logistic weights were most robust for the tracing approach. In contrast, for the linkage approach, MI(asc.) was the most robust. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasise that lost to follow-up is non-ignorable and both tracing and linkage improved outcome ascertainment: tracing identified substantial mortality in those reported as lost to follow-up, whereas linkage did not identify out-of-facility deaths, but showed that a large proportion of those reported as lost to follow-up were self-transfers.Item Effect of antiretroviral therapy care interruptions on mortality in children living with HIV.(2022-Apr-01) Davies C; Johnson L; Sawry S; Chimbetete C; Eley B; Vinikoor M; Technau KG; Ehmer J; Rabie H; Phiri S; Tanser F; Malisita K; Fatti G; Osler M; Wood R; Newton S; Haas A; Davies MA; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, South Africa.; Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital and Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town.; School of Public Health, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa.; Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Harriet Shezi Children's Clinic, Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital, Soweto, South Africa.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland.; Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.; Kheth'Impilo AIDS Free Living.; Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Department of Global Health, Stellenbosch University.; Gugulethu HIV Programme and Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; SolidarMed, Lucerne, Switzerland.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Kamuzu Central Hospital, Lilongwe, Malaysia.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Empilweni Services and Research Unit, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of HIV-infected children that have care interruptions, during which the child's health status and use of medication is unknown. DESIGN: We included data on children initiating ART between 2004 and 2016 at less than 16 years old at 16 International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS Southern Africa cohorts. Children were classified as loss to follow up (LTFU) if they had not attended clinic for more than 180 days. Children had a care interruption if they were classified as LTFU, and subsequently returned to care. Children who died within 180 days of ART start were excluded. METHODS: The main outcome was all cause mortality. Two exposed groups were considered: those with a first care interruption within the first 6 months on ART, and those with a first care interruption after 6 months on ART. Adjusted hazard ratios were determined using a Cox regression model. RESULTS: Among 53 674 children included, 23 437 (44%) had a care interruption, of which 10 629 (20%) had a first care interruption within 6 months on ART and 12 808 (24%) had a first care interruption after 6 months on ART. Increased mortality was associated with a care interruption within 6 months on ART [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 1.52, 95% CI 1.12-2.04] but not with a care interruption after 6 months on ART (AHR = 1.05, 95% CI 0.77-1.44). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that strengthening retention of children in care in the early period after ART initiation is critical to improving paediatric ART outcomes.Item Effect of baseline renal function on tenofovir-containing antiretroviral therapy outcomes in Zambia.(2014-May) Mulenga L; Musonda P; Mwango A; Vinikoor MJ; Davies MA; Mweemba A; Calmy A; Stringer JS; Keiser O; Chi BH; Wandeler G; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Although tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) use has increased as part of first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) across sub-Saharan Africa, renal outcomes among patients receiving TDF remain poorly understood. We assessed changes in renal function and mortality in patients starting TDF- or non-TDF-containing ART in Lusaka, Zambia. METHODS: We included patients aged ≥16 years who started ART from 2007 onward, with documented baseline weight and serum creatinine. Renal dysfunction was categorized as mild (estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR], 60-89 mL/min), moderate (30-59 mL/min), or severe (<30 mL/min) according to the chronic kidney disease-epidemiology (CKD-EPI) formula. Differences in eGFR during ART were analyzed using linear mixed-effect models. The odds of developing moderate or severe eGFR decrease and mortality were assessed using logistic and competing risk regression, respectively. RESULTS: We included 62 230 adults, of which 38 716 (62.2%) initiated a TDF-based regimen. The proportion with moderate or severe renal dysfunction at baseline was lower in the TDF than in the non-TDF group (1.9% vs 4.0%). Among patients with no or mild renal dysfunction, those receiving TDF were more likely to develop moderate (adjusted odds ratio, 3.11; 95% confidence interval, 2.52-3.87) or severe (2.43; 1.80-3.28) eGFR decrease, although the incidence in such episodes was low. Among patients with moderate or severe renal dysfunction at baseline, renal function improved independently of ART regimen, and mortality rates were similar in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: TDF use did not attenuate renal function recovery or increase the mortality rate in patients with renal dysfunction. Further studies are needed to determine the role of routine renal function monitoring before and during ART use in Africa.Item Global HIV prevention, care and treatment services for children: a cross-sectional survey from the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium.(2023-Mar-13) Vreeman RC; Yiannoutsos CT; Yusoff NKN; Wester CW; Edmonds A; Ofner S; Davies MA; Leroy V; Lumbiganon P; de Menezes Succi RC; Twizere C; Brown S; Bolton-Moore C; Takassi OE; Scanlon M; Martin R; Wools-Kaloustian K; Center for Epidemiology and Research in POPulation Health (CERPOP), Inserm, Université de Toulouse, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France.; Department of Global Health and Health System Design, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Arnhold Institute for Global Health, New York, New York, USA rachel.vreeman@mssm.edu.; Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Biostatistics and Health Data Science, Indiana University Richard M Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Department of Medicine, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.; Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.; Département de Pédiatrie, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo.; Indiana University Center for Global Health, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Centre National de Référence en Matière de VIH/SIDA, Bujumbura, Burundi.; Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.; Department of Paediatrics, Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu, Malaysia.; Department of Global Health and Health System Design, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Arnhold Institute for Global Health, New York, New York, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)OBJECTIVES: To assess access children with HIV have to comprehensive HIV care services, to longitudinally evaluate the implementation and scale-up of services, and to use site services and clinical cohort data to explore whether access to these services influences retention in care. METHODS: A cross-sectional standardised survey was completed in 2014-2015 by sites providing paediatric HIV care across regions of the International Epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium. We developed a comprehensiveness score based on the WHO's nine categories of essential services to categorise sites as 'low' (0-5), 'medium', (6-7) or 'high' (8-9). When available, comprehensiveness scores were compared with scores from a 2009 survey. We used patient-level data with site services to investigate the relationship between the comprehensiveness of services and retention. RESULTS: Survey data from 174 IeDEA sites in 32 countries were analysed. Of the WHO essential services, sites were most likely to offer antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision and counselling (n=173; 99%), co-trimoxazole prophylaxis (168; 97%), prevention of perinatal transmission services (167; 96%), outreach for patient engagement and follow-up (166; 95%), CD4 cell count testing (126; 88%), tuberculosis screening (151; 87%) and select immunisation services (126; 72%). Sites were less likely to offer nutrition/food support (97; 56%), viral load testing (99; 69%) and HIV counselling and testing (69; 40%). 10% of sites rated 'low', 59% 'medium' and 31% 'high' in the comprehensiveness score. The mean comprehensiveness of services score increased significantly from 5.6 in 2009 to 7.3 in 2014 (p<0.001; n=30). Patient-level analysis of lost to follow-up after ART initiation estimated the hazard was highest in sites rated 'low' and lowest in sites rated 'high'. CONCLUSION: This global assessment suggests the potential care impact of scaling-up and sustaining comprehensive paediatric HIV services. Meeting recommendations for comprehensive HIV services should remain a global priority.Item Growth and CD4 patterns of adolescents living with perinatally acquired HIV worldwide, a CIPHER cohort collaboration analysis.(2022-Mar) Jesson J; Crichton S; Quartagno M; Yotebieng M; Abrams EJ; Chokephaibulkit K; Le Coeur S; Aké-Assi MH; Patel K; Pinto J; Paul M; Vreeman R; Davies MA; Ben-Farhat J; Van Dyke R; Judd A; Mofenson L; Vicari M; Seage G; Bekker LG; Essajee S; Gibb D; Penazzato M; Collins IJ; Wools-Kaloustian K; Slogrove A; Powis K; Williams P; Matshaba M; Thahane L; Nyasulu P; Lukhele B; Mwita L; Kekitiinwa-Rukyalekere A; Wanless S; Goetghebuer T; Thorne C; Warszawski J; Galli L; van Rossum AMC; Giaquinto C; Marczynska M; Marques L; Prata F; Ene L; Okhonskaya L; Navarro M; Frick A; Naver L; Kahlert C; Volokha A; Chappell E; Pape JW; Rouzier V; Marcelin A; Succi R; Sohn AH; Kariminia A; Edmonds A; Lelo P; Lyamuya R; Ogalo EA; Odhiambo FA; Haas AD; Bolton C; Muhairwe J; Tweya H; Sylla M; D'Almeida M; Renner L; Abzug MJ; Oleske J; Purswani M; Teasdale C; Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H; Goodall R; Leroy V; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Mbabane, eSwatini.; University Hospital Yopougon, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.; Siriraj Institute of Clinical Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Salaya, Thailand.; Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.; Pediatric Hospital Kalembe Lembe, Lingwala, Demogratic Republic of Congo.; Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA.; Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.; CHU Gabriel Toure, Bamako, Mali.; Hospital de Santa Maria, Lisboa, Portugal.; Hospital Universitari Vall d' Hebron, Vall d' Hebron Research Institute, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Kampala, Uganda.; Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative, Texas Children's Hospital-USA, Houston, Texas, USA.; Hospital St Pierre, Brussels, Belgium.; Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Lilongwe, Botswana.; Republican Hospital of Infectious Diseases, St Petersburg, Russian Federation.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; MRC Clinical Trials Unit, University College London, London, UK.; Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.; Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.; Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Washington, DC, USA.; Medical University of Warsaw, Hospital of Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.; Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana.; Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD), UMI-174/PHPT, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.; Epicentre, Médecins Sans Frontières, Paris, France.; Tulane University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.; Center for Microbiology Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.; Institut National d'Etude Demographique (INED), Mortality, Health and Epidemiology Unit, Paris, France.; Department of Health Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.; CERPOP, Inserm, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse 3, Toulouse, France.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Padova University/PENTA Foundation, Padua, Italy.; University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, USA.; Children's Hospital of Eastern Switzerland, Saint Gallen, Switzerland.; Shupyk National Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, Kiev, Ukraine.; TREAT Asia/amfAR, Bangkok, Thailand.; Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.; Morogoro Regional Hospital, Morogoro, Tanzania.; SolidarMed, Lesotho, Zimbabwe.; Department of Global Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Mwanza, Tanzania.; Victor Babes Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.; Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, Bronx, New York, USA.; UNICEF, New York, USA.; Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Worcester, South Africa.; Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert K. Maga, Cotonou, Benin.; International AIDS Society, Geneva, Switzerland.; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Rutgers - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.; Infection Disease Unit, Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy.; Inserm U1018, Centre de recherche en Epidémiologie et Santé des Populations, Paris, France.; Erasmus MC University Medical Center Rotterdam-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.; Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil.; Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; HIV Department, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland.; GHESKIO Center, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.; UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Maseru, Lesotho.; ICAP at Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, USA.; Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Hospital General Universitario "Gregorio Marañón", Madrid, Spain.; Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation, Lilongwe, Malawi.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)INTRODUCTION: Adolescents living with HIV are subject to multiple co-morbidities, including growth retardation and immunodeficiency. We describe growth and CD4 evolution during adolescence using data from the Collaborative Initiative for Paediatric HIV Education and Research (CIPHER) global project. METHODS: Data were collected between 1994 and 2015 from 11 CIPHER networks worldwide. Adolescents with perinatally acquired HIV infection (APH) who initiated antiretroviral therapy (ART) before age 10 years, with at least one height or CD4 count measurement while aged 10-17 years, were included. Growth was measured using height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ, stunting if <-2 SD, WHO growth charts). Linear mixed-effects models were used to study the evolution of each outcome between ages 10 and 17. For growth, sex-specific models with fractional polynomials were used to model non-linear relationships for age at ART initiation, HAZ at age 10 and time, defined as current age from 10 to 17 years of age. RESULTS: A total of 20,939 and 19,557 APH were included for the growth and CD4 analyses, respectively. Half were females, two-thirds lived in East and Southern Africa, and median age at ART initiation ranged from <3 years in North America and Europe to >7 years in sub-Saharan African regions. At age 10, stunting ranged from 6% in North America and Europe to 39% in the Asia-Pacific; 19% overall had CD4 counts <500 cells/mm CONCLUSIONS: Growth patterns during adolescence differed substantially by sex and region, while CD4 patterns were similar, with an observed CD4 decline that needs further investigation. Early diagnosis and timely initiation of treatment in early childhood to prevent growth retardation and immunodeficiency are critical to improving APH growth and CD4 outcomes by the time they reach adulthood.Item Growth patterns of infants with in- utero HIV and ARV exposure in Cape Town, South Africa and Lusaka, Zambia.(2022-Jan-10) Nyemba DC; Kalk E; Vinikoor MJ; Madlala HP; Mubiana-Mbewe M; Mzumara M; Moore CB; Slogrove AL; Boulle A; Davies MA; Myer L; Powis K; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. dorothy.nyemba@uct.ac.za.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Ukwanda Centre for Rural Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Worcester, South Africa.; Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.; Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA.; Western Cape Government: Health, Cape Town, South Africa.; Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa. dorothy.nyemba@uct.ac.za.; Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Worcester, South Africa.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Division of Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town, 7925, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Infants born HIV-exposed yet remain uninfected (HEU) are at increased risk of poorer growth and health compared to infants born HIV-unexposed (HU). Whether maternal antiretroviral treatment (ART) in pregnancy ameliorates this risk of poorer growth is not well understood. Furthermore, whether risks are similar across high burden HIV settings has not been extensively explored. METHODS: We harmonized data from two prospective observational studies conducted in Cape Town, South Africa, and Lusaka, Zambia, to compare weight-for-age (WAZ), length-for-age (LAZ) and weight-for-length (WLZ) Z-scores between infants who were HEU and HU, converting infant anthropometric measures using World Health Organisation Growth Standards adjusted for age and sex. Linear mixed effects models were fit to identify risk factors for differences in anthropometrics at 6-10 weeks and 6 months by infant HIV exposures status and by timing of exposure to maternal ART, either from conception or later in gestation. RESULTS: Overall 773 mother-infant pairs were included across two countries: women living with HIV (WLHIV), 51% (n = 395) with 65% on ART at conception and 35% initiating treatment in pregnancy. In linear mixed effects models, WAZ and WLZ at 6-10 weeks were lower among infants who were HEU vs HU [β = - 0.29 (95% CI: - 0.46, - 0.12) and [β = - 0.42 (95% CI: - 0.68, - 0.16)] respectively after adjusting for maternal characteristics and infant feeding with a random intercept for country. At 6 months, LAZ was lower [β = - 0.28 CI: - 0.50, - 0.06)] among infants who were HEU, adjusting for the same variables, with no differences in WAZ and WLZ. Within cohort evaluations identified different results with higher LAZ among infants who were HEU from Zambia at 6-10 weeks, [β = + 0.34 CI: + 0.01, + 0.68)] and lower LAZ among infants who were HEU from South Africa [β = - 0.30 CI: - 0.59, - 0.01)] at 6 months, without other anthropometric differences at either site. CONCLUSION: Infant growth trajectories differed by country, highlighting the importance of studying contextual influences on outcomes of infants who were HEU.Item High Unreported Mortality in Children and Youth (<25 Years) Living With HIV Who Were Lost to Care From Antiretroviral Therapy Programs in Southern Africa: Results From a Multicountry Tracing Study.(2022-Dec-15) Nyakato P; Christ B; Anderegg N; Muhairwe J; Jefferys L; van Dijk J; Vinikoor MJ; van Lettow M; Chimbetete C; Phiri SJ; Egger M; Ballif M; Yiannoutsos CT; Schomaker M; Kassanjee R; Davies MA; Cornell M; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine.; SolidarMed, Maseru, Lesotho.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi.; SolidarMed, Pemba, Mozambique.; SolidarMed, Masvingo, Zimbabwe.; R.M. Fairbanks School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN; and.; Dignitas International, Zomba, Malawi.; Department of Statistics, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy program mortality maybe underestimated if deceased patients are misclassified as lost. METHODS: We used two-stage inverse probability weighting to account for probability of being: sampled for tracing and found by the tracer. RESULTS: Among 680 children and youth aged <25 years on antiretroviral therapy who were lost and traced in Southern Africa between October 2017 and November 2019, estimated mortality was high at 9.1% (62/680). After adjusting for measured covariates and within-site clustering, mortality remained lower for young adults aged 20-24 years compared with infants aged <2 years [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.40 (95% confidence interval: 0.31 to 0.51)]. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms high unreported mortality in children and youth who are lost and the need for tracing to assess vital status among those who are lost to accurately report on program mortality.Item Immunodeficiency in children starting antiretroviral therapy in low-, middle-, and high-income countries.(2015-Jan-01) Koller M; Patel K; Chi BH; Wools-Kaloustian K; Dicko F; Chokephaibulkit K; Chimbetete C; Avila D; Hazra R; Ayaya S; Leroy V; Truong HK; Egger M; Davies MA; *Institute of Social & Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; †Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA; ‡Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; §Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN; ‖Department of Pediatrics, Gabriel Toure Hospital, Bamako, Mali; ¶Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand; #Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe; **Maternal and Pediatric Infectious Disease Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), Bethesda, MD; ††Department of Pediatrics, College of Health Sciences, Moi University, Kenya; ‡‡INSERM, French National Institute for Health and Medical Research, U897, Bordeaux, France; §§Children's Hospital 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; and ‖‖School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: The CD4 cell count or percent (CD4%) at the start of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is an important prognostic factor in children starting therapy and an important indicator of program performance. We describe trends and determinants of CD4 measures at cART initiation in children from low-, middle-, and high-income countries. METHODS: We included children aged <16 years from clinics participating in a collaborative study spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States. Missing CD4 values at cART start were estimated through multiple imputation. Severe immunodeficiency was defined according to World Health Organization criteria. Analyses used generalized additive mixed models adjusted for age, country, and calendar year. RESULTS: A total of 34,706 children from 9 low-income, 6 lower middle-income, 4 upper middle-income countries, and 1 high-income country (United States) were included; 20,624 children (59%) had severe immunodeficiency. In low-income countries, the estimated prevalence of children starting cART with severe immunodeficiency declined from 76% in 2004 to 63% in 2010. Corresponding figures for lower middle-income countries were from 77% to 66% and for upper middle-income countries from 75% to 58%. In the United States, the percentage decreased from 42% to 19% during the period 1996 to 2006. In low- and middle-income countries, infants and children aged 12-15 years had the highest prevalence of severe immunodeficiency at cART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Despite progress in most low- and middle-income countries, many children continue to start cART with severe immunodeficiency. Early diagnosis and treatment of HIV-infected children to prevent morbidity and mortality associated with immunodeficiency must remain a global public health priority.Item Impact of Antiretroviral Therapy on Liver Fibrosis Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Adults With and Without HBV Coinfection in Zambia.(2017-May-15) Vinikoor MJ; Sinkala E; Chilengi R; Mulenga LB; Chi BH; Zyambo Z; Hoffmann CJ; Saag MS; Davies MA; Egger M; Wandeler G; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Switzerland.; School of Medicine, University of Zambia, and.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia.; School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Medicine, University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: We investigated changes in hepatic fibrosis, based on transient elastography (TE), among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with and without hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Zambia. METHODS: Patients' liver stiffness measurements (LSM; kiloPascals [kPa]) at ART initiation were categorized as no or minimal fibrosis (equivalent to Metavir F0-F1), significant fibrosis (F2-F3), and cirrhosis (F4). TE was repeated following 1 year of ART. Stratified by HBV coinfection status (hepatitis B surface antigen positive at baseline), we described LSM change and the proportion with an increase/decrease in fibrosis category. Using multivariable logistic regression, we assessed correlates of significant fibrosis/cirrhosis at 1 year on ART. RESULTS: Among 463 patients analyzed (61 with HBV coinfection), median age was 35 years, 53.7% were women, and median baseline CD4+ count was 240 cells/mm3. Nearly all (97.6%) patients received tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing ART, in line with nationally recommended first-line treatment. The median LSM change was -0.70 kPa (95% confidence interval, -3.0 to +1.7) and was similar with and without HBV coinfection. Significant fibrosis/cirrhosis decreased in frequency from 14.0% to 6.7% (P < .001). Increased age, male sex, and HBV coinfection predicted significant fibrosis/cirrhosis at 1 year (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: The percentage of HIV-infected Zambian adults with elevated liver stiffness suggestive of significant fibrosis/cirrhosis decreased following ART initiation-regardless of HBV status. This suggests that HIV infection plays a role in liver inflammation. HBV-coinfected patients were more likely to have significant fibrosis/cirrhosis at 1 year on ART. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02060162.Item Impact of Universal Antiretroviral Treatment Eligibility on Rapid Treatment Initiation Among Young Adolescents with Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Sub-Saharan Africa.(2020-Aug-04) Tymejczyk O; Brazier E; Wools-Kaloustian K; Davies MA; Dilorenzo M; Edmonds A; Vreeman R; Bolton C; Twizere C; Okoko N; Phiri S; Nakigozi G; Lelo P; von Groote P; Sohn AH; Nash D; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Institute for Implementation Science in Population Health, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya.; Department of Epidemiology, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.; Kalembelembe Pediatric Hospital, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.; TREAT Asia, amfAR-The Foundation for AIDS Research, Bangkok, Thailand.; Lighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Rakai Health Sciences Program, Kalisizo, Uganda.; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.; Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire de Kamenge, Bujumbura, Burundi.; Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: Young adolescents with perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at risk for poor care outcomes. We examined whether universal antiretroviral treatment (ART) eligibility policies (Treat All) improved rapid ART initiation after care enrollment among 10-14-year-olds in 7 sub-Saharan African countries. METHODS: Regression discontinuity analysis and data for 6912 patients aged 10-14-years were used to estimate changes in rapid ART initiation (within 30 days of care enrollment) after adoption of Treat All policies in 2 groups of countries: Uganda and Zambia (policy adopted in 2013) and Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, and Rwanda (policy adopted in 2016). RESULTS: There were immediate increases in rapid ART initiation among young adolescents after national adoption of Treat All. Increases were greater in countries adopting the policy in 2016 than in those adopting it in 2013: 23.4 percentage points (pp) (95% confidence interval, 13.9-32.8) versus 11.2pp (2.5-19.9). However, the rate of increase in rapid ART initiation among 10-14-year-olds rose appreciably in countries with earlier treatment expansions, from 1.5pp per year before Treat All to 7.7pp per year afterward. CONCLUSIONS: Universal ART eligibility has increased rapid treatment initiation among young adolescents enrolling in HIV care. Further research should assess their retention in care and viral suppression under Treat All.Item Medication Side Effects and Retention in HIV Treatment: A Regression Discontinuity Study of Tenofovir Implementation in South Africa and Zambia.(2018-Sep-01) Brennan AT; Bor J; Davies MA; Wandeler G; Prozesky H; Fatti G; Wood R; Stinson K; Tanser F; Bärnighausen T; Boulle A; Sikazwe I; Zanolini A; Fox MP; Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Center for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Research Department of Infection and Population Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom.; Department of Health, Provincial Government of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa.; Division of Public Health Medicine, School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany.; Health Economics and Epidemiology Research Office, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Department of Global Health and Population, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts.; School of Nursing and Public Health, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa.; Department of Global Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts.; Kheth'Impilo AIDS Free Living, Cape Town, South Africa.; Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Tygerberg Academic Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.; Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa.; The Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)Tenofovir is less toxic than other nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors used in antiretroviral therapy (ART) and may improve retention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients on ART. We assessed the impact of national guideline changes in South Africa (2010) and Zambia (2007) recommending tenofovir for first-line ART. We applied regression discontinuity in a prospective cohort study of 52,294 HIV-infected adults initiating first-line ART within 12 months (±12 months) of each guideline change. We compared outcomes in patients presenting just before and after the guideline changes using local linear regression and estimated intention-to-treat effects on initiation of tenofovir, retention in care, and other treatment outcomes at 24 months. We assessed complier causal effects among patients starting tenofovir. The new guidelines increased the percentages of patients initiating tenofovir in South Africa (risk difference (RD) = 81 percentage points, 95% confidence interval (CI): 73, 89) and Zambia (RD = 42 percentage points, 95% CI: 38, 45). With the guideline change, the percentage of single-drug substitutions decreased substantially in South Africa (RD = -15 percentage points, 95% CI: -18, -12). Starting tenofovir also reduced attrition in Zambia (intent-to-treat RD = -1.8% (95% CI: -3.5, -0.1); complier relative risk = 0.74) but not in South Africa (RD = -0.9% (95% CI: -5.9, 4.1); complier relative risk = 0.94). These results highlight the importance of reducing side effects for increasing retention in care, as well as the differences in population impact of policies with heterogeneous treatment effects implemented in different contexts.Item Monitoring and switching of first-line antiretroviral therapy in adult treatment cohorts in sub-Saharan Africa: collaborative analysis.(2015-Jul) Haas AD; Keiser O; Balestre E; Brown S; Bissagnene E; Chimbetete C; Dabis F; Davies MA; Hoffmann CJ; Oyaro P; Parkes-Ratanshi R; Reynolds SJ; Sikazwe I; Wools-Kaloustian K; Zannou DM; Wandeler G; Egger M; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Department of Infectious Diseases, Bern University Hospital and University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.; Kenya Medical Research Institute - RCTP FACES Program, Kisumu, Kenya.; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Aurum Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa.; Rakai Health Sciences Program, Entebbe, Uganda; Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.; Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.; Faculté des Sciences de la Santé de l'Université d'Abomey-Calavi, and Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire du Centre National Hospitalier Universitaire Hubert Koutoukou Maga, Cotonou, Benin.; Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Centre for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Research, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa. Electronic address: egger@ispm.unibe.ch.; Infectious Diseases Institute, Mulago Hospital Complex, Kampala, Uganda.; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.; Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Tropicales, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Treichville, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.; Centre de Recherche INSERM U897, Epidemiologie-Biostatistique, Institut de Santé Publique, Epidémiologie et Développement, Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: HIV-1 viral load testing is recommended to monitor antiretroviral therapy (ART) but is not universally available. The aim of our study was to assess monitoring of first-line ART and switching to second-line ART in sub-Saharan Africa. METHODS: We did a collaborative analysis of cohort studies from 16 countries in east Africa, southern Africa, and west Africa that participate in the international epidemiological database to evaluate AIDS (IeDEA). We included adults infected with HIV-1 who started combination ART between January, 2004, and January, 2013. We defined switching of ART as a change from a non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based regimen to one including a protease inhibitor, with adjustment of one or more nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). Virological and immunological failures were defined according to WHO criteria. We calculated cumulative probabilities of switching and hazard ratios with 95% CIs comparing routine viral load monitoring, targeted viral load monitoring, CD4 monitoring, and clinical monitoring, adjusting for programme and individual characteristics. FINDINGS: Of 297,825 eligible patients, 10,352 (3%) switched to second-line ART during 782 ,412 person-years of follow-up. Compared with CD4 monitoring, hazard ratios for switching were 3·15 (95% CI 2·92-3·40) for routine viral load monitoring, 1·21 (1·13-1·30) for targeted viral load monitoring, and 0·49 (0·43-0·56) for clinical monitoring. Of 6450 patients with confirmed virological failure, 58·0% (95% CI 56·5-59·6) switched by 2 years, and of 15,892 patients with confirmed immunological failure, 19·3% (18·5-20·0) switched by 2 years. Of 10,352 patients who switched, evidence of treatment failure based on one CD4 count or viral load measurement ranged from 86 (32%) of 268 patients with clinical monitoring to 3754 (84%) of 4452 with targeted viral load monitoring. Median CD4 counts at switching were 215 cells per μL (IQR 117-335) with routine viral load monitoring, but were lower with other types of monitoring (range 114-133 cells per μL). INTERPRETATION: Overall, few patients switched to second-line ART and switching happened late in the absence of routine viral load monitoring. Switching was more common and happened earlier after initiation of ART with targeted or routine viral load testing. FUNDING: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Swiss National Science Foundation.Item Outcomes of Infants Starting Antiretroviral Therapy in Southern Africa, 2004-2012.(2015-Aug-15) Porter M; Davies MA; Mapani MK; Rabie H; Phiri S; Nuttall J; Fairlie L; Technau KG; Stinson K; Wood R; Wellington M; Haas AD; Giddy J; Tanser F; Eley B; *School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; †MMed Paeds and Child Health (UNZA), Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia; ‡Tygerberg Academic Hospital and Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa; §Lighthouse Trust Clinic, Lilongwe, Malawi; ‖Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, South Africa; ¶School of Child and Adolescent Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; #Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; **Empilweni Services and Research Unit, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Rahima Moosa Mother and Child Hospital and University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; ††Médecins Sans Frontierès, Khayelitsha and School of Public Health and Family Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; ‡‡Gugulethu Community Health Centre and Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; §§Newlands Clinic, Harare, Zimbabwe; ‖‖Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (ISPM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; ¶¶McCord Hospital, Durban, South Africa; and ##Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Somkhele, South Africa.; CIDRZ; Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ)BACKGROUND: There are limited published data on the outcomes of infants starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in routine care in Southern Africa. This study aimed to examine the baseline characteristics and outcomes of infants initiating ART. METHODS: We analyzed prospectively collected cohort data from routine ART initiation in infants from 11 cohorts contributing to the International Epidemiologic Database to Evaluate AIDS in Southern Africa. We included ART-naive HIV-infected infants aged <12 months initiating ≥3 antiretroviral drugs between 2004 and 2012. Kaplan-Meier estimates were calculated for mortality, loss to follow-up (LTFU), transfer out, and virological suppression. We used Cox proportional hazard models stratified by cohort to determine baseline characteristics associated with outcomes mortality and virological suppression. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) age at ART initiation of 4945 infants was 5.9 months (3.7-8.7) with follow-up of 11.2 months (2.8-20.0). At ART initiation, 77% had WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 disease and 87% were severely immunosuppressed. Three-year mortality probability was 16% and LTFU 29%. Severe immunosuppression, WHO stage 3 or 4, anemia, being severely underweight, and initiation of treatment before 2010 were associated with higher mortality. At 12 months after ART initiation, 17% of infants were severely immunosuppressed and the probability of attaining virological suppression was 56%. CONCLUSIONS: Most infants initiating ART in Southern Africa had severe disease with high probability of LTFU and mortality on ART. Although the majority of infants remaining in care showed immune recovery and virological suppression, these responses were suboptimal.