Category Archives: Population(s)
A systematic review of pediatric adherence to antiretroviral therapy in low- and middle-income countries
BACKGROUND: Sustaining antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence requires accurate, consistent monitoring, a particular challenge for low-income countries. The optimal strategy to measure pediatric adherence remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic...
Women experience higher rates of adverse events during Hepatitis C virus therapy in HIV infection: A meta-analysis
Background: In HIV/HCV coinfection, adverse events (AE) during HCV therapy account for 12-39% of treatment discontinuations. It is unknown whether sex influences complications. Methods: Meta-analysis to study the effect of...
Promoting the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men: Systematic review of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness
What interventions are effective and cost-effective in increasing the uptake of HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM)? A systematic review was conducted of the following databases:...
Gender disparities in HIV infection among persons who inject drugs in Central Asia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVE: Disparities in HIV infection, with females having higher rates of HIV infection than males, have been noted among persons who inject drugs (PWID) in many countries. We examined male/female...
Mortality rates in people dually infected with HIV-1/2 and those infected with either HIV-1 or HIV-2: a systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVE:: As compared to HIV-1 infection, HIV-2 is less transmissible, disease progression is slower, and the mortality risk is lower. It has been suggested that HIV-2 infection inhibits the progression...
Provider-initiated testing and counselling programmes in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review of their operational implementation
OBJECTIVE: The routine offer of an HIV test during patient-provider encounters is gaining momentum within HIV treatment and prevention programmes. This review examined the operational implementation of provider-initiated testing and...
A role for depression in sexual risk reduction for women? A meta-analysis of HIV prevention trials with depression outcomes
Rates of HIV/AIDS and depression in women are significant public health concerns. The current meta-analysis tested the hypothesis that depression levels moderate change in sexual risk behavior in women participating...
The Impact of DSM-IV Mental Disorders on Adherence to Combination Antiretroviral Therapy Among Adult Persons Living with HIV/AIDS: A Systematic Review
This is a systematic review of eighty-two published studies investigating the impact of DSM-IV mental disorders on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) adherence and persistence among persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA)....
Interferon-gamma release assays for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) have provided a new method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. However, the role of IGRAs for the diagnosis of active tuberculosis (TB), especially...
Economic evaluation, human immunodeficiency virus infection and screening: A review and critical appraisal of economic studies
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to review, systematically and critically, evidence used to derive estimates of cost-effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening. METHODS: A systematic review was...
Safety of nevirapine in HIV-infected pregnant women initiating antiretroviral therapy at higher CD4 counts: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The package insert for nevirapine (NVP) cautions use in HIV-infected women (including pregnant women) with CD4 counts ≥250 cells/µl. However, recent studies showed that the CD4 count of pregnant...
