Category Archives: Other
Reviews that are lab-based (e.g. genes, pharmaceuticals) or on unique groups of people (e.g. fishermen, nurses)
To err is human, to correct is public health: A systematic review examining poor quality testing and misdiagnosis of HIV status
INTRODUCTION: In accordance with global testing and treatment targets, many countries are seeking ways to reach the “90-90-90” goals, starting with diagnosing 90% of all people with HIV. Quality HIV...
Ranking 93 health interventions for low- and middle-income countries by cost-effectiveness
BACKGROUND: Cost-effectiveness rankings of health interventions are useful inputs for national healthcare planning and budgeting. Previous comprehensive rankings for low- and middle- income countries were undertaken in 2005 and 2006,...
Specification of implementation interventions to address the cascade of HIV care and treatment in resource-limited settings: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: The global response to HIV has started over 18 million persons on life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART)-the vast majority in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC)-yet substantial gaps remain: up to...
Systematic review of statistically-derived models of immunological response in HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy in Sub-Saharan Africa
INTRODUCTION: In Sub-Saharan African (SSA) resource limited settings, Cluster of Differentiation 4 (CD4) counts continue to be used for clinical decision making in antiretroviral therapy (ART). Here, HIV-infected people often...
Status and methodology of publicly available national HIV care continua and 90-90-90 targets: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: In 2014, the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) issued treatment goals for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The 90-90-90 target specifies that by 2020, 90% of individuals living...
Performance of point-of-care CD4 testing technologies in resource-constrained settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Point-of-care (POC) CD4 testing increases patient accessibility to assessment of antiretroviral therapy eligibility. This review evaluates field performance in low and middle-income countries (LMICs) of currently available POC CD4...
Critical review: What dose of rifabutin is recommended with antiretroviral therapy?
Since the advent of combination antiretroviral therapy to successfully treat HIV infection, drug-drug interactions (DDIs) have become a significant problem as many antiretrovirals (ARVs) are metabolized in the liver. Antituberculous...
Host molecular factors and viral genotypes in the mother-to-child HIV-1 transmission in Sub-Saharan Africa
Maternal viral load and immune status, timing and route of delivery, viral subtype, and host genetics are known to influence the transmission, acquisition and disease progression of human immunodeficiency virus-1...
Harm reduction in name, but not substance: A comparative analysis of current Canadian provincial and territorial policy frameworks
BACKGROUND: In Canada, funding, administration, and delivery of health services-including those targeting people who use drugs-are primarily the responsibility of the provinces and territories. Access to harm reduction services varies...
Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-reducing strategies in HIV treatment: Assessing the evidence
Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, comprising a backbone of two nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) plus another ARV, is the recognized standard of care (SOC), which has helped extend life expectancy in...
