Category Archives: Treatment
Viral suppression in adolescents on antiretroviral treatment: Review of the literature and critical appraisal of methodological challenges
OBJECTIVE: Medication adherence is often sub-optimal for adolescents with HIV, and establishing correct weight-based antiretroviral therapy dosing is difficult, contributing to virological failure. This review aimed to determine the proportion...
The effect of tuberculosis treatment on virologic and CD4+ cell count response to combination antiretroviral therapy: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of tuberculosis (TB) treatment at the time of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) initiation on virologic and CD4 cell count response to cART. METHODS:: Systematic review...
Efficacy of initial antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 114 studies with up to 144 weeks’ follow-up
BACKGROUND: A comprehensive assessment of initial HIV-1 treatment success may inform study design and treatment guidelines. METHODS: Group-based, systematic review and meta-analysis of initial antiretroviral therapy studies, in adults, of...
Efficacy and biological safety of lopinavir/ritonavir based anti-retroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected patients: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) is the first ritonavir-boosted protease-inhibitor used in second-line anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in resource-limited regions. To evaluate the efficacy and safety outcomes of LPV/r in treatment-naive and -experienced HIV-infected...
New approaches to antiretroviral drug delivery: Challenges and opportunities associated with the use of long-acting injectable agents
Research on improved treatment of HIV infection and pre-exposure prophylaxis continues. Poor adherence to treatment is the critical risk factor for virological failure and resistance development, and long-acting formulations of...
Comparative safety and neuropsychiatric adverse events associated with efavirenz use in first-line antiretroviral therapy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials
INTRODUCTION: Efavirenz (EFV) is widely used for the treatment of antiretroviral-naive HIV-positive individuals, but there are concerns about the risk of adverse neuropsychiatric events. We systematically reviewed the safety of...
Growth reconstitution following antiretroviral therapy and nutritional supplementation: Systematic review and meta-analysis
OBJECTIVE: As antiretroviral therapy (ART) expands for HIV-infected children, it is important to determine its impact on growth. We quantified growth and its determinants following ART in resource-limited (RLS) and...
Factors associated with antiretroviral treatment uptake and adherence: A review. Perspectives from Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom
International focus on reducing onward HIV transmission emphasizes the need for routine HIV testing and early uptake of antiretroviral treatment (ART). Strategic targets have been set for 2020 to achieve...
Cobicistat: A new opportunity in the treatment of HIV disease?
INTRODUCTION: Cobicistat (Cobi), a selective novel CYP3A4 inhibitor, is an orally administered, non-antiretroviral pharmacokinetic enhancer which boosts the plasma levels of several drugs, including HIV-1 protease inhibitors and the integrase...
Factors associated with adherence to antiretroviral therapy among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review
Adolescents living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately burdened by the global HIV/AIDS pandemic. Maintaining medication adherence is vital to ensuring that adolescents living with HIV/AIDS receive the...
