Category Archives: Treatment
Retention in care of HIV-infected children from HIV test to start of antiretroviral therapy: Systematic review
BACKGROUND: In adults it is well documented that there are substantial losses to the programme between HIV testing and start of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The magnitude and reasons for loss...
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...
Isoniazid prophylaxis for tuberculosis in HIV infection: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of isoniazid for the prevention of tuberculosis in tuberculin skin test-positive and negative individuals with HIV infection. DESIGN: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. SETTING: Seven...
Non-clinical outcomes of antiretroviral therapy for HIV/AIDS in developing countries: A systematic literature review
The impacts of antiretroviral therapy on quality of life, mental health, labor productivity, and economic wellbeing for people living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries are only beginning to be measured....
Burden of HIV-related CMV retinitis in resource-limited settings: A systematic review
Background. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a late stage opportunistic infection in people living with HIV/AIDS. Lack of ophthalmological diagnostic skills or convenient CMV treatment and increasing access to antiretroviral therapy, have...
The impact of hepatitis C virus coinfection on HIV-related kidney disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: In the era of antiretroviral therapy, non-AIDS complications such as kidney disease are important contributors to morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the impact of hepatitis C coinfection on...
Immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome in patients starting antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection: A systematic review and meta-analysis
In patients with HIV-1 infection who are starting combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), the incidence of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) is not well defined. We did a meta-analysis to establish...
Children facing a family member’s acute illness: A review of intervention studies
BACKGROUND: A review of psycho-educational intervention studies to benefit children adapting to a close (parent, sibling, or grandparent) family member’s serious illness was conducted. OBJECTIVES: To review the literature on...
Virological monitoring and resistance to first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy in adults infected with HIV-1 treated under WHO guidelines: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Antiretroviral-therapy rollout in resource-poor countries is often associated with limited, if any, HIV-RNA monitoring. The effect of variable monitoring on the emergence of resistance after therapy with commonly used drug...
Raltegravir: a review of its use in the management of HIV infection in treatment-experienced patients
Raltegravir (Isentress), an integrase inhibitor, inhibits the insertion of HIV-1 complementary DNA into the host genome. It is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral therapy (ART) agents for the treatment...
Optimal monitoring strategies for guiding when to switch first-line antiretroviral therapy regimens for treatment failure in adults and adolescents living with HIV in low-resource settings
BACKGROUND: One of the critical clinical decisions made in antiretroviral therapy (ART) is when to switch from an initial regimen to another due to treatment failure. This complex process requires...
