Category Archives: Treatment
Meta-analysis: Increased mortality associated with hepatitis C in HIV-infected persons is unrelated to HIV disease progression
Background: It is unclear whether coinfection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) increases mortality in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)....
Rates of emergence of HIV drug resistance in resource-limited settings: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: The increasing availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved survival and quality of life for many infected with HIV, but can also engender drug resistance. This review summarizes the...
The effectiveness of HIV partner counseling and referral services in increasing identification of HIV-positive individuals: A systematic review
Partner counseling and referral services (PCRS) are part of the spectrum of care for HIV-positive people and their sexual or needle-sharing partners. Referral includes notifying partners of exposure, after which...
Effectiveness of protease inhibitor monotherapy versus combination antiretroviral maintenance therapy: A meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: The unparalleled success of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is based on the combination of three drugs from two classes. There is insufficient evidence whether simplification to ritonavir boosted protease...
A narrative review of research on the effects of physical activity on people living with HIV and opportunities for health promotion in disadvantaged settings
The article explores different types and effects of physical activity for people living with HIV. Considering the lack of studies done in African contexts and the disparity between research settings...
Self-reported adherence to antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection and virologic treatment response: A meta-analysis
Background: Adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV-1 infection is essential for plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression. Self-report is the most frequently used measure of adherence to HAART, but...
The impact of community mobilisation on HIV prevention in middle and low income countries: A systematic review and critique.
While community mobilisation (CM) is increasingly advocated for HIV prevention, its impact on measurable outcomes has not been established. We performed a systematic review of the impact of CM within...
Highly active antiretroviral therapy and sexual risk behavior: A meta-analytic review
Context: Evidence suggests that since highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) became available, the prevalence of unprotected sex and the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have increased. Objective: To conduct...
Risks and benefits of lifelong antiretroviral treatment for pregnant and breastfeeding women: A review of the evidence for the Option B+ approach
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Considerable debate has emerged on whether Option B+ (B+), initiation of lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all pregnant and breastfeeding women, is the best approach to achieving...
Development and validation of decision rules to guide frequency of monitoring CD4 cell count in HIV-1 infection before starting antiretroviral therapy
Although CD4 cell count monitoring is used to decide when to start antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV-1 infection, there are no evidence-based recommendations regarding its optimal frequency. It is...
Improved access to early infant diagnosis is a critical part of a child-centric prevention of mother-to-child transmission agenda
BACKGROUND: Prevention-of-mother-to-child-transmission (PMTCT) programs have made it possible to achieve dramatic reductions in the rate of vertical HIV transmission. However, high attrition, particularly after delivery, has limited the impact of...
