Category Archives: Treatment
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...
Screening for HIV: Systematic review to update the 2005 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation
BACKGROUND: A 2005 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) review found good evidence that HIV screening is accurate and that antiretroviral therapy (ART) for immunologically advanced disease is associated with...
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...
