Category Archives: Treatment
The safety and efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with advanced cancers and pre-existing chronic viral infections (Hepatitis B/C, HIV): A review of the available evidence
The treatment paradigm of several cancers has dramatically changed in recent years with the introduction of immunotherapy. Most oncology trials involving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIPs) have routinely excluded patients with...
The effectiveness of treatment supporter interventions in antiretroviral treatment adherence in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of treatment supporter interventions (TSI) in improving ART adherence and viral suppression among adults living with HIV (PLWH) in sub-Saharan Africa. This...
Two’s a company, three’s a crowd: A review of initiating or switching to a two-drug antiretroviral regimen in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced patients living with HIV-1
INTRODUCTION: As HIV has become a manageable chronic condition, a renewed and increased interest in challenging traditional three-drug HIV therapies and moving toward two-drug regimens (2DR) for initial or maintenance...
Impact of community pharmacist-led interventions in chronic disease management on clinical, utilization, and economic outcomes: An umbrella review
BACKGROUND: Chronic disease represents a significant burden to the United States (US) health care system, with approximately 50% of all adults in the US having one or more chronic disease...
Cost of differentiated HIV antiretroviral therapy delivery strategies in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Efficient and scalable models for HIV treatment are needed to maximize health outcomes with available resources. By adapting services to client needs, differentiated antiretroviral therapy (DART) has the potential...
ART adherence clubs in the Western Cape of South Africa: What does the sustainability framework tell us? A scoping literature review
INTRODUCTION: In 2007, the antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence club (AC) model was introduced to South Africa to combat some of the health system barriers to ART delivery, such as staff...
Attrition of HIV-positive children from HIV services in low and middle-income countries
INTRODUCTION: Identification and retention of HIV-positive children in HIV services is essential to ensure optimal health outcomes. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the magnitude of attrition [loss to follow-up...
Impact of lay health worker programmes on the health outcomes of mother-child pairs of HIV exposed children in Africa: A scoping review
BACKGROUND: Increased demand for healthcare services in countries experiencing high HIV disease burden and often coupled with a shortage of health workers, has necessitated task shifting from professional health workers...
Loss to follow-up from antiretroviral therapy clinics: A systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies in South Africa from 2011 to 2015
Background: South Africa has the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme in the world. To optimise programme outcomes, it is critical that patients are retained in care and that retention is...
Analysis of systematic reviews of medication adherence interventions for persons with HIV, 1996–2017
This overview of reviews summarizes the evidence from systematic reviews (SR) on the effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence interventions for people with HIV (PWH) and descriptively compares adherence interventions...
