Category Archives: Treatment
CD4 cell count threshold for cryptococcal antigen screening of HIV-infected individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Background: Current guidelines recommend screening all people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) who have a CD4 count ≤100 cells/µL for cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) to identify those patients who could benefit...
Prevalence and associated factors of depression among PLHIV in Ethiopia: Systematic review and meta-analysis, 2017
Background: Depression is a substantial contributor to the global burden of disease and affects people in all communities across the globe. Depression is the most common psychiatric problem associated with...
Factors impacting antiretroviral therapy adherence among human immunodeficiency virus-positive adolescents in Sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review
OBJECTIVES: Eighty-two percent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive adolescents live in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Despite the availability of antiretroviral therapy (ART), adherence levels are suboptimal, leading to poor outcomes. This...
Influence of AIDS antiretroviral therapy on the growth pattern
OBJECTIVES: Human immunodeficiency virus infection can result in the early impairment of anthropometric indicators in children and adolescents. However, combined antiretroviral therapy has improved, in addition to the immune response...
From CD4-based initiation to treating all HIV-infected adults immediately: An evidence-based meta-analysis
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) Consolidated antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines set the CD4(+) T-cell counts threshold to 500 cells/mm(3) in 2013, and 2015 guidelines recommend treating all HIV-infected adults...
Linking private, for-profit providers to public sector services for HIV and tuberculosis co-infected patients: A systematic review
BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of infectious disease deaths worldwide and is the leading cause of death among people with HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called...
Review of differentiated approaches to antiretroviral therapy distribution
In response to global trends of maximizing the number of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART), this review summarizes literature describing differentiated models of ART distribution at facility and community levels...
Doing patient-centredness versus achieving public health targets: A critical review of interactional dilemmas in ART adherence support
Anti-retroviral Therapy (ART) transformed HIV into a chronic disease but its individual and public health benefits depend on high levels of adherence. The large and rising number of people on...
Dolutegravir dual therapy as maintenance Treatment in HIV-infected Patients: A review
OBJECTIVE: To review available evidence for dolutegravir-based dual therapy as maintenance treatment in HIV-1 infected patients. DATA SOURCES: A literature search was conducted using PubMed, MEDLINE, and Google Scholar to...
A systematic review of interventions by healthcare professionals to improve management of non-communicable diseases and communicable diseases requiring long-term care in adults who are homeless
OBJECTIVE: Identify, describe and appraise trials of interventions delivered by healthcare professionals to manage non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and communicable diseases that require long-term care or treatment (LT-CDs), excluding mental health...
Sustained virological response in special populations with chronic hepatitis C using interferon-free treatments: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C treatment has changed considerably in recent years, and many interferon (IFN)-free therapies are now available. Considering the high rates of sustained virological response (SVR) presented...
Pharmacokinetics of efavirenz in patients on antituberculosis treatment in high HIV and tuberculosis burden countries: A systematic review
AIMS: Efavirenz (EFV) and Rifampicin-Isoniazid (RH) are cornerstone drugs in HIV-tuberculosis (TB) co-infection treatment but with complex drug interactions, efficacy and safety challenges. We reviewed recent data on EFV and...
