Category Archives: Engagement and Care Cascade
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...
A combination drug of abacavir-lamivudine-zidovudine (Trizivir (R)) for treating HIV infection and AIDS
BACKGROUND: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has become one of the greatest challenges to global public health. In 2007 UNAIDS estimated that 33.2 million people were living with HIV. Currently...
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...
