Category Archives: Engagement and Care Cascade
Attrition of HIV-positive children from HIV services in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis
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...
Effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on HIV-infected adults: A systematic review
Introduction: Introduction: much evidence confirms that vitamin D may be associated with an improvement in CD4 cell counts in HIV-infected individuals, where antiretroviral therapy (ART) is used and associated with...
HIV prevalence among tuberculosis patients in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis
HIV associated tuberculosis (TB) morbidity and mortality is a major concern in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding the level of HIV infection among TB patients is vital for adequate response. We conducted...
Dolutegravir based antiretroviral therapy compared to other combined antiretroviral regimens for the treatment of HIV-infected naive patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Numerous randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were conducted to evaluate dolutegravir based triple antiretroviral therapy (ART) compared to other triple antiretroviral regimens in naive patients, and a summary of the...
Which community-based HIV initiatives are effective in achieving UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets? A systematic review and meta-analysis of evidence (2007-2018)
BACKGROUND: Reaching the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets to end the HIV epidemic relies on effective interventions that engage untested HIV+ individuals and retain them in...
Associations between human leukocyte antigen polymorphisms and hypersensitivity to antiretroviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus: A meta-analysis
Background Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles are implicated in drug-induced hypersensitivity, including by nevirapine and abacavir. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the relationship between HLA polymorphisms and...
Strategies to link people with undiagnosed HIV infection to HIV testing, care, and prevention services
Key take-home messages A variety of strategies have shown promise for identifying individuals with undiagnosed HIV and engaging them with HIV testing using clinical, community-based, network-based, and self-directed approaches. Various...
Performance of cepheid GeneXpert HIV-1 viral load plasma assay to accurately detect treatment failure: A clinical meta-analysis
BACKGROUND: Coverage of viral load testing remains low with only half of the patients in need having adequate access. Alternative technologies to high throughput centralized machines can be used to...
How does hard-to-reach status affect antiretroviral therapy adherence in the HIV-infected population? Results from a meta-analysis of observational studies
BACKGROUND: Socially disadvantaged groups, such as drug users, sex workers and homeless individuals, are labelled as “hard-to-reach” (HTR) in public health and medical research. HIV disproportionately impacts these populations, but...
Rapid initiation of antiretroviral therapy for people living with HIV
BACKGROUND: Despite antiretroviral therapy (ART) being widely available, HIV continues to cause substantial illness and premature death in low-and-middle-income countries. High rates of loss to follow-up after HIV diagnosis can...
