Trends in mortality among ART-treated HIV-infected adults in the Asia-Pacific region between 1999 and 2017: results from the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) and Australian HIV Observational Database (AHOD) of IeDEA Asia-Pacific

Trends in the burden and determinants of HIV in the Asia-Pacific region (1990-2019): An age-period-cohort analysis of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease Study

Although the burden of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Asia-Pacific region is increasingly severe, comprehensive evidence of the burden of HIV is scarce. We aimed to report the burden of HIV in people aged 15-79 years from 1990 to 2019 using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2019. We analyzed rates of age-standardized disability-adjusted life years (ASDR), age-standardized mortality (ASMR), and age-standardized incidence (ASIR) in our age-period-cohort analysis by sociodemographic index (SDI). According to HIV reports in 2019 from 29 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, the low SDI group in Papua New Guinea had the highest ASDR, ASMR, and ASIR. From 1990 to 2019, the ASDR, ASIR, and ASMR of persons with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) increased in 21 (72%) of the 29 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. During the same period, the disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of AIDS patients in the low SDI group in the region grew the fastest, particularly in Nepal. The incidence of HIV among individuals aged 20-30 years in the low-middle SDI group was higher than that of those in the other age groups. In 2019, unsafe sex was the main cause of HIV-related ASDR in the region's 29 countries, followed by drug use. The severity of the burden of HIV/AIDS in the Asia-Pacific region is increasing, especially among low SDI groups. Specific public health policies should be formulated based on the socioeconomic development level of each country to alleviate the burden of HIV/AIDS.

Injecting drug use increases the risk of death in HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy in Vietnam

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic remains a major public health issue worldwide. In Vietnam, the HIV epidemic is essentially driven by people who inject drugs (PWID). This study aims to compare mortality and loss to follow-up (LTFU) between PWID and other patients. From June 2017 to April 2018, HIV-infected adults were enrolled in a prospective cohort from time of ART initiation in six provinces of North Vietnam. The end date was July 2020. Mortality and LTFU were described using competing-risk survival models. Factors associated with mortality and with LTFU were identified using Cox models with a competing-risk approach. Of the 578 participants, 261 (45.2%) were PWID and almost exclusively male. 49 patients died, corresponding to a mortality rate (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 3.7 (2.8-4.9) per 100 person-months, and 79 were lost to follow-up, corresponding to a rate (95% CI) of 6.0 (4.8-7.4) per 100 person-months. PWID were at higher risk of death but not of LTFU. Overall, LTFU was high in both groups. Latecomers to clinical visits were more at risk of both death and LTFU. Therefore, this should be a warning to clinical teams and preventive actions taken in these patients.Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03249493..

The safety and efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with advanced cancers and HIV/AIDS in China

Purpose-Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer therapy, becoming the standard of care for various malignancy treatments. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients, however, are an underserved group with limited access to clinical trials and cancer therapy. This study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of programmed cell death 1 (PD - 1) inhibitors in patients with advanced cancer and HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Methods and Materials-We performed a prospective, open-label, nonrandomized, phase 1 single center study. Patients with advanced cancer and HIV/AIDS received the treatment of PD - 1 inhibitors (camrelizumab, 200 mg, administered intravenously every 3 weeks), along with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) for HIV. Results-Sixteen participants (12 men and 4 women; median age, 46.5 (29 - 78) years) were enrolled; 1 had non - Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and 15 had non - AIDS - defining cancers. Safety was observed over 130 cycles of treatment with camrelizumab. Most treatment-emergent adverse events at least possibly attributed to camrelizumab were grade 1 or 2, including reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (RCCEP) (9 participants), hearing loss (1 participant), hypophysitis (1 participant). 3 participants experienced hemorrhage due to poor performance status. HIV was controlled in all participants. Best tumor responses included 3 complete response, 5 partial response, 2 stable disease, and 6 progressive disease. The 2 years progression-free survival (PFS) was 67.0% (95% CI: -0.05, 0.00) and overall survival (OS) was 55.3% (95% CI: -0.05, 0.01) for the 16 patients who had received camrelizumab. Conclusions-This study demonstrates that camrelizumab treatment in patients with advanced cancers and HIV/AIDS was feasible and the clinical outcomes were acceptable.

Opportunistic Infections Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infected Patients in Turkey: A Systematic Review

This study aimed to identify opportunistic infections among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients in Turkey. Therefore, we conducted a systematic literature review of the studies published up to October 1, 2022, in the Pubmed, Web of Science (WoS), and ULAKBİM TR Dizin databases. We searched for medical subject headings (MeSH) terms of (HIV) OR (AIDS) OR (human immunodeficiency virus) AND (opportunistic infections) AND (Turkey). Fifty-five studies in Pubmed, 68 in WoS, and 212 in ULAKBİM TR Dizin were listed with these keywords. After removing duplicated studies, we included 22 original articles, two poster presentations, one short communication, one letter to the editor, and 17 case reports/series. Out of 1582 patients, we defined 788 patients (49.8%) as late presenters. In addition, we detected tuberculosis (286, 5.5%), candidal infections (207, 4%), and Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) (113, 2.1%) as the most frequent opportunistic infections. According to our analysis, late presentation is a major problem in our country, and more screening and sensitization campaigns should be carried out to ensure early diagnosis and earlier care of patients.

Causes and risk factors of death among people who inject drugs in Indonesia, Ukraine and Vietnam: findings from HPTN 074 randomized trial

INTRODUCTION

The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 074 study demonstrated a positive effect of an integrated systems navigation and psychosocial counseling intervention on HIV treatment initiation, viral suppression, medication assisted treatment (MAT) enrollment, and risk of death among people who inject drugs (PWID). In this sub-study, we analyzed the incidence, causes, and predictors of death among HIV-infected and uninfected participants.

METHODS

The HPTN 074 randomized clinical trial was conducted in Indonesia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. HIV-infected PWID with unsuppressed viral load (indexes) were recruited together with at least one of their HIV-negative injection partners. Indexes were randomized in a 1:3 ratio to the intervention or standard of care.

RESULTS

The trial enrolled 502 index and 806 partner participants. Overall, 13% (66/502) of indexes and 3% (19/806) of partners died during follow-up (crude mortality rates 10.4 [95% CI 8.1-13.3] and 2.1 [1.3-3.3], respectively). These mortality rates were for indexes nearly 30 times and for partners 6 times higher than expected in a population of the same country, age, and gender (standardized mortality ratios 30.7 [23.7-39.0] and 5.8 [3.5-9.1], respectively). HIV-related causes, including a recent CD4 < 200 cells/μL, accounted for 50% of deaths among indexes. Among partners, medical conditions were the most common cause of death (47%). In the multivariable Cox model, the mortality among indexes was associated with sex (male versus female aHR = 4.2 [1.5-17.9]), CD4 count (≥ 200 versus < 200 cells/μL aHR = 0.3 [0.2-0.5]), depression (moderate-to-severe versus no/mild aHR = 2.6 [1.2-5.0]) and study arm (intervention versus control aHR = 0.4 [0.2-0.9]). Among partners, the study arm of the index remained the only significant predictor (intervention versus control aHR = 0.2 [0.0-0.9]) while controlling for the effect of MAT (never versus ever receiving MAT aHR = 2.4 [0.9-7.4]).

CONCLUSIONS

The results confirm that both HIV-infected and uninfected PWID remain at a starkly elevated risk of death compared to general population. Mortality related to HIV and other causes can be significantly reduced by scaling-up ART and MAT. Access to these life-saving treatments can be effectively improved by flexible integrated interventions, such as the one developed and tested in HPTN 074.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of HLA-B*13:01 screening for the prevention of co-trimoxazole-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions among HIV-infected patients in Thailand

Studies found a strong association between HLA-B*13:01 allele and co-trimoxazole-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs). Genetic screening before initiation of co-trimoxazole may decrease the incidence of co-trimoxazole-induced SCARs. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of HLA-B*13:01 screening before co-trimoxazole initiation in HIV-infected patients in Thailand. A combination of a decision tree model and a Markov model was used to estimate lifetime costs and outcomes of two strategies including 1) HLA-B*13:01 screening before co-trimoxazole initiation and 2) usual practice from a societal perspective. Alternative drugs are not considered because dapsone (the second-line drug) also presents a genetic risk. Input parameters were obtained from literature, government documents, and part of the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD). One-way sensitivity analyses and probabilistic analyses were performed to determine robustness of the findings. HLA-B*13:01 screening resulted in 0.0061 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) loss with an additional cost of 370 THB ($11.84). At the cost-effectiveness threshold of 160,000 THB ($5,112.85), the probability of the genetic screening strategy being cost-effective is 9.54%. This analysis demonstrated that HLA-B*13:01 allele screening before initiation of co-trimoxazole among HIV-infected patients is unlikely to be cost-effective in Thailand. Our findings will help policymakers make an evidence-informed decision making.

Factors associated with high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and cirrhosis in people living with HIV on combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) in the Asia-Pacific

Liver disease is a growing burden among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in resource-limited settings. As an indicator of liver disease, risk factors of high alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and cirrhosis were assessed among PLHIV in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD). Patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) with a pre-cART ALT measurement and at least one follow-up ALT measurement were included. Factors associated with high ALT (ALT levels > 5 times its upper limit of normal) were analyzed using repeated measure logistic regression over a 10-year follow-up period. Liver cirrhosis was defined as having an AST to Platelet Ratio Index score > 1.5, fibrosis-4 score > 3.25, or a clinical diagnosis of cirrhosis. Cox regression analysis stratified by site was used to analyze factors associated with cirrhosis among those in follow-up after 2015. Of 5182 patients, 101 patients (1.9%) had high ALT levels with hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody positive (odds ratio [OR]: 4.98, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.82-8.77, p < 0.001) and ever high alcohol consumption (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.00-5.46, p = 0.050) as likely factors. Among 6318 PLHIV in the liver cirrhosis analysis, 151 (2%) developed cirrhosis (incidence rate = 0.82 per 100 person-years). Those HCV-antibody positive (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.54, 95% CI: 3.75-8.18, p < 0.001) and had high alcohol consumption (HR: 2.06, 95% CI: 1.23-3.45, p = 0.006) were associated with liver cirrhosis. HCV-antibody positive and high alcohol consumption are factors associated with high ALT. With raised ALT levels as a known factor associated with liver cirrhosis, greater efforts are required in managing ALT levels and reducing the risk of developing liver cirrhosis among those positive for HCV-antibody and those who consume alcohol.

Cannabis Use as a Protective Factor Against Overweight in HIV-Hepatitis C Virus Co-Infected People (ANRS CO13 HEPAVIH Cohort)

Overweight is increasingly prevalent in people living with HIV (PLWH), and is a high risk factor for metabolic disorders in this population. PLWH co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a higher risk of metabolic disorders than their mono-infected counterparts. The putative relationship between cannabis use and body weight found in the general population has never been documented in HIV-HCV co-infected people. We tested whether cannabis use is associated with body mass index (BMI), overweight, and underweight in HCV co-infected PLWH (N = 992). Mixed-effects linear and logistic regression models were used to study the association between cannabis use and the three outcomes over time. After multivariable adjustment, cannabis use was inversely associated with BMI. Cannabis use was associated with a lower and higher risk of overweight and underweight, respectively. Cannabis use should be assessed and taken into account in the clinical management of the HIV-HCV co-infected population.

Patterns and prognosis of holding regimens for people living with HIV in Asian countries

The use of holding regimens for people living with HIV (PLWH) without effective antiretroviral options can have effects on outcomes and future treatment options. We aimed to investigate the use of holding regimens for PLWH in Asian countries. Data from adults enrolled in routine HIV care in IeDEA Asia-Pacific cohorts were included. Individuals were considered to be on holding regimen if they had been on combination antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months, had two confirmed viral loads (VL) ≥1000 copies/mL, and had remained on the same medications for at least 6 months. Survival time was analyzed using Fine and Gray's competing risk regression. Factors associated with CD4 changes and VL <1000 copies/mL were analyzed using linear regression and logistic regression, respectively. A total of 425 PLWH (72.9% male; 45.2% high-income and 54.8% low-to-middle-income country) met criteria for being on a holding regimen. From high-income countries, 63.0% were on protease inhibitors (PIs); from low-to-middle-income countries, 58.4% were on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs); overall, 4.5% were on integrase inhibitors. The combination of lamivudine, zidovudine, and efavirenz was the most commonly used single regimen (n = 46, 10.8%), followed by lamivudine, zidovudine, and nevirapine (n = 37, 8.7%). Forty-one PLWH (9.7%) died during follow-up (mortality rate 2.0 per 100 person-years). Age >50 years compared to age 31-40 years (sub-hazard ratio [SHR] 3.29, 95% CI 1.45-7.43, p = 0.004), and VL ≥1000 copies/ml compared to VL <1000 copies/mL (SHR, 2.14, 95% CI 1.08-4.25, p = 0.029) were associated with increased mortality, while higher CD4 counts were protective. In our Asia regional cohort, there was a diversity of holding regimens, and the patterns of PI vs. NNRTI use differed by country income levels. Considering the high mortality rate of PLWH with holding regimen, efforts to extend accessibility to additional antiretroviral options are needed in our region.

Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of a pre-exposure prophylaxis program for HIV prevention for men who have sex with men in Japan

Men who have sex with men (MSM) have been disproportionally affected by the HIV epidemic in many countries, including Japan. Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a strong prevention tool, it is not yet approved in Japan. A Markov model was developed to describe HIV infection and disease progression in an MSM cohort (N = 1000) in Japan receiving a PrEP program. The model was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a PrEP program. HIV/AIDS treatment, screening, hospitalization due to AIDS, and PrEP were considered as costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained as utilities. Cost-effectiveness was assessed by comparing the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) over a 30-year period against the willingness to pay (WTP) threshold. One-way sensitivity and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed. With 50% PrEP coverage, the PrEP program became dominant against the program without PrEP, using a threshold of 5.0 million JPY/QALY (45,455 USD). The probabilistic sensitivity analysis revealed that the PrEP program was dominant or at least cost-effective in most cases of 10,000 simulations. Therefore, preparing cheaper PrEP pills, which results in PrEP being dominant or ICER being lower than the WTP threshold, is important to make the program cost-effective. Introduction of PrEP to an MSM cohort in Japan would be cost-effective over a 30-year time horizon.

Managing cardiovascular risk in people living with HIV in Asia - where are we now?

As the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLWH) approaches that of the general population, the burden of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasing. Regardless of HIV status, about 50% of CVD deaths worldwide occur in Asia, and Asian PLWH have a high prevalence of conventional CVD risk factors, such as smoking, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and insulin resistance or diabetes. As well as conventional CVD risk factors, PLWH have HIV-specific risk factors such as chronic inflammation, immune activation and endothelial damage, as well as risk factors related to antiretroviral therapy. This review describes the current knowledge on the epidemiology and risk factors of CVD in Asian PLWH and provides an Asian perspective on the recommendations for managing CVD risk in PLWH.

Trends of age-related non-communicable diseases in people living with HIV and comparison with uninfected controls: A nationwide population-based study in South Korea

OBJECTIVES

We aim to compare the trends of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and death among people living with HIV (PLWH) and uninfected controls in South Korea.

METHODS

We identified PLWH from a nationwide database of all Korean citizens enrolled from 1 January 2004 to 31 December 2016. A control cohort was randomly selected for PLWH by frequency matching for age and sex in a 20:1 ratio. To compare NCD trends between the groups, adjusted incidence rate ratios for outcomes across ages, calendar years and times after HIV diagnosis were calculated.

RESULTS

We included 14 134 PLWH and 282 039 controls in this study; 58.5% of PLWH and 36.4% of the controls were diagnosed with at least one NCD. The incidence rates of cancers, chronic kidney disease, depression, osteoporosis, diabetes and dyslipidaemia were higher in PLWH than in the controls, whereas those of cardiovascular disease, heart failure, ischaemic stroke and hypertension were lower in PLWH. Relative risks (RRs) for NCDs in PLWH were higher than controls in younger age groups. Trends in the RRs of NCDs tended to increase with the calendar year for PLWH vs. controls and either stabilized or decreased with time after HIV diagnosis. The RR of death from PLWH has decreased with the calendar year, but showed a tendency to rise again after 2014 and was significant at the early stage of HIV diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the RR of each NCD in PLWH showed variable trends compared with that in controls, NCDs in PLWH have been increasingly prevalent.

HIV treatment outcomes among people who acquired HIV via injecting drug use in the Asia-Pacific region: a longitudinal cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Data on HIV treatment outcomes in people who inject drugs (PWID) in the Asia‐Pacific are sparse despite the high burden of drug use. We assessed immunological and virological responses, AIDS‐defining events and mortality among PWID receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

METHODS

We investigated HIV treatment outcomes among people who acquired HIV via injecting drug use in the TREAT Asia HIV Observational Database (TAHOD) between January 2003 and March 2019. Trends in CD4 count and viral suppression (VS, HIV viral load <1000 copies/mL) were assessed. Factors associated with mean CD4 changes were analysed using repeated measures linear regression, and combined AIDS event and mortality were analysed using survival analysis.

RESULTS

Of 622 PWID from 12 countries in the Asia‐Pacific, 93% were male and the median age at ART initiation was 31 years (IQR, 28 to 34). The median pre‐ART CD4 count was 71 cells/µL. CD4 counts increased over time, with a mean difference of 401 (95% CI, 372 to 457) cells/µL at year‐10 (n = 78). Higher follow‐up HIV viral load and pre‐ART CD4 counts were associated with smaller increases in CD4 counts. Among 361 PWID with ≥1 viral load after six months on ART, proportions with VS were 82%, 88% and 93% at 2‐, 5‐ and 10‐years following ART initiation. There were 52 new AIDS‐defining events and 50 deaths during 3347 person‐years of follow‐up (PYS) (incidence 3.05/100 PYS, 95% CI, 2.51 to 3.70). Previous AIDS or TB diagnosis, lower current CD4 count and adherence <95% were associated with combined new AIDS‐defining event and death.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite improved outcomes over time, our findings highlight the need for rapid ART initiation and adherence support among PWID within Asian settings.

Assessment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risks between people living with HIV receiving first-line and second-line antiretroviral therapy in a resource-limited setting

Cardiovascular disease has become an important health problem in people living with HIV (PLHIV) who receive antiretroviral therapy (ART). Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk score is a non-invasive tool to estimate the 10-year risk for ASCVD. A cross-sectional study was conducted among PLHIV receiving ART in a resource-limited setting, in order to assess the 10-year ASCVD risk between PLHIV receiving first-line and second-line ART. Of 460 participants with a mean age of 51.2 years, 262 (57.0%) were men. The mean duration of HIV infection was 14.7 years and the mean CD4 cell count was 509 cells/μL. Of all, 345 participants were receiving first-line ART and 115 were receiving second-line ART. The median 10-year ASCVD risk was 3.0% and 5.1% in the first-line and second-line ART groups, respectively (p = 0.029). The prevalence of a high 10-year ASCVD risk (≥20%) was significantly higher in the second-line ART group (3.5% vs 0.9%, p = 0.048). In multivariate analysis, receiving second-line ART was significantly associated with intermediate to high 10-year ASCVD risk (OR = 2.952; 95% CI, 1.656-6.997; p = 0.015). Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk should be assessed in PLHIV, particularly those who receive second-line ART.

Survival Trend of HIV/AIDS Patients Starting Antiretroviral Therapy in South Korea between 2001 and 2015

PURPOSE

In the recent antiretroviral therapy (ART) era, a large proportion of Korean patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection were shown to have low CD4 cell counts at diagnosis and during ART initiation. We investigated the survival trends in patients living with HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Korea who started ART in the 2000s, and evaluated the risk factors for mortality to elucidate the association between survival and low CD4 cell counts at ART initiation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients with HIV infection who were aged >18 years and had started ART between 2001 and 2015 in the Korean HIV/AIDS cohort study were enrolled. We compared the clinical characteristics, mortality, and causes of death among the enrolled subjects based on the time of ART initiation. Cox regression analysis was used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios of mortality based on the time of ART initiation.

RESULTS

Among the 2474 patients enrolled, 105 (4.24%) died during the follow-up period of 9568 patient-years. Although CD4 cell counts at the time of ART initiation significantly increased from 161 [interquartile range (IQR), 73.5-303] in 2001-2003 to 273 (IQR, 108-399) in 2013-2015 (p<0.001), they remained low during the study period. The incidence of all-cause mortality was 10.97 per 1000 patient-years during the study period. There was no decreasing trend in mortality between 2001 and 2015. Age >40 years [adjusted hazard ratio, 3.71; 95% confidence interval (CI), 2.35-5.84] and low CD4 counts (<100 cells/mm³: adjusted hazard ratio, 2.99; 95% CI, 1.44-6.23) were significant risk factors for mortality.

CONCLUSION

Despite excellent HIV care available in the recent ART era, the survival of patients with HIV/AIDS undergoing ART did not improve between 2001 and 2015 in Korea.

Determining standardized causes of death of infants, children, and adolescents living with HIV in Asia

OBJECTIVE

To implement a standardized cause of death reporting and review process to systematically disaggregate causes of HIV-related deaths in a cohort of Asian children and adolescents.

DESIGN

Death-related data were retrospectively and prospectively assessed in a longitudinal regional cohort study.

METHODS

Children under routine HIV care at sites in Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam between 2008 and 2017 were followed. Causes of death were reported and then independently and centrally reviewed. Predictors were compared using competing risks survival regression analyses.

RESULTS

Among 5918 children, 5523 (93%; 52% male) had ever been on combination antiretroviral therapy. Of 371 (6.3%) deaths, 312 (84%) occurred in those with a history of combination antiretroviral therapy (crude all-cause mortality 9.6 per 1000 person-years; total follow-up time 32 361 person-years). In this group, median age at death was 7.0 (2.9-13) years; median CD4 cell count was 73 (16-325) cells/μl. The most common underlying causes of death were pneumonia due to unspecified pathogens (17%), tuberculosis (16%), sepsis (8.0%), and AIDS (6.7%); 12% of causes were unknown. These clinical diagnoses were further grouped into AIDS-related infections (22%) and noninfections (5.8%), and non-AIDS-related infections (47%) and noninfections (11%); with 12% unknown, 2.2% not reviewed. Higher CD4 cell count and better weight-for-age z-score were protective against death.

CONCLUSION

Our standardized cause of death assessment provides robust data to inform regional resource allocation for pediatric diagnostic evaluations and prioritization of clinical interventions, and highlight the continued importance of opportunistic and nonopportunistic infections as causes of death in our cohort.

Survival after long-term ART exposure: findings from an Asian patient population retained in care beyond 5 years on ART

BACKGROUND

This study investigated survival in people living with HIV being followed-up from 5 and 10 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in a multi-country Asian cohort.

METHODS

We included patients in follow-up >5 years after ART initiation. Factors associated with mortality beyond 5 and 10 years on ART were analysed using competing risk regression with time-updated variables.

RESULTS

Of 13,495 patients retained after 5 years on ART, 279 subsequently died (0.56/100 person-years). Increased mortality was associated with age >50 years (sub-hazard ratio [sHR] 2.24, 95% CI 1.58, 3.15, compared with ≤40 years), HIV exposure through injecting drug use (sHR 2.17, 95% CI 1.32, 3.56), HIV viral load ≥1,000 copies/ml: sHR 1.52, 95% CI 1.05, 2.21, compared with <400), regimen (second-line regimen: sHR 2.11, 95% CI 1.52, 2.94, and third-line regimen: sHR 2.82, 95% CI 2.00, 3.98, compared with first-line regimen), HBV coinfection (sHR 2.23, 95% CI 1.49, 3.33), fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dl (sHR 1.98, 95% CI 1.22, 3.21, compared with <100 mg/dl) and estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 ml/min/1.73 m² (sHR 2.57, 95% CI 1.56, 4.22). Decreased mortality was associated with transmission through male-to-male sexual contact (sHR 0.44, 95% CI 0.22, 0.88, compared with heterosexual transmission) and higher CD4⁺ T-cell count (200-349 cells/µl: sHR 0.27, 95% CI 0.20, 0.38, 350-499 cells/µl: sHR 0.10, 95% CI 0.07, 0.16 and ≥500 cells/µl: sHR 0.09, 95% CI 0.06, 0.13, compared with <200 cells/µl). Results after 10 years were similar, but most associations were weaker due to limited power.

CONCLUSIONS

Next to preventing ART failure, HIV programmes should carefully monitor and treat comorbidities, including hepatitis, kidney disease and diabetes, to optimize survival after long-term ART exposure.

Immunotherapy in People With HIV and Cancer

HIV infection alters the natural history of several cancers, in large part due to its effect on the immune system. Immune function in people living with HIV may vary from normal to highly dysfunctional and is largely dependent on the timing of initiation (and continuation) of effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). An individual's level of immune function in turn affects their cancer risk, management, and outcomes. HIV-associated lymphocytopenia and immune dysregulation permit immune evasion of oncogenic viruses and premalignant lesions and are associated with inferior outcomes in people with established cancers. Various types of immunotherapy, including monoclonal antibodies, interferon, cytokines, immunomodulatory drugs, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and most importantly ART have shown efficacy in HIV-related cancer. Emerging data suggest that checkpoint inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway can be safe and effective in people with HIV and cancer. Furthermore, some cancer immunotherapies may also affect HIV persistence by influencing HIV latency and HIV-specific immunity. Studying immunotherapy in people with HIV and cancer will advance clinical care of all people living with HIV and presents a unique opportunity to gain insight into mechanisms for HIV eradication.