Lack of latent tuberculosis (TB) screening and delay in anti-retroviral therapy initiation in HIV-TB co-infection: an 11-year study in an intermediate TB-burden country

Prevalence, treatment outcomes and determinants of TB/HIV coinfection: A 4-year retrospective review of national tuberculosis registry in a country in a MENA region

Background

The co-occurrence of tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS (HIV) has emerged as a significant public health challenge. This study investigated the epidemiological factors and treatment outcomes of TB in individuals based on their HIV status in Iran.

Methods

The current study was a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study that focused on new patients diagnosed with TB in Iran between 2018 and 2021. Patients' data were sourced from the National Tuberculosis Registry database of Iran. A multiple logistic regression model was used to investigate the relationship between the most important influencing factors and TB/HIV coinfection.

Results

Over a 4-year period, a study was conducted on 25,011 new TB patients out of 30,762 registered in the national database. TB and HIV were coinfected in 672 cases (2.68%). The highest number of coinfection cases were found in patients with smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis (249 patients, 37.05%) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (123 patients, 18.19%). TB patients with coinfection had a median TB treatment duration of three months longer than others. The success rate of TB treatment was lower in patients with coinfection (437 patients, 65.02%) than in non-coinfection patients (20,302 patients, 83.41%). Treatment success probability in smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients with and without coinfection was lower than other types of TB. Logistic regression analysis showed that having a TB risk factor was the strongest predictor of coinfection, with an odds ratio of 29.73 (95% CI: 22.05-40.07), followed by having an HIV risk factor with an odds ratio of 17.52 (95% CI: 13.68-22.45).

Conclusions

The findings of this research offer significant insights into the potential causes of HIV coinfection in individuals with TB, which could be used to inform the development of policies and strategies aimed at enhancing the identification and treatment of TB patients who are at risk of TB/HIV coinfection and to promote optimal health status for patients with TB.

Factors associated with mortality in HIV-TB co-infected patients during and after the course of TB treatment in high-burden settings, Mumbai, India: A cohort analysis

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of factors associated with TB mortality during treatment and post treatment will help us develop better monitoring and implementation strategies for TB control. We designed the present study to examine the factors associated with mortality in HIV-TB co-infected patients during and after the course of TB treatment.

METHODS

This study is a cohort analysis of secondary data collected from 1804 HIV-TB co-infected individuals from 16 anti-retroviral therapy (ART) centres affiliated with the Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society, Mumbai, India. We used Kaplan Meier survival curves and hazard ratios to estimate the mortality in patients.

RESULTS

The overall mortality rate in this cohort was 1.14 per 100 per month. The mortality proportion was 18% (95% CI: 16.1%, 20.1%) during treatment and 10.6% (95% CI: 8.9%, 12.5%) in the post-treatment period. Mortality was significantly higher in those with a CD4 count 0-200 cells/mm3 (HR: 3.04, 95% CI: 2.13, 4.15; p < 0.001), and in patients who were ART naïve and referred to the ART centre with a diagnosis of TB (HR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.82; p = 0.016). Mortality was also significantly higher in the first 6 months after initiation of ART (HR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.06, 1.75; p = 0.016). A decrease in the CD4 counts from initial levels at start of TB treatment to end of TB treatment was associated with higher mortality in the post-treatment period.

DISCUSSION

The overall mortality remains high; early identification of TB and HIV disease, and use of rapid point of care tests for diagnosis of TB are needed across all health care facilities. Post-treatment follow-up and monitoring is important in HIV-TB co-infected patients, and post-treatment mortality should also be considered as one of the indicators for successful TB control programmes.

Clinical standards for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of TB infection

BACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy (TPT) decreases the risk of developing TB disease and its associated morbidity and mortality. The aim of these clinical standards is to guide the assessment, management of TB infection (TBI) and implementation of TPT.METHODS: A panel of global experts in the field of TB care was identified; 41 participated in a Delphi process. A 5-point Likert scale was used to score the initial standards. After rounds of revision, the document was approved with 100% agreement.RESULTS: Eight clinical standards were defined: Standard 1, all individuals belonging to at-risk groups for TB should undergo testing for TBI; Standard 2, all individual candidates for TPT (including caregivers of children) should undergo a counselling/health education session; Standard 3, testing for TBI: timing and test of choice should be optimised; Standard 4, TB disease should be excluded prior to initiation of TPT; Standard 5, all candidates for TPT should undergo a set of baseline examinations; Standard 6, all individuals initiating TPT should receive one of the recommended regimens; Standard 7, all individuals who have started TPT should be monitored; Standard 8, a TBI screening and testing register should be kept to inform the cascade of care.CONCLUSION: This is the first consensus-based set of Clinical Standards for TBI. This document guides clinicians, programme managers and public health officers in planning and implementing adequate measures to assess and manage TBI.