Association between weight gain and clinical outcomes among malnourished adults initiating antiretroviral therapy in Lusaka, Zambia

Weight Gain and Antiretroviral Therapy

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) agents as a determinant of body weight in ART-naïve and ART-experienced persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PWH) has become a major focus area in research and clinical settings. Recent studies demonstrating weight-suppressing properties of efavirenz and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate led to re-evaluation of weight gain studies, and a reassessment of whether other agents are weight promoting versus weight neutral. In this review, the authors synthesize recent literature on factors related to obesity, clinical measurements of adiposity, weight gain in ART-naïve and ART-experienced PWH, metabolic consequences of ART and weight gain, and the clinical management of weight gain in PWH.

Efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dolutegravir-based ART regimen in Durban, South Africa: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Dolutegravir is an integrase strand transfer inhibitor that has been recommended for use in first-line antiretroviral regimens by the World Health Organisation and is currently being rolled out globally. There has been safety concerns with dolutegravir which has caused concern about its use in the general population. Dolutegravir first-line regimens have been used in South Africa since early 2020. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of first-line dolutegravir-based antiretrovirals amongst adults living with HIV in Durban, South Africa.

METHODS

This was a mixed-methods study, which comprised a cross-sectional survey and longitudinal retrospective follow-up of medical records. The study was conducted between October 2020 and January 2022. Data were described using descriptive and summary statistics. Bivariate logistic regression was applied to socio-demographic and clinical variables and crude odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval was calculated. Pearson chi-square tests, paired sample T-tests, and cross-tabulations were performed on selected variables.

RESULTS

A total of 461 participants were enrolled in the study. There was a significant change in immunological outcomes (p < 0.001) after dolutegravir initiation. Furthermore, an assessment of laboratory parameters showed that there was a significant decrease in cholesterol (p < 0.001) and increase in creatinine (p < 0.001) levels. Increased weight was shown by 60.7% of the participants but was not associated with age, gender, CD4 counts, and previous antiretroviral usage. The study found that 43.6% of the participants experienced at least one side-effect. A total of 21.6% and 23.2% of the participants experienced neuropsychiatric and central nervous system side-effects, respectively. In the bivariate analyses, only gender was shown to be associated with side-effects, and only 1.7% of the participants discontinued the study due to side-effects.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that dolutegravir is effective, safe, and well tolerated in the study population.

Weight Gain in People with HIV: The Role of Demographics, Antiretroviral Therapy, and Lifestyle Factors on Weight

We explored factors associated with weight gain among people with HIV (PWH) on antiretroviral therapy (ART) at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center (OSUWMC). This was a retrospective cohort study of adult PWH on ART for ≥3 months. Patients with CD4+ T cell count <200 cells/mm3, viral load >200 copies/mL, history of malignancy, or pregnancy were excluded. Eight hundred seventy patients met criteria. The primary outcome was percent weight change over the follow-up period (Δ = relative effects). The secondary outcome was the odds of ≥5 kg weight gain over the study period. The effects of concurrent medications, medical comorbidities, ART combinations, and lifestyle behaviors on these outcomes were modeled using mixed effects regression analyses. Over a mean follow-up of 1.86 years, the study population gained a mean percent weight of 2.12% ± 0.21% (p < .001) with the odds of ≥5 kg weight gain of 0.293 (p < .001). Males gained an average of 1.88% ± 0.22% over follow up, while females gained an average of 3.37% ± 0.51% over follow up (p = .008 for the difference). In regression models, combination therapy with tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) and integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) containing regimens was associated with an increase in weight over the study period (Δ = 2.14% ± 0.45%, p < .001 and Δ = 1.09% ± 0.39%, p = .005, respectively). Increasing age was significantly associated with a decrease in percent weight change over the study period (Δ = -0.68% ± 0.18% per year, p < .001). Self-reported improvement in diet was associated with a decrease in weight change (Δ = -1.99% ± 0.47%, p ≤ .001) and reduced odds of ≥5 kg weight gain (odds ratio = 0.70, 95% confidence interval = 0.50-0.97, p = .03). Factors associated with weight gain include therapy with TAF and INSTI. Diet may play an influential role in attenuating weight gain in PWH.

Longitudinal trajectories of weight changes among people living with HIV on antiretroviral therapy: A group-based study

Weight changes vary among people living with HIV (PLHIV) on different antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens. Here, we performed multi-trajectory modeling fitting growth mixture models (GMM) to identify longitudinal weight change trajectories of PLHIV. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess correlates of rapid weight gains; 12,683 PLHIV (median age: 34 years [interquartile range 29-42], 91.1% male) who initiated ART at the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen, China, between January 2003 and September 2022 were included. We identified two trajectories: slow (70.5%) and rapid weight gains (29.5%). PLHIV who initiated ART with dolutegravir- (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.46, 1.92-3.15), raltegravir- (2.74, 1.96-3.82), and lopinavir (1.62, 1.36-1.94)-based regimens were more likely to have rapid weight gains compared with efavirenz-based regimen. The monitoring of nutritional status should be strengthened for PLHIV who initiated these regimens during regular ART follow-ups.

Body mass index trends and its impact of under and overweight on outcome among PLHIV on antiretroviral treatment in rural Tanzania: A prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Increased body weight is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is increasingly reported as a health problem in people living with HIV (PLHIV). There is limited data from rural sub-Saharan Africa, where malnutrition usually presents with both over- and undernutrition. We aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of underweight and overweight/obesity in PLHIV enrolled in a cohort in rural Tanzania before the introduction of integrase inhibitors.

METHODS

This nested study of the prospective Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort included adults aged ≥19 years initiated on antiretroviral therapy between 01/2013 and 12/2018 with follow-up through 06/2019. Body Mass Index (BMI) was classified as underweight (<18.5 kg/m2), normal (18.5-24.9 kg/m2), or overweight/obese (≥25.0 kg/m2). Stratified piecewise linear mixed models were used to assess the association between baseline characteristics and follow-up BMI. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between time-updated BMI and death/loss to follow-up (LTFU).

RESULTS

Among 2,129 patients, 22,027 BMI measurements (median 9 measurements: interquartile range 5-15) were analysed. At baseline, 398 (19%) patients were underweight and 356 (17%) were overweight/obese. The majority of patients were female (n = 1249; 59%), and aged 35-44 years (779; 37%). During the first 9 months, for every three additional months on antiretroviral therapy, BMI increased by 2% (95% confidence interval 1-2%, p<0.0001) among patients underweight at baseline and by 0.7% (0.5-0.6%, p<0.0001) among participants with normal BMI. Over a median of 20 months of follow-up, 107 (5%) patients died and 592 (28%) were LTFU. Being underweight was associated with >2 times the hazard of death/LTFU compared to participants with normal BMI.

CONCLUSION

We found a double burden of malnutrition, with underweight being an independent predictor of mortality. Monitoring and measures to address both states of malnutrition among PLHIV should be integrated into routine HIV care.

Association Between Body Mass Index Variation and Early Mortality Among 834 Ethiopian Adults Living with HIV on ART: A Joint Modelling Approach

INTRODUCTION

Body mass index (BMI) is a simple and cost-effective tool for monitoring the clinical responses of patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, especially in resource-limited settings where access to laboratory tests are limited. Current evidence on the association between longitudinal BMI variation and clinical outcomes among adults living with HIV receiving ART is essential to inform clinical guidelines. Therefore, this study examines the association between BMI variation and premature mortality in adults living with HIV on ART.

METHODS

An institution-based retrospective cohort study was conducted among 834 adults living with HIV receiving ART from June 2014 to June 2020 at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Northwest Ethiopia. We first identified predictors of mortality and BMI variation using proportional hazards regression and linear mixed models, respectively. Then, the two models were combined to form an advanced joint model to examine the effect of longitudinal BMI variation on mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 834 participants, 49 (5.9%) died, with a mortality rate of 4.1 (95% CI 3.1, 5.4) per 100 person-years. A unit increase in BMI after ART initiation corresponded to an 18% reduction in mortality risk. Patients taking tuberculosis preventive therapy (TPT), mild clinical disease stage, and changing ART regimens were at lower risk of death. However, patients with ambulatory/bedridden functional status were at higher risk of death. Regarding BMI variation over time, patients presenting with opportunistic infections (OIs), underweight patients, patients who started a Dolutegravir (DGT)-based ART regimen, and those with severe immunodeficiency had a higher BMI increase over time. However, patients from rural areas and overweight/obese patients experienced a lower BMI increase over time.

CONCLUSION

BMI improvement after ART initiation was strongly associated with a lower mortality risk, regardless of BMI category. This finding implies that BMI may be used as a better predictor tool for death risk in adults living with HIV in Ethiopia. Additionally, patients who took a DGT-based ART regimen had a higher BMI increase rate over time, which aligns with possible positive effects, such as weight gain, of the DGT-based ART regimen in developing countries.

Body mass index, proteinuria and total lymphocyte counts in predicting treatment responses among ART naïve individuals with HIV initiated on antiretroviral treatment in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 2019: a cohort study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the potential use of body mass index (BMI), proteinuria and total lymphocyte count changes in predicting immunological and virological response in individuals with HIV initiated on antiretroviral treatment (ART).

DESIGN

Prospective cohort study.

SETTING

Three urban HIV care and treatment centres in Dar es Salaam.

PARTICIPANTS

Individuals with HIV initiating ART.

OUTCOME MEASURES

HIV viral load ≥1000 copies/mL (viral non-suppression) at 6 months after ART initiation.

RESULTS

Of 215 (out of 220 enrolled) participants who returned for evaluation at 6 months, 147 (66.8%) were women. At 6 months of follow-up, 89.4% (76/85) of participants with sustained weight gain were virally suppressed compared with 31.8% (7/22) with sustained loss, p<0.001. In participants who were lymphopaenic at baseline, an increase to normal total lymphocyte counts at 6 months was associated with an increase in CD4 count compared with participants who remained lymphopaenic, 96.2% (50/52) versus 54.8% (17/31), p<0.001. At baseline, 50.0% (110/220) had proteinuria. In participants without proteinuria from baseline to 6 months, 89.8% (79/88) were virally suppressed compared with participants with proteinuria at baseline and/or 3 months, 85.6% (77/90), those with persistent proteinuria, 30.8% (8/26), and proteinuria at 6 months only, 45.5% (5/11), p<0.001. In modified Poisson regression, the independent predictors other than CD4 cell counts for viral non-suppression at 6 months among individuals with HIV initiating on ART were BMI loss >5% from baseline to 6 months (adjusted RR 2.73, 95% CI (1.36 to 5.47)), lymphopaenia at 6 months (adjusted RR=4.54, 95% CI (2.19 to 9.39)) and proteinuria at 6 months (adjusted RR=2.63, 95% CI (1.25 to 5.54)).

CONCLUSIONS

Change in BMI, total lymphocyte count and presence of proteinuria can monitor and predict ART response and may be particularly helpful in settings when CD4 counts and viral load monitoring are unavailable.

Comparison of predictors for early and late mortality in adults commencing HIV antiretroviral therapy in Zimbabwe: a retrospective cohort study

Background

People living with HIV (PLWHIV) commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa experience significant mortality within the first year. Previously, identified risk factors for mortality may be biased towards these patients, as compared to those who experience late mortality.

Aim

To compare risk factors for early and late mortality in PLWHIV commencing ART.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of ART-naïve patients aged ≥ 18 years from an outpatient HIV clinic in Zimbabwe. Data were collected between January 2010 and January 2019. Predictors for early (≤ 1 year) and late mortality (> 1 year) were determined by multivariable cox proportional hazards analyses, with patients censored at 1 year and landmark analysis after 1 year, respectively.

Results

Three thousand and thirty-nine PLWHIV were included in the analysis. Over a median follow-up of 4.6 years (IQR 2.5–6.9), there was a mortality rate of 8.8%, with 50.4% of deaths occurring within 1 year. Predictors of early mortality included CD4 count < 50 cells/µL (HR 1.84, 95% CI 1.24–2.72, p < 0.01), WHO Stage III (HR 2.05, 95% CI 1.28–3.27, p < 0.01) or IV (HR 2.83, 95% CI 1.67–4.81, p < 0.01), and eGFR < 90 mL/min/1.73 m² (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.56–3.96, p < 0.01). Other than age (p < 0.01), only proteinuria (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.12–4.01, p = 0.02) and diabetes mellitus (HR 3.51, 95% CI 1.32–9.32, p = 0.01) were associated with increased risk of late mortality.

Conclusions

Traditional markers of mortality risk in patients commencing ART appear to be limited to early mortality. Proteinuria and diabetes are some of the few predictors of late mortality, and should be incorporated into routine screening of patients commencing ART.

Could a Dolutegravir-Based Antiretroviral Therapy Lead to Clinical Obesity? A Retrospective Cohort Study Conducted at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital in Hawassa, Sidama, Ethiopia

Background

As of April 2019, the dolutegravir (DTG)-based regimen is replacing the efavirenz-based regimen in Ethiopia, mainly due to its superiority in viral load suppression. However, there is a growing concern about this medication-based regimen, the most serious of which is excessive weight gain. In this study, we looked at weight gain disparities among human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) who have been shifted to tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (TLD) from a tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz (TLE)-based regimen versus those who are maintained on a tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz-based regimen.

Methods

A facility-based retrospective observational cohort study was conducted in pursuit of weight change disparities between tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir and tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz-based regimens among patients who have attained optimal viral suppression at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital antiretroviral clinic. Chi-square and logistic regression were used as appropriate using an SPSS version 21 program to test the association of specific variables to outcome variables, and a P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

This study included 422 patients, 211 of whom were switched from tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz to tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir and the remaining were who kept on a tenofovir/lamivudine/efavirenz-based regimen. Patients on a tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir-based regimen had a mean weight gain of 3.88 ± 2.021 kg in one year compared to those on TLE (2.26 ± 2.39). In a bivariate analysis, being male was found to protect against unwanted weight gain at COR 0.531 (0.345, 0.816). A current CD4 count of more than 500 has been found to be strongly correlated with weight gain in multivariate analysis at an AOR of 0.315 (0.188, 0.527) at a P value ≤0.001.

Conclusion

According to this study, tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (TLD)-based antiretroviral medication (ART) users are more likely to gain weight, and clinicians should advise them of the risks of weight gain as well as cost-effective ways to prevent weight gain linked to poor health outcomes in these patients. Future investigations should confirm the findings of this study, and more research into the effects of weight gain in these people is required.

Effects of different integrase strand transfer inhibitors on body weight in patients with HIV/AIDS: a network meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Global antiretroviral therapy has entered a new era. Integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) has become the first choice in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) treatment. Because INSTI has high antiviral efficacy, rapid virus inhibition, and good tolerance. However, INSTIs may increase the risk of obesity. Each INSTI has its unique impact on weight gain in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS. This study systematically assessed different INSTIs in causing significant weight gain in HIV/AIDS patients by integrating data from relevant literature.

METHODS

PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), China Science and Technology Journal Database (VIP), and Wanfang databases were searched to find studies on the influence of different INSTIs in weight gain. Data on weight change were extracted, and a network meta-analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Eight studies reported weight changes in HIV/AIDS patients were included. Results of the network meta-analysis showed that the weight gain of HIV/AIDS patients treated with Dolutegravir (DTG) was significantly higher than that of Elvitegravir (EVG) [MD = 1.13, (0.18-2.07)]. The consistency test results showed no overall and local inconsistency, and no significant difference in the results of the direct and indirect comparison was detected (p > 0.05). The rank order of probability was DTG (79.2%) > Bictegravir (BIC) (77.9%) > Raltegravir (RAL) (33.2%) > EVG (9.7%), suggesting that DTG may be the INSTI drug that causes the most significant weight gain in HIV/AIDS patients.

CONCLUSION

According to the data analysis, among the existing INSTIs, DTG may be the drug that causes the most significant weight gain in HIV/AIDS patients, followed by BIC.

Weight change after antiretroviral therapy initiation among adults living with HIV in Northwest Ethiopia: a longitudinal data analysis

OBJECTIVES

The first objective was to explore weight change in the first 2 years after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in adults living with HIV. The second objective was to identify the predictors of weight change over time among adults living with HIV on ART.

DESIGN

An institution-based retrospective longitudinal study was conducted.

SETTING

The study was conducted at Debre Markos Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia.

PARTICIPANTS

The study included 848 randomly selected medical charts of adults living with HIV receiving ART between June 2014 and June 2020.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOMES

The primary outcome was weight change in the first 2 years after ART initiation. The secondary outcome was to identify predictors of weight change. Association between predictor variables and weight change was assessed using an LMM. Variables with p values <0.05 in the final model were considered as statistically significant predictors of weight change.

RESULTS

Of 844 study participants, more than half (n=499; 58.8%) were female. Participants' mean weight increased from 54.2 kg (SD ±9.6 kg) at baseline to 59.5 kg (SD ±10.7 kg) at the end of follow-up. Duration of time on ART, sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, nutritional status and presence of opportunistic infections were significant predictors of weight change at ART initiation. Significant interaction effects were observed between time and sex, WHO clinical disease staging, functional status, isoniazid preventive therapy and nutritional status.

CONCLUSION

We found a linear increment of weight over 24 months of follow-up. Rate of weight gain over time was lower in patients with advanced disease stage and working functional status, whereas weight gain rate was higher in male and underweight patients.

Inflammatory markers as correlates of body composition and grip strength among adults with and without HIV: A cross-sectional study in Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Changes in body composition and muscle strength are common among individuals with HIV. We investigated the associations of inflammation with body composition and grip strength in adults with and without HIV.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study among Ethiopian treatment-naïve individuals with and without HIV. Fat mass and fat-free mass adjusted for height (kg/m²) were used as indicators of body composition.

RESULTS

288/100 individuals with/without HIV were included between July 2010 and August 2012. Females with HIV had lower fat mass index (FMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) than females without HIV, whereas no difference was seen between males with and without HIV. Males and females with HIV had lower grip strength than their counterparts without HIV. Serum alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (s-AGP) was negatively correlated with FMI (-0.71 kg/m², 95% CI: -1.2; -0.3) among individuals with HIV, and those with HIV and serum C-reactive protein (s-CRP) ≥ 10 mg/l had 0.78 kg/m² (95% CI -1.4; -0.2) lower FMI than those with s-CRP < 10 mg/l. In contrast, s-AGP was positively correlated with FMI (2.09 kg/m², 95% CI 0.6; 3.6) in individuals without HIV. S-CRP and AGP were negatively associated with grip strength in individuals with HIV, while no correlation was observed among those without HIV.

CONCLUSION

Inflammation was positively associated with FMI in individuals without HIV while it was negatively associated with FMI in those with HIV, indicating that inflammation may be one of the drivers of depleting energy reserves among treatment-naïve individuals with HIV. Inflammation was associated with decreased muscle quantity and functional capacity among individuals with HIV, but not in those without HIV.

Optimal Control Strategies and Sensitivity Analysis of an HIV/AIDS-Resistant Model with Behavior Change

Despite several research on HIV/AIDS, it is still incumbent to investigate more effective control measures to mitigate its infection level. Therefore, we introduce an HIV/AIDS-resistant model with behavior change and study its basic properties. In order to determine the most sensitive parameters that are responsible for disease transmission with respect to the basic reproduction number and those responsible for disease prevalence with respect to the endemic equilibrium, the sensitivity analysis was established and it was confirmed that the influx rate of people into the infected population and total abstinence from all risk practices and endemic areas are some of the most sensitive parameters for disease spread and disease eradication, respectively. Furthermore, by considering controls [Formula: see text] denoting the government's intervention in promoting and encouraging behavior change, [Formula: see text] representing intake of balanced nutritional supplementation, and [Formula: see text] connoting antiretroviral therapy (ART), an optimal control problem was developed and analyzed. Before the establishment of the necessary conditions of the optimal control using Pontryagin's Maximum Principle, we proved the existence of the optimal control triplet [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the control set at time t,) which has been neglected by many researchers in recent years. Using the Runge-Kutta scheme, the optimal control problem was solved to understand the best combination of control strategies. Using the demographic and epidemiological data for South Africa on HIV/AIDS, a numerical simulation was carried out and results are presented on 3D surface plots. The obtained results suggested that the combination of all the considered control measures is the best method to ensure disease eradication.

Cause of hospitalization and death in the antiretroviral era in Sub-Saharan Africa published 2008-2018: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

Worldwide despite the availability of antiretroviral therapy, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome still causes morbidity and mortality among patients. In Sub-Saharan Africa, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome remains a major public health concern. The aim of this study was to identify the causes of morbidity and mortality in the modern antiretroviral therapy era in Sub-Saharan Africa.

METHODS

We conducted a systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. We searched relevant studies from 3 databases which are Google Scholar, PubMed, and CINAHL. Two review authors independently screened titles, abstracts, and full-text articles in duplicate, extracted data, and assessed bias. Discrepancies were resolved by discussion or arbitration of a third review author. R software version 3.6.2 was used to analyze the data. Maximum values were used in order to show which disease was mostly spread out by looking at the highest prevalence reported. This systematic review protocol was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO).

RESULTS

A total of 409 articles were obtained from the database search, finally 12 articles met the inclusion criteria and were eligible for data extraction. Among them, 3 were conducted in Nigeria, 2 were conducted in Uganda, 3 were conducted in South Africa, 1 in Gabon, 1 in Ethiopia, 1 in Ghana, and 1 in Burkina Faso. In most of the included studies, tuberculosis was the leading cause of hospitalization which accounted for between 18% and 40.7% and it was also the leading cause of death and accounted for between 16% and 44.3%, except in 1 which reported anemia as the leading cause of hospitalization and in 2 which reported wasting syndrome and meningitis respectively as the leading causes of death. Opportunistic malignancies accounted between for 1.8% to 5% of hospitalization and 1.2% to 9.8% of deaths.

CONCLUSIONS

Tuberculosis is the commonest cause of hospitalization and death in Sub-Saharan Africa, but it is always followed by other infectious disease and other non-AIDS related causes.

Undernutrition and HIV Infection in Sub-Saharan Africa: Health Outcomes and Therapeutic Interventions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is disproportionately burdened by the twin epidemics of food insecurity and HIV infection, and protein-calorie undernutrition is common among persons with HIV (PWH) initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the region. In this review, we discuss the intersection of HIV infection and undernutrition, health outcomes among undernourished PWH starting ART, and the demonstrated and potential benefits of therapeutic interventions such as micro/macronutrient supplementation and pharmacological agents.

RECENT FINDINGS

A low body mass index (BMI), used as a general indicator of poor nutrition in most studies, is associated with impaired immune recovery and increased mortality in the early ART period. The increased risk of mortality is multifactorial, and contributors include undernutrition-related immune system dysfunction, increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections, and metabolic and cardiovascular dysregulation. Clinical trials of micro/macronutrient supplementary feeding, appetite stimulants (hormones and anabolic agents), and recombinant adipokines have shown a benefit for weight gain and metabolic health, but there are few data on mortality or immune recovery. A substantial proportion of PWH in SSA are undernourished, and undernutrition contributes to an increased risk of mortality and other adverse health outcomes. To date, there have been few prospective trials of nutritional supplementation and/or pharmacologic therapy among undernourished PWH in SSA, though findings from other settings suggest a potential benefit in this population.

Greater Weight Gain in Treatment-naive Persons Starting Dolutegravir-based Antiretroviral Therapy

BACKGROUND

Recent studies have reported weight gain in virologically suppressed persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) switched from older antiretroviral therapy (ART) to newer integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based regimens. In this study, we investigated whether weight gain differs among treatment-naive PLWH starting INSTI-based regimens compared to other ART regimens.

METHODS

Adult, treatment-naive PLWH in the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic cohort initiating INSTI-, protease inhibitor (PI)-, and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART between January 2007 and June 2016 were included. We used multivariable linear mixed-effects models to generate marginal predictions of weights over time, adjusting for baseline clinical and demographic characteristics. We used restricted cubic splines to relax linearity assumptions and bootstrapping to generate 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Among 1152 ART-naive PLWH, 351 initiated INSTI-based regimens (135 dolutegravir, 153 elvitegravir, and 63 raltegravir), 86% were male, and 49% were white. At ART initiation, median age was 35 years, body mass index was 25.1 kg/m2, and CD4+ T-cell count was 318 cells/μL. Virologic suppression at 18 months was similar between different ART classes. At all examined study time points, weight gain was highest among PLWH starting dolutegravir. At 18 months, PLWH on dolutegravir gained 6.0 kg, compared to 2.6 kg for NNRTIs (P < .05), and 0.5 kg for elvitegravir (P < .05). PLWH starting dolutegravir also gained more weight at 18 months compared to raltegravir (3.4 kg) and PIs (4.1 kg), though these differences were not statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONS

Treatment-naive PLWH starting dolutegravir-based regimens gained significantly more weight at 18 months than those starting NNRTI-based and elvitegravir-based regimens.

Association of body mass index with immune recovery, virological failure and cardiovascular disease risk among people living with HIV

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a longitudinal cohort analysis to evaluate the association of pre-treatment body mass index (BMI) with CD4 recovery, virological failure (VF) and cardiovascular risk disease (CVD) markers among people living with HIV (PLHIV).

METHODS

Participants who were enrolled between January 2003 and March 2019 in a regional Asia HIV cohort with weight and height measurements prior to antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation were included. Factors associated with mean CD4 increase were analysed using repeated-measures linear regression. Time to first VF after 6 months on ART and time to first development of CVD risk markers were analysed using Cox regression models. Sensitivity analyses were done adjusting for Asian BMI thresholds.

RESULTS

Of 4993 PLHIV (66% male), 62% had pre-treatment BMI in the normal range (18.5-25.0 kg/m² ), while 26%, 10% and 2% were underweight (< 18.5 kg/m² ), overweight (25-30 kg/m2) and obese (> 30 kg/m² ), respectively. Both higher baseline and time-updated BMI were associated with larger CD4 gains compared with normal BMI. After adjusting for Asian BMI thresholds, higher baseline BMIs of 23-27.5 and > 27.5 kg/m² were associated with larger CD4 increases of 15.6 cells/µL [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.9-28.3] and 28.8 cells/µL (95% CI: 6.6-50.9), respectively, compared with normal BMI (18.5-23 kg/m² ). PLHIV with BMIs of 25-30 and > 30 kg/m² were 1.27 times (95% CI: 1.10-1.47) and 1.61 times (95% CI: 1.13-2.24) more likely to develop CVD risk factors. No relationship between pre-treatment BMI and VF was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

High pre-treatment BMI was associated with better immune reconstitution and CVD risk factor development in an Asian PLHIV cohort.

Stigma and discrimination: barriers to the utilisation of a nutritional program in HIV care services in the Tigray region, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

In Ethiopia, stigmatising attitudes towards people living with HIV have reduced over time. This is mainly due to improved HIV knowledge and the expansion of access to HIV care and support services. However, HIV stigma and discrimination remain a key challenge and have negative impacts on access to and utilisation of HIV services including nutritional programs in the HIV care setting. A small number of studies have examined the experience of stigma related to nutritional programs, but this is limited. This study explored HIV status disclosure and experience of stigma related to a nutritional program in HIV care settings in Ethiopia and impacts on nutritional program utilisation.

METHODS

As part of a larger study, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 adults living with HIV, 15 caregivers of children living with HIV and 13 program staff working in the nutritional program in three hospitals in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia. Framework thematic analysis was employed to analyse the data and NVivo 11 was used to analyse the qualitative interview data. This study is presented based on the consolidated criteria for reporting of qualitative research (COREQ).

RESULTS

The study found varying levels of positive HIV status disclosure, depending on who the target of disclosure was. Disclosing to family members was reported to be less problematic by most participants. Despite reported benefits of the nutritional program in terms of improving weight and overall health status, adults and caregivers of children living with HIV revealed experiences of stigma and discrimination that were amplified by enrolment to the nutritional program and concerns about unwanted disclosure of positive HIV status. This was due to: a) transporting, consuming and disposing of the nutritional support (Plumpynut/sup) itself, which is associated with HIV in the broader community; b) required increased frequency of visits to HIV services for those enrolled in the nutritional program and associated greater likelihood of being seen there.

CONCLUSION

There was evidence of concerns about HIV-related stigma and discrimination among individuals enrolled in this program and their family members, which in turn negatively affected the utilisation of the nutritional program and the HIV service more broadly. Stigma and discrimination are a source of health inequity and undermine access to the nutritional program and other HIV services. Nutritional programs in HIV care should include strategies to take these concerns into account by mainstreaming stigma prevention and mitigation activities. Further research should be done to identify innovative ways of facilitating social inclusion to mitigate stigma and improve utilisation.

Weight gain among treatment-naïve persons with HIV starting integrase inhibitors compared to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or protease inhibitors in a large observational cohort in the United States and Canada

INTRODUCTION

Weight gain following antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is common, potentially predisposing some persons with HIV (PWH) to cardio-metabolic disease. We assessed relationships between ART drug class and weight change among treatment-naïve PWH initiating ART in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD).

METHODS

Adult, treatment-naïve PWH in NA-ACCORD initiating integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), protease inhibitor (PI) or non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based ART on/after 1 January 2007 were followed through 31 December 2016. Multivariate linear mixed effects models estimated weight up to five years after ART initiation, adjusting for age, sex, race, cohort site, HIV acquisition mode, treatment year, and baseline weight, plasma HIV-1 RNA level and CD4+ cell count. Due to shorter follow-up for PWH receiving newer INSTI drugs, weights for specific INSTIs were estimated at two years. Secondary analyses using logistic regression and all covariates from primary analyses assessed factors associated with >10% weight gain at two and five years.

RESULTS

Among 22,972 participants, 87% were male, and 41% were white. 49% started NNRTI-, 31% started PI- and 20% started INSTI-based regimens (1624 raltegravir (RAL), 2085 elvitegravir (EVG) and 929 dolutegravir (DTG)). PWH starting INSTI-based regimens had mean estimated five-year weight change of +5.9kg, compared to +3.7kg for NNRTI and +5.5kg for PI. Among PWH starting INSTI drugs, mean estimated two-year weight change was +7.2kg for DTG, +5.8kg for RAL and +4.1kg for EVG. Women, persons with lower baseline CD4+ cell counts, and those initiating INSTI-based regimens had higher odds of >10% body weight increase at two years (adjusted odds ratio = 1.37, 95% confidence interval: 1.20 to 1.56 vs. NNRTI).

CONCLUSIONS

PWH initiating INSTI-based regimens gained, on average, more weight compared to NNRTI-based regimens. This phenomenon may reflect heterogeneous effects of ART agents on body weight regulation that require further exploration.

Adaptation and biomedical transition of people living with HIV to antiretroviral treatment in Burkina Faso

This article examines the adaptation and biomedical transition of people living with HIV (PLHIV) to antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Burkina Faso. The study employs a representative sample of 3625 randomly selected patients. Subjective and objective measures of health and their predictors are compared for short-term (≤24 months) versus longer-term ART adherents (>24 months) in a cohort study. Subjective health is measured as Likert scale self-rating and objective health as CD4 count. The results show that subjective and objective health capture different aspects of adaptation to ART: 90% of the short-term and 94% of the longer-term patients give a subjective health rating of at least good, while the objective measure of good health is higher among longer-term (42%) compared to short-term patients (27%). For subjective health, short-lived pleasures are predictors among short-term adherents while economic characteristics are determinants among longer-term patients. Meanwhile, objective health is associated with factors that determine ART adherence (i.e. participating in self-help groups). To achieve a wholistic resilience management that caters to the needs of PLHIV, we need to acknowledge adaptation to the disease and to ART and design health programs, in particular in developing countries, away from one-size-fits-all solutions to stage-of-disease specific support.

Predictors of mortality within the first year of initiating antiretroviral therapy in urban and rural Kenya: A prospective cohort study

Introduction

Despite increased treatment availability, HIV-infected individuals continue to start antiretroviral therapy (ART) late in disease progression, increasing early mortality risk.

Materials and methods

Nested prospective cohort study within a randomized clinical trial of adult patients initiating ART at clinics in urban Nairobi and rural Maseno, Kenya, between 2013–2014. We estimated mortality incidence rates following ART initiation and used Cox proportional hazards regression to identify predictors of mortality within 12 months of ART initiation. Analyses were stratified by clinic site to examine differences in mortality correlates and risk by location.

Results

Among 811 participants initiated on ART, the mortality incidence rate within a year of initiating ART was 7.44 per 100 person-years (95% CI 5.71, 9.69). Among 207 Maseno and 612 Nairobi participants initiated on ART, the mortality incidence rates (per 100 person-years) were 12.78 (95% CI 8.49, 19.23) and 5.72 (95% CI 4.05, 8.09). Maseno had a 2.20-fold greater risk of mortality than Nairobi (95% CI 1.29, 3.76; P = 0.004). This association remained [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 2.09 (95% CI 1.17, 3.74); P = 0.013] when adjusting for age, gender, education, pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR), and CD4 count, but not when adjusting for BMI. In unadjusted analyses, other predictors (P<0.05) of mortality included male gender (HR = 1.74), age (HR = 1.04 for 1-year increase), fewer years of education (HR = 0.92 for 1-year increase), unemployment (HR = 1.89), low body mass index (BMI<18.5 m/kg²; HR = 4.99), CD4 count <100 (HR = 11.67) and 100–199 (HR = 3.40) vs. 200–350 cells/μL, and pre-treatment drug resistance (PDR; HR = 2.49). The increased mortality risk associated with older age, males, and greater education remained when adjusted for location, age, education and PDR, but not when adjusted for BMI and CD4 count. PDR remained associated with increased mortality risk when adjusted for location, age, gender, education, and BMI, but not when adjusted for CD4 count. CD4 and BMI associations with increased mortality risk persisted in multivariable analyses. Despite similar baseline CD4 counts across locations, mortality risk associated with low CD4 count, low BMI, and PDR was greater in Maseno than Nairobi in stratified analyses.

Conclusions

High short-term post-ART mortality was observed, partially due to low CD4 count and BMI at presentation, especially in the rural setting. Male gender, older age, and markers of lower socioeconomic status were also associated with greater mortality risk. Engaging patients earlier in HIV infection remains critical. PDR may influence short-term mortality and further studies to optimize management will be important in settings with increasing PDR.

Noncommunicable Diseases Burden and Risk Factors in a Cohort of HIV+ Elderly Patients in Malawi

HIV-infected patients have increased risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). HIV+ patients in Africa are experiencing growing comorbidities due to increase in life expectancy and long-time antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV prevalence in Malawi is one of highest in the world (10.8% in women and 6.4% in men); few data are available about NCDs epidemiology in HIV+ elderly patients in Malawi. A retrospective analysis of routine medical records in 14 health centers run by Disease Relief through Excellent and Advanced Means (DREAM) program in Malawi was carried out. All HIV+ patients aged >40 years in care in the period January 01, 2017-December 31, 2018 were included. Clinical and laboratory features were collected in the last visit of the study period. Files from 7,071 patients (62.1% women) in ART were analyzed, 362 (5.1%) were aged >65 years. Median time on ART was 98.9 (64.8-118.0) months; median body mass index, haemoglobin (HB), and CD4 count were, respectively, 21.63 kg/m² (19.5-24.5), 13 mg/dL (12-14), and 457 cell/mm³ (328-613). Elderly patients >65 years were more likely to be malnourished (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0, confidence interval [CI]: 1.54-2.59), diagnosed with arterial hypertension (OR = 2.5, CI: 1.94-3.43), affected with diabetes (OR = 2.7, CI: 1.25-6.22), have macrocytic anemia (OR = 2.5, CI: 2.00-3.35), and increased serum creatinine (OR = 1.5, CI: 1.03-2.43]). Other factors were associated with NCD burden, but age remained always independently related. Two concomitant chronic conditions in addition to HIV were present in 19.2% (66/343) of elderly people and 5.2% (338/6.454) of patients aged <65 years (OR = 4.3, CI: 3.22-5.76). Some associations were observed: nevirapine (NVP) was associated with kidney disease (OR = 1.5, CI: 1.22-2.06), NVP and protease inhibitor (PI) with hypertension (OR = 2.79, CI: 2.16-3.35 and OR = 2.15, CI: 1.52-3.02), azidothymidine (AZT) with macrocytic anemia (OR = 15.6, CI: 13.18-18.68). NVP, AZT, and duration of any ART >3 years were associated with the presence of two or more comorbidities (OR = 2.1 1.54-2.96, OR = 2.6 1.87-3.71, and OR = 1.7 1.12-2.84). Our data show the burden of NCDs in aging HIV+ patients in Malawi. The expansion of HIV treatment programs will require special attention to such comorbidities in elderly patients.

Nutrition indicators as potential predictors of AIDS-defining illnesses among ARV-naïve HIV-positive adults in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia 2008-2009

Early changes in nutritional status may be predictive of subsequent HIV disease progression in people living with HIV (PLHIV). In addition to conventional anthropometric assessment using body mass index (BMI) and mid-upper arm circumferences (MUAC), measures of strength and fatigability may detect earlier changes in nutrition status which predict HIV disease progression. This study aims to examine the association between various nutritional metrics relevant in resource-scarce setting and HIV disease progression. The HIV disease progression outcome was defined as any occurrence of an incident AIDS-defining illnesses (ADI) among antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve PLHIV. From 2008–2009, HIV+ Zambian adult men and non-pregnant women were followed for 9 months at a Doctors without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontiers, MSF) HIV clinic in Kapiri Mposhi, Zambia. Since the study was conducted in the time period when former WHO recommendations on ART (i.e., ≤200 CD4 cell count as opposed to treating all individuals regardless of CD4 cell count or disease stage) were followed, caution should be applied when considering the implications from this study’s results to improve HIV case management under current clinical guidelines, or when comparing findings from this study with studies conducted in recent years. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the associations between baseline nutritional measurements and the outcome of incident ADI. Self-reported loss of appetite study (AOR 1.90, 95% CI 1.04, 3.45, P = 0.036) and moderate wasting based on MUAC classification (AOR 2.40, 95% CI 1.13, 5.10, P = 0.022) were independently associated with increased odds of developing incident ADI within 9 months, while continuous increments (in psi) of median handgrip strength (AOR 0.74, 95%CI 0.60, 0.91, P = 0.004) was independently associated with decreased odds of incident ADI only among women. The association between low BMI and the short-term outcome of ADI was attenuated after controlling for these nutritional indicators. These findings warrant further research to validate the consistency of these observed associations among larger ART-naïve HIV-infected populations, as well as to develop nutritional assessment tools for identifying disease progression risk among ART-naïve PLHIV.

Tackling protein-energy under-nutrition among resource-limited people living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi using soybean-enriched maize-based stiff porridge (nsima): A pilot study

AIM

The Ministry of Health in Malawi has scaled-up antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection. However, the majority of Malawians heavily depend on maize-based stiff porridge (nsima), a protein-deficient staple, a practice that exacerbates wasting and ultimately compromises the success of ART programming. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of utilising soybean-enriched nsima as a strategy for managing HIV-related wasting among resource-poor people.

METHODS

A before and after designed study involving 25 wasted (<18.5 BMI (body mass index)) to normal (18.5-24.9 BMI) HIV-positive rural women (21-40 years) taking ART and provided with soybean-maize flour (20 kg/month for 3 months) prepared from hydrothermally treated soybeans and maize in the ratio of 1:4 (wt/wt). Anthropometry was performed at baseline and every month for the 3-month study period. Paired sample t-tests were used to test for changes in body mass and BMI between baseline and the subsequent months.

RESULTS

Statistically significant (P < 0.001) cumulative mean weight gain for the first, second and third month of the study were 1.6, 2.1 and 2.9 kg, respectively. The number of participants with low BMI reduced from 6/25 at baseline to 2/25 after 3 months, and the mean BMI improved from 19.3 to 21.1 kg/m2 .

CONCLUSIONS

Nsima prepared from a blend of maize and hydrothermally treated soybeans could feasibly be used to prevent and manage wasting among resource-poor people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa who rely on maize as a major staple.

Age-related comorbidities and mortality in people living with HIV in rural Tanzania

OBJECTIVE

Causes of morbidity and mortality of people living with HIV are changing with access to antiretroviral therapy and increased life expectancy. Age-related data on comorbidities and their impact on mortality in sub-Saharan Africa are scarce.

DESIGN

This prospective analysis evaluated comorbidities, assessed by means of International Classification of Diseases and Related Health problems 10th revision codes and clinical variables, derived from data collected from the Kilombero & Ulanga antiretroviral cohort of people living with HIV in rural Tanzania.

METHODS

We calculated prevalences and incidences of comorbidities in patients enrolled from 2013 to 2017 and evaluated their association with a combined endpoint of death and loss to follow-up (LTFU) in various age groups (15-29, 30-49 and ≥50 years) using Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

Of 1622 patients [65% females, median age 38 years (interquartile range 31-46)], 11% were at least 50 years. During a median follow-up of 22.1 months (interquartile range 10.6-37.3), 48 (2.9%) patients died and 306 (18.9%) were LTFU. Anaemia was the most prevalent comorbidity (66.3%) irrespective of age and was associated with increased mortality/LTFU [hazard ratios 2.02 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.57-2.60); P < 0.001]. In patients aged at least 50 years, arterial hypertension was highly prevalent (43.8%), but not associated with mortality/LTFU [hazard ratios 1.04 (95% CI 0.56-1.93), P = 0.9]. Undernutrition ranged from 25.5% in the youngest to 29.1% in the oldest age group and contributed to mortality/LTFU [hazard ratios 2.24 (95% CI 1.65-3.04); P < 0.001]. Prevalence of tuberculosis was 21.4% with hazard ratios of 2.54 (95% CI 1.72-3.75, P < 0.001) for mortality/LTFU.

CONCLUSION

We show that anaemia, arterial hypertension and undernutrition are the most relevant comorbidities with different age-associated frequencies and impact on death/LTFU in this population.

Aging with HIV: what effect on mortality and loss to follow-up in the course of antiretroviral therapy? The IeDEA West Africa Cohort Collaboration

Background

Reporting mortality and lost to follow-up (LTFU) by age is essential as older HIV-positive patients might be at risk of long-term effects of living with HIV and/or taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). As age effects might not be linear and might impact HIV outcomes in the oldest more severely, people living with HIV (PLHIV) aged 50-59 years and PLHIV aged >60 years were considered separately.

Setting

Seventeen adult HIV/AIDS clinics spread over nine countries in West Africa.

Methods

Data were collected within the International Epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS West Africa Collaboration. ART-naïve PLHIV-1 adults aged >16 years initiating ART and attending ≥2 clinic visits were included (N=73,525). Age was divided into five groups: 16-29/30-39/40-49/50-59/≥60 years. The age effect on mortality and LTFU was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regressions.

Results

At month 36, 5.9% of the patients had died and 47.3% were LTFU. Patients aged ≥60 (N=1,736) and between 50-59 years old (N=6,792) had an increased risk of death in the first 36 months on ART (adjusted hazard ratio=1.66; 95% CI: 1.36-2.03 and adjusted hazard ratio=1.31; 95% CI: 1.15-1.49, respectively; reference: <30 years old). Patients ≥60 years old tend to be more often LTFU.

Conclusion

The oldest PLHIV presented the poorest outcomes, suggesting that the PLHIV aged >50 years old should not be considered as a unique group irrespective of their age. Tailored programs focusing on improving the care services for older PLHIV in Sub-Saharan Africa are clearly needed to improve basic program outcomes.

Effect of ready-to-use supplementary food on mortality in severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals in Africa initiating antiretroviral therapy (REALITY): an open-label, parallel-group, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

In sub-Saharan Africa, severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals have a high risk of mortality during the first few months after starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We hypothesise that universally providing ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) would increase early weight gain, thereby reducing early mortality compared with current guidelines recommending ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) for severely malnourished individuals only.

METHODS

We did a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial, open-label, parallel-group trial at inpatient and outpatient facilities in eight urban or periurban regional hospitals in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. Eligible participants were ART-naive adults and children aged at least 5 years with confirmed HIV infection and a CD4 cell count of fewer than 100 cells per μL, who were initiating ART at the facilities. We randomly assigned participants (1:1) to initiate ART either with (RUSF) or without (no-RUSF) 12 weeks' of peanut-based RUSF containing 1000 kcal per day and micronutrients, given as two 92 g packets per day for adults and one packet (500 kcal per day) for children aged 5-12 years, regardless of nutritional status. In both groups, individuals received supplementation with RUTF only when severely malnourished (ie, body-mass index [BMI] <16-18 kg/m2 or BMI-for-age Z scores <-3 for children). We did the randomisation with computer-generated, sequentially numbered tables with different block sizes incorporated within an online database. Randomisation was stratified by centre, age, and two other factorial randomisations, to 12 week adjunctive raltegravir and enhanced anti-infection prophylaxis (reported elsewhere). Clinic visits were scheduled at weeks 2, 4, 8, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48, and included nurse assessment of vital status and symptoms and dispensing of all medication including ART and RUSF. The primary outcome was mortality at week 24, analysed by intention to treat. Secondary outcomes included absolute changes in weight, BMI, and mid-upper-arm circumference (MUAC). Safety was analysed in all randomly assigned participants. Follow-up was 48 weeks. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01825031) and the ISRCTN registry (43622374).

FINDINGS

Between June 18, 2013, and April 10, 2015, we randomly assigned 1805 participants to treatment: 897 to RUSF and 908 to no-RUSF. 56 (3%) were lost-to-follow-up. 96 (10·9%, 95% CI 9·0-13·1) participants allocated to RUSF and 92 (10·3%, 8·5-12·5) to no-RUSF died within 24 weeks (hazard ratio 1·05, 95% CI 0·79-1·40; log-rank p=0·75), with no evidence of interaction with the other randomisations (both p>0·7). Through 48 weeks, adults and adolescents aged 13 years and older in the RUSF group had significantly greater gains in weight, BMI, and MUAC than the no-RUSF group (p=0·004, 0·004, and 0·03, respectively). The most common type of serious adverse event was specific infections, occurring in 90 (10%) of 897 participants assigned RUSF and 87 (10%) of 908 assigned no-RUSF. By week 48, 205 participants had serious adverse events in both groups (p=0·81), and 181 had grade 4 adverse events in the RUSF group compared with 172 in the non-RUSF group (p=0·45).

INTERPRETATION

In severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals, providing RUSF universally at ART initiation, compared with providing RUTF to severely malnourished individuals only, improved short-term weight gain but not mortality. A change in policy to provide nutritional supplementation to all severely immunocompromised HIV-infected individuals starting ART is therefore not warranted at present.

FUNDING

Joint Global Health Trials Scheme (UK Medical Research Council, UK Department for International Development, and Wellcome Trust).

Does integrating AIDS treatment with food assistance affect labor supply? Evidence from Zambia

In low income settings, food assistance is increasingly becoming part of AIDS treatment and care programs with the aim of improving adherence to AIDS treatment, enhancing household food security and strengthening economic wellbeing. Yet, evidence of its economic impact is sparse. This paper uses primary data to examine the short term impact of a food assistance program on labor supply as measured by the hours worked, labor market participation rates and transitions to employment within HIV/AIDS affected households in Zambia. We find that food assistance is generally a labor supply disincentive to HIV-infected patients receiving treatment as it reduced their hours worked by up to 54%, transitions to employment by up to 70% and also reduced the labor market participation rates of male patients by 72%. Among non-infected adult family members, there were no significant effects on labor market participation. However, propensity score estimates show that food assistance generally increased the intensity of work by males regardless of the length of AIDS treatment, but for females there was a disincentive effect that disappeared when the patient had spent a longer time on AIDS treatment and was therefore healthier and less likely to be cared for. These findings suggest that food assistance can inadvertently reduce the labor supply of HIV-infected individuals, but this is compensated for by the increased labor supply among other family members.

The Impact of Weight Gain During HIV Treatment on Risk of Pre-diabetes, Diabetes Mellitus, Cardiovascular Disease, and Mortality

Since the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) and more effective treatments for AIDS, there has been a dramatic shift from the weight loss and wasting that characterised HIV/AIDS (and still does in countries where cART is not readily available or is initiated late) to healthy weight, or even overweight and obesity at rates mirroring those seen in the general population. These trends are attributable to several factors, including the "return to health" weight gain with reversal of the catabolic effects of HIV-infection following cART-initiation, strategies for earlier cART-initiation in the course of HIV-infection which have prevented many people living with HIV-infection from developing wasting, in addition to exposure to the modern obesogenic environment. Older cART regimens were associated with increased risk of body fat partitioning disorders (lipodystrophy) and cardiometabolic complications including atherothrombotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus. Whilst cART now avoids those medications implicated in causing lipodystrophy, long-term cardiometabolic data on more modern cART regimens are lacking. Longitudinal studies show increased rates of incident CVD and diabetes mellitus with weight gain in treated HIV-infection. Abdominal fat gain, weight gain, and rising body mass index (BMI) in the short-term during HIV treatment was found to increase incident diabetes risk. Rising BMI was associated with increased risk of incident CVD, however the relationship varied depending on pre-cART BMI category. In contrast, a protective association with mortality is evident, predominantly in the underweight and in resource-poor settings, where weight gain reflects access to cART and virological suppression. The question of how to best evaluate, manage (and perhaps constrain) weight gain during HIV treatment is of clinical relevance, especially in the current climate of increasingly widespread cART use, rising overweight, and obesity prevalence and growing metabolic and cardiovascular disease burden in people living with HIV-infection. Large prospective studies to further characterise the relationship between weight gain during HIV treatment and risk of diabetes, CVD and mortality are required.

Brief Report: Weight Gain in Persons With HIV Switched From Efavirenz-Based to Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitor-Based Regimens

BACKGROUND

With the introduction of integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based antiretroviral therapy, persons living with HIV have a potent new treatment option. Recently, providers at our large treatment clinic noted weight gain in several patients who switched from efavirenz/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine (EFV/TDF/FTC) to dolutegravir/abacavir/lamivudine (DTG/ABC/3TC). In this study, we evaluated weight change in patients with sustained virologic suppression who switched from EFV/TDF/FTC to an INSTI-containing regimen.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective observational cohort study among adults on EFV/TDF/FTC for at least 2 years who had virologic suppression. We assessed weight change over 18 months in patients who switched from EFV/TDF/FTC to an INSTI-containing regimen or a protease inhibitor (PI)-containing regimen versus those on EFV/TDF/FTC over the same period. In a subgroup analysis, we compared patients switched to DTG/ABC/3TC versus raltegravir- or elvitegravir-containing regimens.

RESULTS

A total of 495 patients were included: 136 who switched from EFV/TDF/FTC to an INSTI-containing regimen and 34 switched to a PI-containing regimen. Patients switched to an INSTI-containing regimen gained an average of 2.9 kg at 18 months compared with 0.9 kg among those continued on EFV/TDF/FTC (P = 0.003), whereas those switched to a PI regimen gained 0.7 kg (P = 0.81). Among INSTI regimens, those switched to DTG/ABC/3TC gained the most weight at 18 months (5.3 kg, P = 0.001 compared with EFV/TDF/FTC).

CONCLUSION

Adults living with HIV with viral suppression gained significantly more weight after switching from daily, fixed-dose EFV/TDF/FTC to an INSTI-based regimen compared with those remaining on EFV/TDF/FTC. This weight gain was greatest among patients switching to DTG/ABC/3TC.

Impact of Moringa oleifera lam. Leaf powder supplementation versus nutritional counseling on the body mass index and immune response of HIV patients on antiretroviral therapy: a single-blind randomized control trial

BACKGROUND

To achieve effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes, adherence to an antiretroviral regimen and a good immunometabolic response are essential. Food insecurity can act as a real barrier to adherence to both of these factors. Many people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) treated with ART in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are faced with nutritional challenges. A significant proportion are affected by under nutrition, which frequently leads to therapeutic failure. Some HIV care facilities recommend supplementation with Moringa oleifera (M.O.) Lam. leaf powder to combat marginal and major nutritional deficiencies. This study aims to assess the impact of M.O. Lam. leaf powder supplementation compared to nutritional counseling on the nutritional and immune status of PLHIV treated with ART.

METHODS

A single-blind randomized control trial was carried out from May to September 2013 at an outpatient clinic for HIV-infected patients in Kinshasa (DRC). Sixty adult patients who were at stable HIV/AIDS clinical staging 2, 3 or 4 according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and were undergoing ART were recruited. After random allocation, 30 patients in the Moringa intervention group (MG) received the M.O. Lam. leaf powder daily over 6 months, and 30 in the control group (CG) received nutritional counseling over the same period. Changes in the body mass index (BMI) were measured monthly and biological parameters were measured upon admission and at the end of the study for the patients in both groups.

RESULTS

The two study groups were similar in terms of long-term nutritional exposure, sociodemographic, socioeconomic, clinical, and biological features. At 6 months follow-up, patients in the MG exhibited a significantly greater increase in BMI and albumin levels than those in the CG. The interaction between the sociodemographic, clinical, and biological characteristics of patients in the two groups was not significant, with the exception of professional activity.

CONCLUSIONS

Under medical supervision, M.O. Lam. leaf powder supplementation may represent a readily available and effective local solution to improve the nutritional intake and nutritional status of PLHIV undergoing ART.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

The study was retrospectively registered in the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry on 15 May 2015, no. PACTR201505001076143.

Underutilisation of routinely collected data in the HIV programme in Zambia: a review of quantitatively analysed peer-reviewed articles

Background

The extent to which routinely collected HIV data from Zambia has been used in peer-reviewed published articles remains unexplored. This paper is an analysis of peer-reviewed articles that utilised routinely collected HIV data from Zambia within six programme areas from 2004 to 2014.

Methods

Articles on HIV, published in English, listed in the Directory of open access journals, African Journals Online, Google scholar, and PubMed were reviewed. Only articles from peer-reviewed journals, that utilised routinely collected data and included quantitative data analysis methods were included. Multi-country studies involving Zambia and another country, where the specific results for Zambia were not reported, as well as clinical trials and intervention studies that did not take place under routine care conditions were excluded, although community trials which referred patients to the routine clinics were included. Independent extraction was conducted using a predesigned data collection form. Pooled analysis was not possible due to diversity in topics reviewed.

Results

A total of 69 articles were extracted for review. Of these, 7 were excluded. From the 62 articles reviewed, 39 focused on HIV treatment and retention in care, 15 addressed prevention of mother-to-child transmission, 4 assessed social behavioural change, and 4 reported on voluntary counselling and testing. In our search, no articles were found on condom programming or voluntary male medical circumcision. The most common outcome measures reported were CD4+ count, clinical failure or mortality. The population analysed was children in 13 articles, women in 16 articles, and both adult men and women in 33 articles.

Conclusion

During the 10 year period of review, only 62 articles were published analysing routinely collected HIV data in Zambia. Serious consideration needs to be made to maximise the utility of routinely collected data, and to benefit from the funds and efforts to collect these data. This could be achieved with government support of operational research and publication of findings based on routinely collected Zambian HIV data.

Higher Time-Updated Body Mass Index: Association With Improved CD4+ Cell Recovery on HIV Treatment

BACKGROUND

Prior studies found overweight or obese HIV-infected individuals had greater early CD4 cell recovery on antiretroviral therapy (ART), but the results have been inconsistent. We assessed the longitudinal relationship between body mass index (BMI) and CD4 cell recovery on ART in a large, multisite cohort to identify potential physiologic links between adiposity and CD4 cell expansion.

METHODS

We modeled the relationship of time-updated BMI with CD4 count in patients starting ART from 17 North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) cohorts. The primary analysis used a linear mixed effects model incorporating up to 13 years of data per patient and adjusted for age, sex, race, ART regimen, baseline CD4 count and other covariates. Sensitivity analyses limited the cohort to patients with sustained viral suppression or censored at virologic failure.

RESULTS

Fourteen thousand eighty-four HIV-infected individuals initiating ART contributed data between 1998 and 2010. Time-updated BMI was significantly associated with CD4 cell recovery over time (P < 0.001). After 5 years of ART, the mean CD4 count at a BMI of 30 kg/m was 22% higher than at a BMI of 22 kg/m (606 vs. 498 cells per microliter) and 34% higher at a BMI of 40 kg/m (665 vs. 498 cells per microliter). Results were similar in the sensitivity analyses.

DISCUSSION

Higher BMI is associated with long-term advantages in immune recovery on ART. Although it is unclear if this impacts health outcomes, including balancing the negative health effects of obesity, elucidating the underlying mechanism could identify therapies for patients with suboptimal immune reconstitution.

From Wasting to Obesity: The Contribution of Nutritional Status to Immune Activation in HIV Infection

The impact of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection on innate and adaptive immune activation occurs in the context of host factors, which serve to augment or dampen the physiologic response to the virus. Independent of HIV infection, nutritional status, particularly body composition, affects innate immune activation through a variety of conditions, including reduced mucosal barrier defenses and microbiome dysbiosis in malnutrition and the proinflammatory contribution of adipocytes and stromal vascular cells in obesity. Similarly, T-cell activation, proliferation, and cytokine expression are reduced in the setting of malnutrition and increased in obesity, potentially due to adipokine regulatory mechanisms restraining energy-avid adaptive immunity in times of starvation and exerting a paradoxical effect in overnutrition. The response to HIV infection is situated within these complex interactions between host nutritional health and immunologic function, which contribute to the varied phenotypes of immune activation among HIV-infected patients across a spectrum from malnutrition to obesity.

Changes in serum phosphate and potassium and their effects on mortality in malnourished African HIV-infected adults starting antiretroviral therapy and given vitamins and minerals in lipid-based nutritional supplements: secondary analysis from the Nutritional Support for African Adults Starting Antiretroviral Therapy (NUSTART) trial

Malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) are at high risk of early mortality, some of which may be attributed to altered electrolyte metabolism. We used data from a randomised controlled trial of electrolyte-enriched lipid-based nutritional supplements to assess the association of baseline and time-varying serum phosphate and K concentrations with mortality within the first 12 weeks after starting ART. Baseline phosphate results were available from 1764 patients and there were 9096 subsequent serum phosphate measurements, a median of 6 per patient. For serum K there were 1701 baseline and 8773 subsequent measures, a median of 6 per patient. Abnormally high or low serum phosphate was more common than high or low serum K. Controlling for other factors found to affect mortality in this cohort, low phosphate which had not changed from the previous time interval was associated with increased mortality; the same was not true for high phosphate or for high or low K. Both increases and decreases in serum electrolytes from the previous time interval were generally associated with increased mortality, particularly in the electrolyte-supplemented group. The results suggest that changes in serum electrolytes, largely irrespective of the starting point and the direction of change, were more strongly associated with mortality than were absolute electrolyte levels. Although K and phosphate are required for tissue deposition during recovery from malnutrition, further studies are needed to determine whether specific supplements exacerbate physiologically adverse shifts in electrolyte levels during nutritional rehabilitation of ill malnourished HIV patients.

Population-level decline in BMI and systolic blood pressure following mass HIV treatment: Evidence from rural KwaZulu-Natal

OBJECTIVE

Clinic-based studies have shown that patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) gain weight after initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to determine whether the scale-up of ART was associated with a population-level increase in body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) in a community with high HIV and obesity prevalence.

METHODS

A household survey was conducted in rural KwaZulu-Natal before ART scale-up (in 2004) and when ART coverage had reached 25% (in 2010). Anthropometric data was linked with HIV surveillance data.

RESULTS

Mean BMI decreased in women from 29.9 to 29.1 kg/m² (P = 0.002) and in men from 24.2 to 23.0 kg/m² (P < 0.001). Similarly, overweight and obesity prevalence declined significantly in both sexes. Mean systolic BP decreased from 123.0 to 118.2 mm Hg (P < 0.001) among women and 128.4 to 123.2 mm Hg (P < 0·001) among men.

CONCLUSIONS

Large-scale ART provision is likely to have caused a decline in BMI at the population level, because ART has improved the survival of those with substantial HIV-related weight loss. The ART scale-up may have created an unexpected opportunity to sustain population-level weight loss in communities with high HIV and obesity prevalence though targeted lifestyle and nutrition interventions.

The economic benefits of high CD4 counts among people living with HIV/AIDS in Zambia

Background

The economic effects of poor immunologic recovery among HIV-infected patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa are not well understood. We examined the relationship between the CD4 counts of patients on long-term ART and employment outcomes in HIV-affected households in Lusaka, Zambia.

Methods

Administrative data and a household survey captured information on the clinical records, demographics and employment outcomes of the ART-treated adults and their adult family members (n = 311). Multivariable regression analyses were used to assess relationships between CD4 counts of ART-treated adults and household employment outcomes.

Results

Patients with a CD4 count of at least 350 cells/µl were 22 percentage points more likely to be engaged in the labor force (P < 0.05) and worked ∼6 more days per month (P < 0.05) and 9 more hours per week (P = 0.05) compared with patients with a CD4 count <350 cells/µl. Non-patient adults in the HIV-affected household had significantly higher labor participation if the patient's CD4 count was ≥500 compared with <500 cells/µl (P < 0.05), but this was not significant for a CD4 ≥350 versus <350.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that interventions to improve or maintain robust immune recovery during ART may confer economic benefits for both HIV-infected individuals and HIV-affected households.

Risk factors for mortality among malnourished HIV-infected adults eligible for antiretroviral therapy

Background

A substantial proportion of HIV-infected adults starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) in sub-Saharan Africa are malnourished. We aimed to increase understanding of the factors affecting their high mortality, particularly in the high-risk period before ART initiation.

Methods

We analysed potential risk factors for mortality of Zambian and Tanzanian participants enrolled in the NUSTART clinical trial. Malnourished adults (n = 1815; body mass index [BMI] <18.5 kg/m²) were recruited at referral to ART and randomised to receive different nutritional supplements. Demographics, measures of body composition, blood electrolytes and clinical conditions were investigated as potential risk factors using Poisson regression models.

Results

The mortality rate was higher in the period from referral to starting ART (121 deaths/100 person-years; 95 % CI 103, 142) than during the first 12 weeks of ART (66; 95 % CI 57, 76) and was not affected by trial study arm. In adjusted analyses, lower CD4 count, BMI and mid-arm circumference and raised C-reactive protein were associated with an increased risk of mortality throughout the study. Male sex and lower hand-grip strength carried an increased risk in the pre-ART period. Participants on tuberculosis treatment at referral had a lower mortality rate (adjusted Rate Ratio 0.44; 95 % CI 0.31, 0.63).

Conclusion

Among malnourished ART-eligible adults, pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events. Therefore, more efforts are needed to promote earlier diagnosis and immediate initiation of ART, as recently recommended by WHO for all persons with HIV worldwide. The positive effect of tuberculosis treatment suggests undiagnosed tuberculosis is a contributor to mortality in this population.

Trial registration

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry, PACTR201106000300631; registered on 1st June 2011.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12879-016-1894-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Lipid-based nutrient supplements containing vitamins and minerals attenuate renal electrolyte loss in HIV/AIDS patients starting antiretroviral therapy: A randomized controlled trial in Zambia

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Advanced HIV infection combined with undernutrition and antiretroviral therapy (ART) places HIV/AIDS patients at high risk of electrolyte abnormalities and increased morbidity and mortality. Here, in a sub-study of a large published randomized trial, we evaluated if nutritional supplements will help curtail renal electrolyte loss in HIV/AIDS patients starting ART.

METHODS

130 malnourished HIV-positive patients referred for ART received lipid-based nutrient supplements alone (LNS, n = 63) or together with vitamins and minerals (LNS-VM, n = 67). Serum and spot urine samples were collected and assayed for creatinine, potassium, magnesium and phosphate concentrations at baseline and after 12 weeks of ART, and fractional excretion and reabsorption were calculated using standard equations.

RESULTS

Eighteen (28.6%) patients from the LNS and 16 (23.9%) from LNS-VM groups died, most during the referral interval before starting ART. Phosphate excretion at baseline, was high in both LNS (mean ± SD: 1.2 ± 0.6 mg/mg creatinine) and LNS-VM (1.1 ± 0.8 mg/mg creatinine) groups relative to normal physiological ranges. Phosphate excretion remained high in the LNS group (1.1 ± 0.41 mg/mg creatinine) but significantly decreased in the LNS-VM group (0.6 ± 0.28 mg/mg creatinine; p < 0.001) after 12 weeks of ART. This difference is probably explained by increased renal tubular reabsorption of phosphate in the LNS-VM group (88.3 ± 5.7%) compared to the LNS group (76.6 ± 8.9%). The fractional excretion of potassium (FEK) was not significantly different at baseline between the two groups (p = 0.69) but the values were above normal physiological ranges (i.e. >6.4%) reflecting renal potassium wasting. However, FEK was significantly lowered in the LNS-VM group (6.2 ± 3.4%) but not in the LNS group (12.8 ± 4.7%) after 12 weeks of ART (p < 0.001). Finally, the fractional excretion of magnesium was not significantly different between the two groups at baseline (p = 0.68) and remained unchanged within normal physiological ranges at 12 weeks of ART (p = 0.82) in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The LNS-VM regimen appeared to offer protection against phosphate and potassium loss during HIV/AIDS treatment. This offers potential opportunities to improve care and support of poorly nourished HIV-infected patients in resource-limited settings.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

www.pactr.org ID number: PACTR201106000300631.

Determinants of Weight Evolution Among HIV-Positive Patients Initiating Antiretroviral Treatment in Low-Resource Settings

BACKGROUND

In resource-limited settings, clinical parameters, including body weight changes, are used to monitor clinical response. Therefore, we studied body weight changes in patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) in different regions of the world.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the "International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS," a network of ART programmes that prospectively collects routine clinical data. Adults on ART from the Southern, East, West, and Central African and the Asia-Pacific regions were selected from the database if baseline data on body weight, gender, ART regimen, and CD4 count were available. Body weight change over the first 2 years and the probability of body weight loss in the second year were modeled using linear mixed models and logistic regression, respectively.

RESULTS

Data from 205,571 patients were analyzed. Mean adjusted body weight change in the first 12 months was higher in patients started on tenofovir and/or efavirenz; in patients from Central, West, and East Africa, in men, and in patients with a poorer clinical status. In the second year of ART, it was greater in patients initiated on tenofovir and/or nevirapine, and for patients not on stavudine, in women, in Southern Africa and in patients with a better clinical status at initiation. Stavudine in the initial regimen was associated with a lower mean adjusted body weight change and with weight loss in the second treatment year.

CONCLUSIONS

Different ART regimens have different effects on body weight change. Body weight loss after 1 year of treatment in patients on stavudine might be associated with lipoatrophy.

Minimal impact of an iron-fortified lipid-based nutrient supplement on Hb and iron status: a randomised controlled trial in malnourished HIV-positive African adults starting antiretroviral therapy

Anaemia, redistribution of Fe, malnutrition and heightened systemic inflammation during HIV infection confer an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in HIV patients. We analysed information on Fe status and inflammation from a randomised, double blind, controlled phase-III clinical trial in Lusaka, Zambia and Mwanza, Tanzania. Malnourished patients (n 1815) were recruited at referral to antiretroviral therapy (ART) into a two-stage nutritional rehabilitation programme, randomised to receive a lipid-based nutrient supplement with or without added micronutrients. Fe was included in the intervention arm during the second stage, given from 2 to 6 weeks post-ART. Hb, serum C-reactive protein (CRP), serum ferritin and soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) were measured at recruitment and 6 weeks post-ART. Multivariable linear regression models were used to assess the impact of the intervention, and the effect of reducing inflammation from recruitment to week 6 on Hb and Fe status. There was no effect of the intervention on Hb, serum ferritin, sTfR or serum CRP. A one-log decrease of serum CRP from recruitment to week 6 was associated with a 1.81 g/l increase in Hb (95% CI 0.85, 2.76; P< 0.001), and a 0.11 log decrease in serum ferritin (95% CI - 0.22, 0.03; P= 0.012) from recruitment to week 6. There was no association between the change in serum CRP and the change in sTfR over the same time period (P= 0.78). In malnourished, HIV-infected adults receiving dietary Fe, a reduction in inflammation in the early ART treatment period appears to be a precondition for recovery from anaemia.

Mortality and loss to follow-up among HIV-infected persons on long-term antiretroviral therapy in Latin America and the Caribbean

Introduction

Long-term survival of HIV patients after initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (ART) has not been sufficiently described in Latin America and the Caribbean, as compared to other regions. The aim of this study was to describe the incidence of mortality, loss to follow-up (LTFU) and associated risk factors for patients enrolled in the Caribbean, Central and South America Network (CCASAnet).

Methods

We assessed time from ART initiation (baseline) to death or LTFU between 2000 and 2014 among ART-naïve adults (≥18 years) from sites in seven countries included in CCASAnet: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Peru. Kaplan-Meier techniques were used to estimate the probability of mortality over time. Risk factors for death were assessed using Cox regression models stratified by site and adjusted for sex, baseline age, nadir pre-ART CD4 count, calendar year of ART initiation, clinical AIDS at baseline and type of ART regimen.

Results

A total of 16,996 ART initiators were followed for a median of 3.5 years (interquartile range (IQR): 1.6–6.2). The median age at ART initiation was 36 years (IQR: 30–44), subjects were predominantly male (63%), median CD4 count was 156 cells/µL (IQR: 60–251) and 26% of subjects had clinical AIDS prior to starting ART. Initial ART regimens were predominantly non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor based (86%). The cumulative incidence of LTFU five years after ART initiation was 18.2% (95% confidence interval (CI) 17.5–18.8%). A total of 1582 (9.3%) subjects died; the estimated probability of death one, three and five years after ART initiation was 5.4, 8.3 and 10.3%, respectively. The estimated five-year mortality probability varied substantially across sites, from 3.5 to 14.0%. Risk factors for death were clinical AIDS at baseline (adjusted hazard ratio (HR)=1.65 (95% CI 1.47–1.87); p<0.001), lower baseline CD4 (HR=1.95 (95% CI 1.63–2.32) for 50 vs. 350 cells/µL; p<0.001) and older age (HR=1.47 (95% CI 1.29–1.69) for 50 vs. 30 years at ART initiation; p<0.001).

Conclusions

In this large, long-term study of mortality among HIV-positive adults initiating ART in Latin America and the Caribbean, overall estimates of mortality were heterogeneous, generally falling between those reported in high-income countries and sub-Saharan Africa.

Plasma Fatty Acids in Zambian Adults with HIV/AIDS: Relation to Dietary Intake and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Objective. To determine whether 24 hr dietary recalls (DR) are a good measure of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake when compared to plasma levels, and whether plasma PUFA is associated with markers of HIV/AIDS progression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Methods. In a cross-sectional study among 210 antiretroviral therapy-naïve HIV-infected adults from Lusaka, Zambia, we collected data on medical history and dietary intake using 24 hr DR. We measured fatty acids and markers of AIDS progression and CVD risk in fasting plasma collected at baseline. Results. PUFA intakes showed modest correlations with corresponding plasma levels; Spearman correlations were 0.36 (p < 0.01) for eicosapentaenoic acid and 0.21 (p = 0.005) for docosahexaenoic acid. While there were no significant associations (p > 0.05) between total plasma PUFA and C-reactive protein (CRP) or lipid levels, plasma arachidonic acid was inversely associated with CRP and triglycerides and positively associated with HDL-C, CD4+ T-cell count, and plasma albumin (p < 0.05). Plasma saturated fatty acids (SFA) were positively associated with CRP (β = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.08 to 0.40, p = 0.003) and triglycerides (β = 0.08; 95% CI: 0.03 to 0.12, p < 0.01). Conclusions. Our data suggest that a single DR is inadequate for assessing PUFA intake and that plasma arachidonic acid levels may modulate HIV/AIDS progression and CVD risk.

Nutrition assessment, counseling, and support interventions to improve health-related outcomes in people living with HIV/AIDS: a systematic review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Although numerous studies have shown that severe to moderate wasting at the time of antiretroviral therapy initiation is strongly predictive of mortality, it remains unclear whether nutritional interventions at or before antiretroviral therapy initiation will improve outcomes. This review examines data on nutrition assessment, counseling, and support interventions in resource-limited settings.

METHODS

We identified articles published between 2005 and 2014 on the effectiveness of nutrition assessment, counseling, and support interventions, particularly its impact on 5 outcomes: mortality, morbidity, retention in care, quality of life, and/or prevention of ongoing HIV transmission. We rated the overall quality of individual articles and summarized the body of evidence and expected impact for each outcome.

RESULTS

Twenty-one articles met all inclusion criteria. The overall quality of evidence was weak, predominantly because of few studies being designed to directly address the question of interest. Only 2 studies were randomized trials with no food support control groups. The remainder were randomized studies of one type of food support versus another, cohort (nonrandomized) studies, or single-arm studies. Ratings of individual study quality ranged from "medium" to "weak," and the quality of the overall body of evidence ranged from "fair" to "poor." We rated the expected impact on all outcomes as "uncertain."

CONCLUSIONS

Rigorous better designed studies in resource-limited settings are urgently needed to understand the effectiveness of nutrition assessment and counseling alone, as well as studies to understand better modalities of food support (targeting, timing, composition, form, and duration) to improve both short- and long-term patient retention in care and treatment, and clinical outcomes.

Nutritional status of HIV-infected patients during the first year HAART in two West African cohorts

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between nutritional markers at initiation and during follow up in two different cohorts of HIV-infected adults initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in West Africa.

METHODS

The ATARAO study was a one year prospective study carried in Mali. It consisted of a sample of consecutive patients initiating HAART in one of four participating centers during that period. Data were collected at time of treatment initiation (baseline) and every 3 months thereafter. The ANRS 1290 study followed Senegalese patients recruited in similar conditions. Bivariate analyses were used to identify nutritional and immunological covariates of malnutrition at baseline. Longitudinal trajectories of body mass index, hemoglobin and albumin, and their associated factors, were evaluated using mixed linear models.

RESULTS

In ATARAO, 250 participants were retained for analyses; of which, 36% had a BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2), nearly 60% were anemic and 47.4% hypoalbuminemic at time of treatment initiation. At baseline, low hemoglobin, hypoalbuminemia and low CD4 levels were associated with a BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2). Similarly, low BMI, low albumin and low CD4 counts were linked to anemia; while, hypoalbuminemia was associated with low hemoglobin levels and CD4 counts. In ANRS, out of the 372 participants retained for analyses, 31% had a low BMI and almost 70% were anemic. At baseline, low BMI was associated with low hemoglobin levels and CD4 counts, while anemia was associated with low CD4 counts and female sex. While treatment contributed to early gains in BMI, hemoglobin and albumin in the first 6 months of treatment, initial improvements plateaued or subsided thereafter. Despite HAART, malnutrition persisted in both cohorts after one year, especially in those who were anemic, hypoalbuminemic or had a low BMI at baseline.

CONCLUSION

In ATARAO and ANRS, malnutrition was common across all indicators (BMI, hemoglobin, albumin) and persisted despite treatment. Low BMI, anemia and hypoalbuminemia were associated with attrition, and with a deficient nutritional and immunological status at baseline, as well as during treatment. In spite of therapy, malnutrition is associated with negative clinical and treatment outcomes which suggests that HAART may not be sufficient to address co-existing nutritional deficiencies.

Effects on anthropometry and appetite of vitamins and minerals given in lipid nutritional supplements for malnourished HIV-infected adults referred for antiretroviral therapy: results from the NUSTART randomized controlled trial

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text.

Background:

The evidence base for effects of nutritional interventions for malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) is limited and inconclusive.

Objective:

We hypothesized that both vitamin and mineral deficiencies and poor appetite limit weight gain in malnourished patients starting ART and that vitamin and mineral supplementation would improve appetite and permit nutritional recovery.

Design:

The randomized controlled Nutritional Support for Africans Starting Antiretroviral Therapy trial was conducted in Mwanza, Tanzania, and Lusaka, Zambia. ART-naive adults referred for ART and with body mass index <18.5 kg/m² received lipid-based nutritional supplements either without (LNS) or with added vitamins and minerals (LNS-VM), beginning before ART initiation. Participants were given 30 g/d LNS from recruitment until 2 weeks after starting ART and 250 g/d from weeks 2 to 6 of ART.

Results:

Of 1815 patients recruited, 365 (20%) died during the study and 813 (45%) provided data at 12 weeks. Controlling for baseline values, anthropometric measures were consistently higher at 12-week ART in the LNS-VM than in the LNS group but statistically significant only for calf and mid-upper arm circumferences and triceps skinfold. Appetite did not differ between groups. Using piecewise mixed-effects quadratic models including all patients and time points, the main effects of LNS-VM were seen after starting ART and were significant for weight, body mass index, and mid-upper arm circumference.

Conclusions:

Provision of high levels of vitamins and minerals to patients referred for ART, delivered with substantial macronutrients, increased nutritional recovery but did not seem to act through treatment group differences in appetite.

Weight change after antiretroviral therapy and mortality

BACKGROUND

Weight gain after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation is common, but its implication for mortality is unknown. We evaluated weight change in the first year after ART initiation and its association with subsequent mortality.

METHODS

Human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study (VACS) who initiated ART between 2000 and 2008, with weight recorded at baseline and 1 year later, were followed another 5 years for mortality. Baseline body mass index (BMI) was classified as underweight (<18.5 kg/m(2)), normal (18.5-24.9 kg/m(2)), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese (≥30 kg/m(2)). We used multivariable Cox models to assess mortality risk with adjustment for disease severity using the VACS Index.

RESULTS

The sample consisted of 4184 men and 127 women with a mean age of 47.9 ± 10.0 years. After 1 year of ART, median weight change was 5.9 pounds (2.7 kg) (interquartile range, -2.9 to 17.0 pounds, -1.3 to 7.7 kg). Weight gain after ART initiation was associated with lower mortality among underweight and normal-weight patients. A minimum threshold of 10- to 19.9-pound (4.5 to 9.0 kg) weight gain was beneficial for normal-weight patients (hazard ratio, 0.56; 95% confidence interval, .41-.78), but there was no clear benefit to weight gain for overweight/obese patients. Baseline weight, CD4 cell count status, and hemoglobin level were strongly associated with weight gain. Risk for weight gain was higher among those with greater disease severity, regardless of weight at initiation.

CONCLUSIONS

The survival benefits of weight gain after ART initiation are dependent on starting BMI. Weight gain after ART is associated with lower mortality for those who are not initially overweight.