Predictors of early mortality and effectiveness of antiretroviral therapy in TB-HIV patients from Brazil

Antiretroviral stewardship in a tertiary academic hospital: The need for a clinical pharmacist

Background

South Africa has the highest prevalence of people living with HIV globally. Although antiretroviral therapy provides solutions, evidence of antiretroviral resistance emerged, requiring the application of antiretroviral-stewardship programmes to curb medication-related problems.

Aim

Identify and describe antiretroviral-stewardship pharmacist interventions in an active antiretroviral-stewardship programme.

Setting

HIV-positive adults admitted to medical wards at a tertiary academic hospital in South Africa.

Methods

A descriptive quantitative study was performed, utilising an antiretroviral-stewardship assessment tool to determine antiretroviral-related recommendations in the treatment of HIV-positive adults. The study employed purposive sampling. Treatment charts were evaluated to identify antiretroviral-stewardship recommendations. The number of recommendations highlighted the need for a clinical pharmacist in an active antiretroviral-stewardship programme. Descriptive data analysis with Pearson correlations was employed to display the data.

Results

Medication-related problems were identified in 100% of study patients (n = 41), with an average of 2.46 interventions per patient. One-hundred-and-one medication-related problems were identified by using the antiretroviral-stewardship assessment tool. The identified problems included a lack of viral load testing (41, 100%), lack of CD4 count monitoring (15; 36.6%) and lack of prophylactic treatment against opportunistic infections (10; 24.4%). Medication-related problems included the presence of clinically significant drug-drug interactions and serious side effects, CD4 count decline despite being on antiretroviral therapy, unnecessary treatment interruptions including risk for IRIS, inappropriate antiretroviral therapy regimen, non-adherence and absence of treating tuberculosis as co-morbidity.

Conclusion

Present study demonstrates the need of an active antiretroviral-stewardship programme's benefits. The possible role of the clinical pharmacist as active participant and leader in this programme is highlighted.

Contribution

Highlight the role of clinical pharmacists in antiretroviral stewardship.

Impact of adverse drug reactions on the outcomes of tuberculosis treatment

BACKGROUND

Adverse drug reactions (ADR) challenge successful anti-tuberculosis treatment (ATT). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of ATT-associated ADR and related factors on ATT outcomes.

METHODS

A prospective cohort study of persons with tuberculosis (TB) at a referral center in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 2010 to 2016. Baseline information: race, sex, schooling, economic status, tobacco, drugs and alcohol abuse, HIV-infection status and comorbidities were captured during TB screening and diagnosis. Laboratory exams were performed to confirm TB diagnosis and monitor ADRs, favorable (cure and treatment completion) and unfavorable (death, loss to follow up and failure) outcomes were prospectively captured. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to estimate the probability of ADR-free time. A logistic regression analysis (backward elimination) was performed to identify independent associations with unfavorable outcomes.

RESULTS

550 patients were enrolled, 35.1% were people living with HIV (PLHIV) and ADR occurred in 78.6% of all participants. Smoking (OR: 2.32; 95% CI:1.34-3.99) and illicit-drug use (OR:2.02; 95% CI:1.15-3.55) were independent risk factors for unfavorable outcomes. In PLHIV, alcohol abuse and previous ART use were associated with unfavorable outcomes. In contrast, ADR increased the odds of favorable outcomes in the overall population. PLHIV more frequently experienced grade 3/4-ADR (18.36%), especially "liver and biliary system disorders". Lower CD4 counts (<100 cells/uL) were associated with hepatotoxicity (p = 0.03). ART-naïve participants presented a higher incidence of ADR in comparison with ART-experienced patients.

CONCLUSION

Substance use was associated with unfavorable outcomes, highlighting the need for better strategies to reduce this habit. In contrast, ADRs were associated with favorable outcomes. Attention to the occurrence of ADR in PLHIV is essential, especially regarding hepatotoxicity in those with high immunosuppression.

Inflammasome genetic variants are associated with tuberculosis, HIV-1 infection, and TB/HIV-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome outcomes

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS are the leading causes of infectious diseases death worldwide. Here, we investigated the relationship between from single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NLRP3, CARD8, AIM2, CASP-1, IFI16, and IL-1β inflammasome genes, as well as the profiles of secreted proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β, IL-18, IL-33, and IL-6) with the TB clinical profiles, TB-HIV coinfection, and IRIS onset.

Methods

The individuals were divided into four groups: TB-HIV group (n=88; 11 of them with IRIS), HIV-1 group (n=20), TB group (n=24) and healthy volunteers (HC) group (n=10), and were followed up at INI/FIOCRUZ and HGNI (Rio de Janeiro/Brazil) from 2006 to 2016. Real-time PCR was used to determine the genotypes of the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs), and ELISA was used to measure the plasma cytokine levels. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to perform risk estimations.

Results

A higher risk for extrapulmonary TB was associated with the TT genotype (aOR=6.76; P=0.026) in the NLRP3 rs4612666 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and the C-C-T-G-C haplotype (aOR=4.99; P= 0.017) in the NLRP3 variants. This same Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) was associated with lower risk against extrapulmonary TB when the carrier allele C (aOR=0.15; P=0.021) was present. Among those with HIV-1 infections, a higher risk for TB onset was associated with the GA genotype (aOR=5.5; P=0.044) in the IL1-β rs1143634 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP). In contrast, lower risk against TB onset was associated with the A-G haplotype (aOR=0.17; P= 0.026) in the CARD8 variants. Higher IL-6 and IL-33 levels were observed in individuals with TB. A higher risk for IRIS onset was associated with CD8 counts ≤ 500 cells/mm3 (aOR=12.32; P=0.010), the presence of extrapulmonary TB (aOR=6.6; P=0.038), and the CT genotype (aOR=61.06; P=0.026) or carrier allele T (aOR=61.06; P=0.026) in the AIM2 rs2276405 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), whereas lower risk against IRIS onset was associated with the AT genotype (aOR=0.02; P=0.033) or carrier allele T (aOR=0.02; P=0.029) in the CARD8 rs2043211 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) and the T-G haplotype (aOR=0.07; P= 0.033) in the CARD8 variants. No other significant associations were observed.

Conclusions

Our results depict the involvement of genetic polymorphisms of crucial innate immunity genes and proinflammatory cytokines in the clinical outcomes related to TB-HIV coinfection.

HIV and Substance Use in Latin America: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aims to explore the interplay between substance use (SU) and HIV in Latin America (LA). Database searches yielded 3481 references; 196 were included. HIV prevalence among people who used substances (PWUS) ranged from 2.8–15.2%. SU definitions were variable throughout studies, and thus data were not easily comparable. In 2019, only 2% of new HIV infections were attributed to injection drug use (IDU) in LA. Factors associated with HIV among PWUS included being female, IDU and homelessness, and PWUS were likely to engage in risky sexual behaviors, start antiretroviral treatment late, have poor adherence, have treatment failure, be lost to follow-up, have comorbidities, and experience higher mortality rates and lower quality of life, as has been reported in PLWH with SU in other regions. Five intervention studies were identified, and only one was effective at reducing HIV incidence in PWUS. Interventions in other regions have varying success depending on context-specific characteristics, highlighting the need to conduct more research in the LA region. Though progress has been made in establishing SU as a major concern in people living with HIV (PLWH), much more is yet to be done to reduce the burden of HIV and SU in LA.

Higher Risk of Mortality and Virologic Failure in HIV-Infected Patients With High Viral Load at Antiretroviral Therapy Initiation: An Observational Cohort Study in Chongqing, China

Background

Viral load (VL) is a strong predictor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of high baseline VL on antiretroviral therapy (ART) outcomes among HIV-infected patients.

Methods

This retrospective study observed HIV-infected patients who had baseline VL test at ART initiation between 2015 and 2019 in Chongqing, China. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the effects of baseline VL on Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related mortality and virologic failure, respectively.

Results

The cohort included 7,176 HIV-infected patients, of whom 38.7% had a baseline VL ≥ 100,000 copies/mL. Of the patients who died during follow-up, 58.9% had a baseline VL ≥ 100,000 copies/mL. Compared with a baseline VL < 10,000 copies/mL, ART initiation at VL ≥ 100,000 copies/mL was significantly associated with the AIDS-related death (adjusted hazard ratio, AHR = 1.4) and virologic failure (adjusted odds ratio, AOR = 2.4). Compared with patients with a baseline VL < 10,000 copies/mL, patients on the recommended first-line regimen with a VL ≥ 100,000 copies/mL at ART initiaition had higher mortality rate (5.1 vs. 1.7 per 100 person-years), but there was no significant difference in the mortality accoding to the initial VL level among patients on second-line ART (2.8 vs. 2.7 per 100 person-years). ART initiation ≤ 30 days after HIV diagnosis was associated with a lower risk of AIDS-related death (AHR = 0.6).

Conclusions

ART initiation with VL ≥ 100,000 copies/mL was associated with a significantly greater risk of mortality and virologic failure. Optimizing the ART regimen and initiating ART early may help to reduce mortality effectively among patients with a high baseline VL. VL testing for all HIV patients is recommended at HIV diagnosis or on ART initiation.

Impact of Persistent Anemia on Systemic Inflammation and Tuberculosis Outcomes in Persons Living With HIV

Tuberculosis (TB) is associated with systemic inflammation and anemia, which are aggravated in persons living with HIV (PLWH). Here, we characterized the dynamics of hemoglobin levels in PLWH coinfected with TB undergoing antitubercular therapy (ATT). We also examined the relationships between anemia and systemic inflammatory disturbance as well as the association between persistent anemia and unfavorable clinical outcomes. Data on several blood biochemical parameters and on blood cell counts were retrospectively analyzed in a cohort of 256 TB/HIV patients from Brazil during 180 days of ATT. Multidimensional statistical analyses were employed to profile systemic inflammation of patients stratified by anemia status (hemoglobin levels <12 g/dL for female and <13.5 g/dL for male individuals) prior to treatment and to perform prediction of unfavorable outcomes, such as treatment failure, loss to follow up and death. We found that 101 (63.63%) of patients with anemia at pre-ATT persisted with such condition until day 180. Such individuals exhibited heightened degree of inflammatory perturbation (DIP), which in turn was inversely correlated with hemoglobin levels. Recovery from anemia was associated with increased pre-ATT albumin levels whereas persistent anemia was related to higher total protein levels in serum. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that lower baseline hemoglobin levels was the major determinant of the unfavorable outcomes. Our findings demonstrate that persistent anemia in PLWH during the course of ATT is closely related with chronic inflammatory perturbation. Early intervention to promote recovery from anemia may improve ATT outcomes.

Clinical and genetic markers associated with tuberculosis, HIV-1 infection, and TB/HIV-immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome outcomes

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) and AIDS are the leading causes of infectious disease death worldwide. In some TB-HIV co-infected individuals treated for both diseases simultaneously, a pathological inflammatory reaction termed immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) may occur. The risk factors for IRIS are not fully defined. We investigated the association of HLA-B, HLA-C, and KIR genotypes with TB, HIV-1 infection, and IRIS onset.

METHODS

Patients were divided into four groups: Group 1- TB+/HIV+ (n = 88; 11 of them with IRIS), Group 2- HIV+ (n = 24), Group 3- TB+ (n = 24) and Group 4- healthy volunteers (n = 26). Patients were followed up at INI/FIOCRUZ and HGNI (Rio de Janeiro/Brazil) from 2006 to 2016. The HLA-B and HLA-C loci were typed using SBT, NGS, and KIR genes by PCR-SSP. Unconditional logistic regression models were performed for Protection/risk estimation.

RESULTS

Among the individuals with TB as the outcome, KIR2DS2 was associated with increased risk for TB onset (aOR = 2.39, P = 0.04), whereas HLA-B*08 and female gender were associated with protection against TB onset (aOR = 0.23, P = 0.03, and aOR = 0.33, P = 0.01, respectively). Not carrying KIR2DL3 (aOR = 0.18, P = 0.03) and carrying HLA-C*07 (aOR = 0.32, P = 0.04) were associated with protection against TB onset among HIV-infected patients. An increased risk for IRIS onset was associated with having a CD8 count ≤500 cells/mm3 (aOR = 18.23, P = 0.016); carrying the KIR2DS2 gene (aOR = 27.22, P = 0.032), the HLA-B*41 allele (aOR = 68.84, P = 0.033), the KIR2DS1 + HLA-C2 pair (aOR = 28.58, P = 0.024); and not carrying the KIR2DL3 + HLA-C1/C2 pair (aOR = 43.04, P = 0.034), and the KIR2DL1 + HLA-C1/C2 pair (aOR = 43.04, P = 0.034), CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the participation of these genes in the immunopathogenic mechanisms related to the conditions studied. This is the first study demonstrating an association of HLA-B*41, KIR2DS2, and KIR + HLA-C pairs with IRIS onset among TB-HIV co-infected individuals.

Changes in the NK Cell Repertoire Related to Initiation of TB Treatment and Onset of Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in TB/HIV Co-infected Patients in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil-ANRS 12274

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common comorbidity and the leading cause of death among HIV-infected individuals. Although the combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) during TB treatment improves the survival of TB/HIV patients, the occurrence of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) in some patients poses clinical and scientific challenges. This work aimed to evaluate blood innate lymphocytes during therapeutic intervention for both diseases and their implications for the onset of IRIS. Natural killer (NK) cells, invariant NKT cells (iNKT), γδ T cell subsets, and in vitro NK functional activity were characterized by multiparametric flow cytometry in the following groups: 33 TB/HIV patients (four with paradoxical IRIS), 27 TB and 25 HIV mono-infected subjects (prior to initiation of TB treatment and/or cART and during clinical follow-up to 24 weeks), and 25 healthy controls (HC). Concerning the NK cell repertoire, several activation and inhibitory receptors were skewed in the TB/HIV patients compared to those in the other groups, especially the HCs. Significantly higher expression of CD158a (p = 0.025), NKp80 (p = 0.033), and NKG2C (p = 0.0076) receptors was detected in the TB/HIV IRIS patients than in the non-IRIS patients. Although more NK degranulation was observed in the TB/HIV patients than in the other groups, the therapeutic intervention did not alter the frequency during follow-up (weeks 2-24). A higher frequency of the γδ T cell population was observed in the TB/HIV patients with inversion of the Vδ2⁺/Vδ2^- ratio, especially for those presenting pulmonary TB, suggesting an expansion of particular γδ T subsets during TB/HIV co-infection. In conclusion, HIV infection impacts the frequency of circulating NK cells and γδ T cell subsets in TB/HIV patients. Important modifications of the NK cell repertoire were observed after anti-TB treatment (week 2) but not during the cART/TB follow-up (weeks 6-24). An increase of CD161⁺ NK cells was related to an unfavorable outcome. Despite the low number of cases, a more preserved NK cell profile was detected in IRIS patients previous to treatment, suggesting a role for these cells in IRIS onset. Longitudinal evaluation of the NK repertoire showed the impact of TB treatment and implicated these cells in TB pathogenesis in TB/HIV co-infected patients.