Community viral load of HIV in Brazil, 2007 - 2011: potential impact of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in reducing new infections

Monitoring HIV infection in Minas Gerais state: 15-year assessment of adults living with HIV initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

INTRODUCTION

The first Brazilian HIV treatment recommendation was put forward in 1996, resulting in 12 subsequent guidelines. Several changes were made regarding "when" and "how" to begin treatment. The latest guideline recommends immediate initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART). This study aimed to describe the evolution of HIV treatment among people living with HIV (PLHIV) who initiated ART between 2004 and 2018 based on the national guideline recommendations concerning T-CD4+ and VL measurements.

METHODS

A cross-sectional analysis of data of PLHIV aged >18 years, in Minas Gerais who received ART between 2004 and 2018 was conducted. Clinical, therapeutic, and demographic information were obtained from national healthcare databases. The study was divided into four periods: 2004-2007, 2008-2012, 2013-2016, and 2017-2018. Descriptive analyses were performed.

RESULTS

A total of 60,618 PLHIV initiated ART (67% male and 48% aged 25-39 years), 36% of whom had CD4 counts at ART initiation and 51% documented VL after ART initiation. The median CD4 count ranged from 288 to 373 cells/µL. The median time to ART initiation decreased from 604 to 28 days and was lower among males (p <0.01). The median time from ART initiation to the first VL result decreased from 101 to 62 days over the study period, while the median VL after ART initiation ranged from 2.3 to 1.7 log10 copies/ml.

CONCLUSIONS

Although our results demonstrated that most recommendations were followed, there seemed to be little impact on CD4 counts and VL testing. This may result in an inadequate evaluation of ART effectiveness.

Spatial analysis of AIDS and the social determinants of health

INTRODUCTION

The social determinants of health (SDH) are factors that can influence the distribution of rates for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in a given region. The objective of this study was to analyze SDHs related to AIDS.

METHOD

Ecological study, using spatial analyses techniques. 7,896 disease case reports were analyzed over a period of 11 years. Subjects were 13 years or older and residents of the state of Ceará, in the northeast of Brazil. The area of analysis was the municipality, calculating both the average rate of AIDS and the Freeman-Tukey transformed average rate for measuring softening. We used the Simple Linear Regression Model to make the spatial correlation between AIDS detection rates and SDH. A Geographic Information Systems (GIS) was used to manipulate georeferenced data.

RESULTS

High rates of AIDS could be found in cities with better living conditions. Additionally, there was a significant relationship between primary health care coverage and lower rates of the disease in Ceará.

CONCLUSION

Socioeconomic indicators with statistically significant correlation to the distribution of AIDS should be targeted by strategies policies in the fight against the disease.

Fatores associados à não adesão dos antirretrovirais em portadores de HIV/AIDS

Resumo Objetivo Identificar os fatores associados à não adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral em portadores de HIV/ AIDS em um Hospital de referência em Manaus. Métodos Estudo com abordagem quantitativa, transversal de base hospitalar, desenvolvido com 100 participantes com HIV/AIDS em acompanhamento ambulatorial. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado o questionário autoaplicável, denominado “Questionário para a avaliação da adesão ao tratamento antirretroviral em pessoas com HIV/AIDS” (CEAT–VIH). Foi realizada análise descritiva, empregado o teste de qui-quadrado de Pearson chi-square para o valor de p. Resultados Predominou o sexo masculino (57%), faixa etária entre 40 a 59 anos (34%) escolaridade de 2º Grau (49%), sem vínculo empregatício (84%), renda mensal de 1 a 3 salários mínimos (54%), solteiros (47%), heterossexuais (76%), com parceiro sexual (56%), sem vida sexual ativa (61%), tempo de diagnóstico entre 6 meses a 5 anos (59%), nenhuma internação hospitalar (59%). O nível de adesão predominante foi a média adesão (85%). As variáveis sociodemográficas que tiveram associação estatisticamente significantes com a adesão TARV foram a orientação sexual (p=0,010) e o tempo de diagnóstico (p=0,035). Conclusão O estudo mostrou que pessoas que convivem com HIV aderem a TARV, porém com média adesão e os principais fatores associados a esse resultado foram a orientação sexual e o tempo de diagnóstico.