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Verinumbe T, Lesko CR, Moore RD, Fojo AT, Keruly J, Snow LN, Hutton H, Chander G, Pytell JD, Falade-Nwulia O. The association of changes in depression severity after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and viral nonsuppression among people with HIV. AIDS 2024; 38:887-894. [PMID: 38170505 PMCID: PMC10997444 DOI: 10.1097/qad.0000000000003828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study sought to characterize changes in depressive symptom severity during the COVID-19 pandemic and the association of these changes with HIV viral nonsuppression among people with HIV (PWH). DESIGN A clinical cohort study. METHODS We included PWH in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinical Cohort who completed the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 (PHQ-8) prepandemic (1 March 2018 to 28 February 2020) and during the COVID-era (1 September 2020 to 28 February 2022). PWH were classified according to depression severity categories prepandemic and during the COVID-era as: consistently depressed (prepandemic PHQ-8 >4 and no change in severity category); consistently nondepressed (prepandemic PHQ-8 ≤4 and no change in severity category); worsened (changed to a higher severity category) and; improved (change to a lower severity category). The association between changes in depressive symptom severity and viral nonsuppression (HIV RNA >200 copies/ml on the earliest viral load measured 7 days before to 12 months after the COVID-era PHQ-8 survey) was assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS Of 793 PWH, mean age was 56 (SD 10) years, 60% were male individuals and 88% were Black. After the onset of the pandemic, 60% were consistently nondepressed, 9% were consistently depressed, 15% worsened and 16% improved. PWH who worsened had 2.47 times the odds of viral nonsuppression (95% CI: 1.09-5.55) compared with the nondepressed group. Associations among other groups were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Worsening depression during the COVID-era was associated with HIV viral nonsuppression. Strategies to monitor and address depression among PWH may contribute to reduced risk of viral nonsuppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarfa Verinumbe
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Catherine R Lesko
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Richard D Moore
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Anthony T Fojo
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jeanne Keruly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - LaQuita N Snow
- Department of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Heidi Hutton
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- University of Washington School of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Seattle, WA
| | - Jarratt D Pytell
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
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Galiatsatos P, Garibaldi B, Yao D, Xu Y, Perin J, Shahu A, Jackson JW, Piggott D, Falade-Nwulia O, Shubella J, Michtalik H, Belcher HME, Hansel NN, Golden S. Lack of racial and ethnic disparities in mortality in minority patients hospitalised with COVID-19 in a mid-Atlantic healthcare system. BMJ Open Respir Res 2024; 11:e002310. [PMID: 38692710 PMCID: PMC11086483 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2024-002310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the USA, minoritised communities (racial and ethnic) have suffered disproportionately from COVID-19 compared with non-Hispanic white communities. In a large cohort of patients hospitalised for COVID-19 in a healthcare system spanning five adult hospitals, we analysed outcomes of patients based on race and ethnicity. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients 18 years or older admitted to five hospitals in the mid-Atlantic area between 4 March 2020 and 27 May 2022 with confirmed COVID-19. Participants were divided into four groups based on their race/ethnicity: non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic white, Latinx and other. Propensity score weighted generalised linear models were used to assess the association between race/ethnicity and the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS Of the 9651 participants in the cohort, more than half were aged 18-64 years old (56%) and 51% of the cohort were females. Non-Hispanic white patients had higher mortality (p<0.001) and longer hospital length-of-stay (p<0.001) than Latinx and non-Hispanic black patients. DISCUSSION In this large multihospital cohort of patients admitted with COVID-19, non-Hispanic black and Hispanic patients did not have worse outcomes than white patients. Such findings likely reflect how the complex range of factors that resulted in a life-threatening and disproportionate impact of incidence on certain vulnerable populations by COVID-19 in the community was offset through admission at well-resourced hospitals and healthcare systems. However, there continues to remain a need for efforts to address the significant pre-existing race and ethnicity inequities highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic to be better prepared for future public health emergencies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dapeng Yao
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yanxun Xu
- Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jamie Perin
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andi Shahu
- Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John W Jackson
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Page KR, Weir BW, Zook K, Rosecrans A, Harris R, Grieb SM, Falade-Nwulia O, Landry M, Escobar W, Ramirez MP, Saxton RE, Clarke WA, Sherman SG, Lucas GM. Integrated care van delivery of evidence-based services for people who inject drugs: A cluster-randomized trial. Addiction 2024. [PMID: 38561602 DOI: 10.1111/add.16486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS People who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for adverse outcomes across multiple dimensions. While evidence-based interventions are available, services are often fragmented and difficult to access. We measured the effectiveness of an integrated care van (ICV) that offered services for PWID. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS This was a cluster-randomized trial, which took place in Baltimore, MD, USA. Prior to randomization, we used a research van to recruit PWID cohorts from 12 Baltimore neighborhoods (sites), currently served by the city's mobile needle exchange program. INTERVENTION AND COMPARATOR We randomized sites to receive weekly visits from the ICV (n = 6) or to usual services (n = 6) for 14 months. The ICV offered case management; buprenorphine/naloxone; screening for HIV, hepatitis C virus and sexually transmitted infections; HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis; and wound care. MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was a composite harm mitigation score that captured access to evidence-based services, risk behaviors and adverse health events (range = 0-15, with higher numbers indicating worse status). We evaluated effectiveness by comparing changes in the composite score at 7 months versus baseline in the two study arms. FINDINGS We enrolled 720 cohort participants across the study sites (60 per site) between June 2018 and August 2019: 38.3% women, 72.6% black and 85.1% urine drug test positive for fentanyl. Over a median of 10.4 months, the ICV provided services to 734 unique clients (who may or may not have been cohort participants) across the six intervention sites, including HIV/hepatitis C virus testing in 577 (78.6%) and buprenorphine/naloxone initiation in 540 (74%). However, only 52 (7.2%) of cohort participants received services on the ICV. The average composite score decreased at 7 months relative to baseline, with no significant difference in the change between ICV and usual services (difference in differences: -0.31; 95% confidence interval: -0.70, 0.08; P = 0.13). CONCLUSIONS This cluster-randomized trial in Baltimore, MD, USA, found no evidence that weekly neighborhood visits from a mobile health van providing injection-drug-focused services improved access to services and outcomes among people who injected drugs in the neighborhood, relative to usual services. The van successfully served large numbers of clients but unexpectedly low use of the van by cohort participants limited the ability to detect meaningful differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen R Page
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brian W Weir
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Katie Zook
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Amanda Rosecrans
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Robert Harris
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Suzanne M Grieb
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Miles Landry
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wendy Escobar
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Ronald E Saxton
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Susan G Sherman
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gregory M Lucas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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4
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Gonzalez Corro LA, Zook K, Landry M, Rosecrans A, Harris R, Gaskin D, Falade-Nwulia O, Page KR, Lucas GM. An Analysis of Social Determinants of Health and Their Implications for Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in People Who Inject Drugs: The Case of Baltimore. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofae107. [PMID: 38567197 PMCID: PMC10986855 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofae107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Sixty-eight percent of the nearly 3.5 million people living with hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the United States are people who inject drugs (PWID). Despite effective treatments, uptake remains low in PWID. We examined the social determinants of health (SDoH) that affect the HCV care cascade. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data from 720 PWID in a cluster-randomized trial. We recruited PWID from 12 drug-affected areas in Baltimore. Inclusion criteria were injection in the prior month or needle sharing in the past 6 months. Intake data consisted of a survey and HCV testing. Focusing on SDoH, we analyzed self-report of (1) awareness of HCV infection (in those with active or previously cured HCV) and (2) prior HCV treatment (in the aware subgroup). We used descriptive statistics and logistic regression for statistical analyses. Results The 342 participants were majority male and Black with a median age of 52 years. Women were more likely to be aware of their status but less likely to be treated. Having a primary care provider and HIV-positive status were associated with increased awareness and treatment. Unhoused people had 51% lower odds of HCV treatment. People who reported that other PWID had shared their HCV status with them had 2.3-fold higher odds of awareness of their own status. Conclusions Further study of gender disparities in HCV treatment access is needed. Increased social support was associated with higher odds of HCV treatment, suggesting an area for future interventions. Strategies to identify and address SDoH are needed to end HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katie Zook
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Miles Landry
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda Rosecrans
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Robert Harris
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Baltimore City Health Department, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Darrell Gaskin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Falade-Nwulia O, Lesko CR, Fojo AT, Keruly JC, Moore RD, Sutcliffe CG, Mehta SH, Chander G, Thomas DL, Sulkowski M. Hepatitis C Treatment in People With HIV: Potential to Eliminate Disease and Disparity. J Infect Dis 2024; 229:775-779. [PMID: 37793170 PMCID: PMC10938212 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Access to direct acting antivirals (DAAs) may be associated with reductions in hepatitis C virus (HCV) viremia prevalence among people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH). Among 3755 PWH, estimated HCV viremia prevalence decreased by 94.0% from 36% (95% confidence interval [CI], 27%-46%) in 2009 (pre-DAA era) to 2% (95% CI, 0%-4%) in 2021 (DAA era). Male sex, black race, and older age were associated with HCV viremia in 2009 but not in 2021. Injection drug use remained associated with HCV viremia in 2009 and 2021. Targeted interventions are needed to meet the HCV care needs of PWH who use drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine R Lesko
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Anthony T Fojo
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeanne C Keruly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard D Moore
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - David L Thomas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Falade-Nwulia O, Ward K, Wagner KD, Karimi-Sari H, Hsu J, Sulkowski M, Latkin C, Nwulia E. Loneliness and fearfulness are associated with non-fatal drug overdose among people who inject drugs. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297209. [PMID: 38381763 PMCID: PMC10880973 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND People who inject drugs (PWID) experience high rates of drug overdose death with the risk of mortality increasing after each non-fatal event. Racial differences exist in drug overdose rates, with higher rates among Black people who use drugs. Psychological factors may predict drug overdose. METHODS Cross-sectional data from a survey administered to PWID in Baltimore, MD enrolled in a social network-based intervention were analyzed. Linear regression methods with generalized estimating equations were used to analyze data from indexes and network members to assess for psychological factors significantly associated with self-reported number of lifetime drug overdoses. Factors associated with number of overdoses were assessed separately by race. RESULTS Among 111 PWID enrolled between January 2018 and January 2019, 25.2% were female, 65.7% were Black, 98.2% reported use of substances in addition to opioids, and the mean age was 49.0 ± 8.3 years. Seventy-five individuals (67.6%) had a history of any overdose with a mean of 5.0 ± 9.7 lifetime overdoses reported. Reports of feeling fearful (β = 9.74, P = 0.001) or feeling lonely all of the time (β = 5.62, P = 0.033) were independently associated with number of drug overdoses. In analyses disaggregated by race, only the most severe degree of fearfulness or loneliness was associated with overdose among Black participants, whereas among White participants, any degree of fearfulness or loneliness was associated with overdose. CONCLUSIONS In this study of PWID loneliness and fearfulness were significantly related to the number of reported overdose events. These factors could be targeted in future interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Kathleen Ward
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Karla D. Wagner
- School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States of America
| | - Hamidreza Karimi-Sari
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Jeffrey Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Carl Latkin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Evaristus Nwulia
- Department of Psychiatry, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States of America
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7
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Arrington-Sanders R, Galai N, Falade-Nwulia O, Hammond C, Wirtz A, Beyrer C, Arteaga A, Celentano D. Patterns of Polysubstance Use in Young Black and Latinx Sexual Minority Men and Transgender Women and Its Association with Sexual Partnership Factors: The PUSH Study. Subst Use Misuse 2024; 59:317-328. [PMID: 38146133 DOI: 10.1080/10826084.2023.2267655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Background: Adult studies have demonstrated that polysubstance use increases HIV acquisition risk through increased sexual behaviors, however, few studies have examined polysubstance in young Black and Latinx sexual minority men (SMM) and transgender women (TW). Methods: We used cross-sectional data from 466 young Black and Latinx SMM and TW living in four high HIV-burden US cities enrolled in the PUSH Study, a status-neutral randomized control trial to increase HIV prevention and treatment adherence. We examined data for patterns of polysubstance use comparing age differences of use and explored associations between substance use and sexual partnership factors - inconsistent condom use, pressure to have condomless anal sex, and older partner, using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Most participants described prior substance use with alcohol and cannabis being most common (76% each) and 23% described other illicit drug use, including stimulants, cocaine, hallucinogens, sedatives, opioids, and inhalants. Polysubstance use was common with nearly half (47%) of participants reporting alcohol and cannabis use, 20% reporting alcohol, cannabis, and one other illicit drug use, and 19% reporting alcohol or cannabis use plus one other illicit drug use. Polysubstance use was associated with greater adjusted odds of pressure to have condomless anal sex, older partner (>5 years older), and inconsistent condom use. Conclusions: Associations of polysubstance use with sexual practices and sexual partnerships that are known predictors of HIV acquisition or transmission among Black and Latinx SMM and TW underscore the need for combination interventions that include substance use treatment alongside antiretroviral-based and partner-based HIV prevention and treatment interventions.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03194477.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Arrington-Sanders
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Craig-Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Noya Galai
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Statistics, University of Haifa, Mt Carmel, Israel
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Christopher Hammond
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrea Wirtz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Chris Beyrer
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aubrey Arteaga
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent & Young Adult Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David Celentano
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Karimi-Sari H, Piggott DA, Scully EP, Ward K, Sutcliffe CG, Sulkowski M, Falade-Nwulia O. Changes in Inflammatory Cytokines After Chronic Hepatitis C Treatment Among People Living With HIV. Open Forum Infect Dis 2024; 11:ofad623. [PMID: 38192382 PMCID: PMC10773550 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofad623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the effect of hepatitis C virus cure on serum inflammatory markers among people with HIV. Among 127 people with HIV, serum alanine aminotransferase, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 1, and inflammatory index score were significantly lower at the 24-week time point in patients who achieved sustained virologic response as compared with those who did not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Karimi-Sari
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Damani A Piggott
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Eileen P Scully
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen Ward
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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9
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Falade-Nwulia O, Kelly SM, Amanor-Boadu S, Nnodum BN, Lim JK, Sulkowski M. Hepatitis C in Black Individuals in the US: A Review. JAMA 2023; 330:2200-2208. [PMID: 37943553 DOI: 10.1001/jama.2023.21981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Importance In the US, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is 1.8% among people who are Black and 0.8% among people who are not Black. Mortality rates due to HCV are 5.01/100 000 among people who are Black and 2.98/100 000 among people who are White. Observations While people of all races and ethnicities experienced increased rates of incident HCV between 2015 and 2021, Black individuals experienced the largest percentage increase of 0.3 to 1.4/100 000 (367%) compared with 1.8 to 2.7/100 000 among American Indian/Alaska Native (50%), 0.3 to 0.9/100 000 among Hispanic (200%), and 0.9 to 1.6/100 000 among White (78%) populations. Among 47 687 persons diagnosed with HCV in 2019-2020, including 37 877 (79%) covered by Medicaid (7666 Black and 24 374 White individuals), 23.5% of Black people and 23.7% of White people with Medicaid insurance initiated HCV treatment. Strategies to increase HCV screening include electronic health record prompts for universal HCV screening, which increased screening tests from 2052/month to 4169/month in an outpatient setting. Awareness of HCV status can be increased through point-of-care testing in community-based settings, which was associated with increased likelihood of receiving HCV test results compared with referral for testing off-site (69% on-site vs 19% off-site, P < .001). Access to HCV care can be facilitated by patient navigation, in which an individual is assigned to work with a patient to help them access care and treatments; this was associated with greater likelihood of HCV care access (odds ratio, 3.7 [95% CI, 2.9-4.8]) and treatment initiation within 6 months (odds ratio, 3.2 [95% CI, 2.3-4.2]) in a public health system providing health care to individuals regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay compared with usual care. Eliminating Medicaid's HCV treatment restrictions, including removal of a requirement for advanced fibrosis or a specialist prescriber, was associated with increased treatment rates from 2.4 persons per month to 72.3 persons per month in a retrospective study of 10 336 adults with HCV with no significant difference by race (526/1388 [37.8%] for Black vs 2706/8277 [32.6%] for White patients; adjusted odds ratio, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.8-1.3]). Conclusions and Relevance In the US, the prevalence of HCV is higher in people who are Black than in people who are not Black. Point-of-care HCV tests, patient navigation, electronic health record prompts, and unrestricted access to HCV treatment in community-based settings have potential to increase diagnosis and treatment of HCV and improve outcomes in people who are Black.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sharon M Kelly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | | | | | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
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10
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Coyle CR, Gicquelais RE, Genberg BL, Astemborski J, Falade-Nwulia O, Kirk GD, Thomas DL, Mehta SH. Temporal trends in HCV treatment uptake and success among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, MD since the introduction of direct acting antivirals. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 253:111007. [PMID: 38456165 PMCID: PMC10917145 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.111007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Background Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) can be cured by direct acting antivirals (DAA), uptake is not well characterized for people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods Among 1,130 participants of a community-based cohort of PWID with chronic HCV, we longitudinally characterized HCV treatment uptake and cure early (2014-2016) and later (2017-2020). Results Cumulative HCV treatment uptake increased from 4% in 2014 to 68% in 2020 and the percent with HCV viremia declined from nearly 100% to 33%. Predictors of treatment uptake varied across periods. Age (incidence rate ratio [IRR] per 5-year increase: 1.28; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.15, 1.42), educational attainment (IRR for ≥ high school diploma: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.04, 1.66), HIV coinfection with suppressed viral load (IRR vs. HIV negative: 2.08; 95% CI: 1.63, 2.66) and alcohol dependence (IRR vs. no alcohol use: 0.63; 95% CI: 0.43, 0.91) were associated with treatment uptake in the early period, but not later. HIV coinfection with a detectable viral load (IRR vs. HIV negative: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.23, 0.95) and daily injecting (IRR: 0.46 vs. no injection; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.79) were significantly associated with lower treatment uptake later. Homelessness was associated with significantly reduced likelihood of viral clearance in the late DAA era (IRR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.88). Conclusion Treatment uptake improved substantially in this cohort of PWID in the first five years of DAA availability with commensurate declines in viremia. Additional efforts are needed to treat those actively injecting and unstably housed in order to realize elimination goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catelyn R. Coyle
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
- Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence (CORE), Merck & Co, Inc, 351 N Sumneytown Pike, North Wales, PA 19454, United States of America
| | - Rachel E. Gicquelais
- School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 701 Highland Ave, Madison, WI 53705, United States of America
| | - Becky L. Genberg
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Jacquie Astemborski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Gregory D. Kirk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - David L. Thomas
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States of America
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Falade-Nwulia O, Agee T, Kelly SM, Park JN, Schwartz S, Hsu J, Schweizer N, Jones J, Keruly J, Shah N, Lesko CR, Lucas GM, Sulkowski M. Implementing a peer-supported, integrated strategy for substance use disorder care in an outpatient infectious disease clinic is associated with improved patient outcomes. Int J Drug Policy 2023; 121:104191. [PMID: 37740989 PMCID: PMC10844957 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2023.104191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Substance use disorder (SUD) and infectious disease (ID) care integration may lead to improvements in SUD and ID outcomes. We assessed implementation of integrating peer-supported SUD care in an outpatient ID setting. METHODS In this implementation study, we describe REcovery in Specialty care Through medication and OutREach (RESTORE), a low-threshold SUD program implemented in a Baltimore outpatient ID clinic. Key program components were clinician training and support in SUD care, prescription of SUD treatment medications, and peer-based psychosocial support provided by peer recovery specialists. We assessed clinician adoption of RESTORE and compared patient outcomes from baseline to 6 months. RESULTS Between January 2019 and January 2022, the number of ID clinicians (N=61) who prescribed buprenorphine increased eightfold from 3 (5%) to 24 (39%). Of 258 ID patients referred to RESTORE, 182 (71%) engaged, 137 consented to study participation. Mean age in the study sample was 52.1 (SD=10.4), 63% were male, 84% were Black/African-American. Among 127 (93%) who completed 6-month follow-up, fewer participants reported illicit/non-prescribed opioid use in the past 30 days at follow-up (32%) compared to baseline (52%; p<0.001). Similar reductions were noted for cocaine use (47% to 34%; p=0.006), emergency department visits (23% to 9%; p=0.002), and inpatient hospitalizations (15% to 7%; p=0.025). CONCLUSION SUD care integration into an outpatient ID care setting using a peer-supported implementation strategy was adopted by clinicians and improved clinical outcomes for patients. This strategy is a promising approach to treating people with infectious diseases and SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224.
| | - Tracy Agee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Sharon M Kelly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Ju Nyeong Park
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University, 1125 N. Main St, Providence, RI 02904
| | - Sheree Schwartz
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Jeffrey Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Nicholas Schweizer
- Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 600 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287
| | - Joyce Jones
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Jeanne Keruly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Nishant Shah
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Maryland, 29 South Paca St, Baltimore, MD 21201
| | - Catherine R Lesko
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205
| | - Gregory M Lucas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21224
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12
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Coyle CR, Desjardins MR, Curriero FC, Rudolph J, Astemborski J, Falade-Nwulia O, Kirk GD, Thomas DL, Mehta SH, Genberg BL. Geographic variation in HCV treatment penetration among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, MD. J Viral Hepat 2023; 30:810-818. [PMID: 37382024 PMCID: PMC10527489 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated geographic heterogeneity in hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment penetration among people who inject drug (PWID) across Baltimore, MD since the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) using space-time clusters of HCV viraemia. Using data from a community-based cohort of PWID, the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) study, we identified space-time clusters with higher-than-expected rates of HCV viraemia between 2015 and 2019 using scan statistics. We used Poisson regression to identify covariates associated with HCV viraemia and used the regression-fitted values to detect adjusted space-time clusters of HCV viraemia in Baltimore city. Overall, in the cohort, HCV viraemia fell from 77% in 2015 to 64%, 49%, 39% and 36% from 2016 to 2019. In Baltimore city, the percentage of census tracts where prevalence of HCV viraemia was ≥85% dropped from 57% to 34%, 25%, 22% and 10% from 2015 to 2019. We identified two clusters of higher-than-expected HCV viraemia in the unadjusted analysis that lasted from 2015 to 2017 in East and West Baltimore and one adjusted cluster of HCV viraemia in West Baltimore from 2015 to 2016. Neither differences in age, sex, race, HIV status, nor neighbourhood deprivation were able to explain the significant space-time clusters. However, residing in a cluster with higher-than-expected viraemia was associated with age, sex, educational attainment and higher levels of neighbourhood deprivation. Nearly 4 years after DAAs became available, HCV treatment has penetrated all PWID communities across Baltimore city. While nearly all census tracts experienced improvements, change was more gradual in areas with higher levels of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catelyn R. Coyle
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Merck & Co. Inc., Rahway, NJ
| | - Michael R. Desjardins
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Spatial Science for Public Health Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Frank C. Curriero
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Spatial Science for Public Health Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Biostatistics, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Jacqueline Rudolph
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Jacquie Astemborski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Gregory D. Kirk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - David L. Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Becky L. Genberg
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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Pytell JD, Fojo AT, Keruly JC, Snow LN, Falade-Nwulia O, Moore RD, Chander G, Lesko CR. Measuring time in buprenorphine treatment stages among people with HIV and opioid use disorder by retention definition and its association with cocaine and hazardous alcohol use. Addict Sci Clin Pract 2023; 18:51. [PMID: 37660116 PMCID: PMC10474763 DOI: 10.1186/s13722-023-00408-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND We use a novel, longitudinal approach to describe average time spent in opioid use disorder (OUD) cascade of care stages for people with HIV (PWH) and with OUD, incorporating four definitions of treatment retention. Using this approach, we describe the impact of cocaine or hazardous alcohol use on time spent retained on buprenorphine. METHODS We followed PWH with OUD enrolled in the Johns Hopkins HIV Clinical Cohort from their first buprenorphine treatment episode between 2013 and 2020. We estimated 4-year restricted mean time spent on buprenorphine below buprenorphine retention threshold, on buprenorphine above retention threshold, off buprenorphine and in HIV care, loss to follow-up, and death. Retention definitions were based on retention threshold (180 vs 90 days) and allowable treatment gap (7 vs 30 days). Differences in 2-year restricted mean time spent retained on buprenorphine were estimated for patients with and without cocaine or hazardous alcohol use. RESULTS The study sample (N = 179) was 63% male, 82% non-Hispanic Black, and mean age was 53 (SD 8) years. Patients spent on average 13.9 months (95% CI 11.4, 16.4) on buprenorphine over 4 years. There were differences in time spent retained on buprenorphine based on the retention definition, ranging from 6.5 months (95% CI 4.6, 8.5) to 9.6 months (95% CI 7.4, 11.8). Patients with cocaine use spent fewer months retained on buprenorphine. There were no differences for patients with hazardous alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS PWH with OUD spend relatively little time receiving buprenorphine in their HIV primary care clinic. Concurrent cocaine use at buprenorphine initiation negatively impact time on buprenorphine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarratt D Pytell
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Mail Stop B180, 12631 E. 17Th Ave, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA.
| | - Anthony T Fojo
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jeanne C Keruly
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - LaQuita N Snow
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Richard D Moore
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Catherine R Lesko
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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14
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Jones AA, Schneider KE, Falade-Nwulia O, Sterner G, Tobin K, Latkin CA. Social Networks, Stigma, and Hepatitis C Care Among Women Who Inject Drugs: Findings from A Community Recruited Sample. J Psychoactive Drugs 2023; 55:464-470. [PMID: 36453686 PMCID: PMC10232671 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2022.2129886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
This study explores the role of perceived HCV stigma and social networks on HCV care among people who inject drugs (PWID) of both sexes, and solely among women who inject drugs (WWID). Data were from 269 HCV positive PWID, community-recruited through street-based outreach in Baltimore, MD. We defined HCV stigma based on participants' perceptions of treatment by others and their need to conceal their HCV status. Among WWID, HCV stigma was linked with decreased odds of undergoing liver disease staging (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.13,0.85) or to have attempted to get the HCV cure (aOR = 0.39, CI: 0.16,0.97), these associations were not evident in the overall sample with both sexes. Social network characteristics were significant correlates of HCV care in the overall sample, and these associations were stronger among WWID. WWID with more HCV positive social network members had higher odds of an HCV-related healthcare visit in the prior 12 months (aOR = 4.28, CI: 1.29,14.17) and to have undergone liver disease staging (aOR = 2.85, CI: 1.01,8.05). WWID with more social network members aware of the HCV cure were more likely to report an attempt at obtaining the HCV cure (aOR = 5.25, CI: 1.85,14.89). Our results suggest complexity in the role of social networks and stigma on HCV care.
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Affiliation(s)
- A A Jones
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
- Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction, the Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - K E Schneider
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - O Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - G Sterner
- Consortium on Substance Use and Addiction, the Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
- Department of Criminal Justice, Pennsylvania State University, PA, USA
| | - K Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - C A Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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15
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Park JN, Agee T, McCormick S, Felsher M, Collins K, Hsu J, Schweizer N, Lucas G, Falade-Nwulia O. Retention and Overdose Risk among Patients Receiving Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Mental Health Care and Peer Recovery Support: A Longitudinal Analysis. J Addict Med 2023; 17:608-611. [PMID: 37788619 PMCID: PMC10544685 DOI: 10.1097/adm.0000000000001167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug overdose remains a major crisis in the United States. Expanding substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support services is critical for reducing overdose risk during disasters such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) pandemic. We evaluated the outcomes of an innovative multicomponent service, inclusive of medications for SUD, and peer support, colocated in an outpatient infectious disease clinic in Baltimore City. Our goal was to examine whether a multicomponent SUD program can support patients in recovery during a pandemic. METHODS One hundred five patients in the RESTORE service between 2019-2020 completed baseline, 3-month, and 6-month surveys. Telemedicine and phone-based support groups were implemented in March 2020 after statewide restrictions on face-to-face services due to SARS-CoV2. Data from surveys and electronic medical records were integrated and analyzed using mixed-effects regression models. RESULTS At baseline, most patients (88%) reported using drugs/alcohol in the preceding 30 days; 48% of patients reported a history of drug overdose, as well anxiety (23%) and depression (28%) symptoms. Despite pandemic-related disruptions and procedural changes, retention in RESTORE was high (83% after 3 months, 76% after 6 months). Mixed-effects regression models indicated decreased anxiety, alcohol use, heroin use, and nonfatal overdose after 6 months of enrollment (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Multicomponent SUD services that are colocated within infectious disease specialty services could help patients to successfully manage their overdose risk and mental health even during future disasters. This model of care could be implemented in other specialty settings that see high rates of SUD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju Nyeong Park
- Rhode Island Hospital, Warren Alpert Medical School, Brown University
| | - Tracy Agee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sean McCormick
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Marisa Felsher
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Karina Collins
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeffrey Hsu
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Nicholas Schweizer
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Gregory Lucas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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16
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Karimi-Sari H, Falade-Nwulia O. Hepatitis Delta Virus Infection in the United States: If You Seek, You May Find. Dig Dis Sci 2023:10.1007/s10620-023-07961-x. [PMID: 37314627 DOI: 10.1007/s10620-023-07961-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hamidreza Karimi-Sari
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Baltimore, MD, USA.
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Baltimore, MD, USA
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17
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Litwin AH, Lum PJ, Taylor LE, Mehta SH, Tsui JI, Feinberg J, Kim AY, Norton BL, Heo M, Arnsten J, Meissner P, Karasz A, Mckee MD, Ward JW, Johnson N, Pericot-Valverde I, Agyemang L, Stein ES, Thomas A, Borsuk C, Blalock KL, Wilkinson S, Wagner K, Roche J, Murray-Krezan C, Anderson J, Jacobsohn V, Luetkemeyer AF, Falade-Nwulia O, Page K. Patient-centred models of hepatitis C treatment for people who inject drugs: a multicentre, pragmatic randomised trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2022; 7:1112-1127. [PMID: 36370741 DOI: 10.1016/s2468-1253(22)00275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND To achieve WHO targets for the elimination of hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public threat, an increased uptake of HCV treatment among people who inject drugs (PWID) is urgently needed. Optimal HCV co-located treatment models for PWID have not yet been identified. We aimed to compare two patient-centred models of HCV care in PWID with active drug use. METHODS We did a pragmatic randomised controlled trial at eight US cities in eight opioid treatment programmes and 15 community health centres. PWID actively injecting within 90 days of study entry were randomly assigned (1:1) to either patient navigation or modified directly observed therapy (mDOT) using computer-generated variable block sizes of 2-6 stratified by city, clinical settings, and cirrhosis status. The randomisation code was concealed, in a centralised REDCap database platform, from all investigators and research staff except for an authorised data manager at the data coordinating centre. All participants received a fixed-dose combination tablet (sofosbuvir 400 mg plus velpatasvir 100 mg) orally once daily for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was sustained virological response (SVR; determined by chart review between 70 days and 365 days after end of treatment and if unavailable, by study blood draws), and secondary outcomes were treatment initiation, adherence (measured by electronic blister packs), and treatment completion. Analyses were conducted within the modified intention-to-treat (mITT; all who initiated treatment), intention-to-treat (all who were randomised), and per-protocol populations. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02824640. FINDINGS Between Sept 15, 2016, and Aug 14, 2018, 1891 individuals were screened and 1136 were excluded (213 declined to participate and 923 did not meet the eligibility criteria). We randomly assigned 755 participants to patient navigation (n=379) or mDOT (n=376). In the mITT sample of participants who were randomised and initiated treatment (n=623), 226 (74% [95% CI 69-79]) of 306 participants in the mDOT group and 236 (76% [69-79]) of 317 in the patient navigation group had an SVR, with no significant difference between the groups (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0·97 [95% CI 0·66-1·42]; p=0·35). In the ITT sample (n=755), 226 (60% [95% CI 55-65]) of 376 participants in the mDOT group and 236 (62% [57-67]) of 379 in the patient navigation group had an SVR (AOR 0·92 [0·68-1·25]; p=0·61) and in the per-protocol sample (n=501), 226 (91% [87-94]) of 248 participants in the mDOT group and 235 (93% [89-96]) of 253 in the patient navigation group had an SVR (AOR 0·79 [0·41-1·55]; p=0·44). 306 (81%) of 376 participants in the mDOT group and 317 (84%) of 379 participants in the patient navigation group initiated treatment (AOR 0·86 [0·58-1·26]; p=0·44) and, among those, 251 (82%) participants in the mDOT group and 264 (83%) participants in the patient navigation group completed treatment (AOR 0·90 [0·58-1·39]; p=0·63). Mean daily adherence was higher in the mDOT group (78% [95% CI 75-81]) versus the patient navigation group (73% [70-77]), with a difference of 4·7% ([1·9-7·4]; p=0·0010). 421 serious adverse events were reported (217 in the mDOT group and 204 in the patient navigation group), with the most common being hospital admission (176 in the mDOT group vs 161 in the patient navigation group). INTERPRETATION In this trial of active PWID, both models resulted in high SVR. Although adherence was significantly higher in the mDOT group versus the patient navigation group, there was no significant difference in SVR between the groups. Increases in adherence and treatment completion were associated with an increased likelihood of SVR. These results suggest that active PWID can reach high SVRs in diverse settings with either mDOT or patient navigation support. FUNDING Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Gilead Sciences, Quest Diagnostics, Monogram Biosciences, and OraSure Technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alain H Litwin
- School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; Department of Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville, SC, USA; Department of Medicine, Prisma Health, Greenville, SC, USA.
| | - Paula J Lum
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lynn E Taylor
- College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA; HIV and Viral Hepatitis Services, CODAC Behavioral Health, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Judith I Tsui
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Judith Feinberg
- Department of Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry, and Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Arthur Y Kim
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Brianna L Norton
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Moonseong Heo
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Julia Arnsten
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Paul Meissner
- Department of Family and Social Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Alison Karasz
- Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - M Diane Mckee
- Department of Family Medicine & Community Health, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - John W Ward
- Coalition for Global Hepatitis Elimination, The Task Force for Global Health, Decatur, GA, USA
| | - Nirah Johnson
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Irene Pericot-Valverde
- Department of Psychology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA; School of Health Research, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Linda Agyemang
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Montefiore Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ellen S Stein
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Aurielle Thomas
- College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Courtney Borsuk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kendra L Blalock
- Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Samuel Wilkinson
- Office of Research Program Management, West Virginia University School of Medicine, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Katherine Wagner
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Jillian Roche
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Jessica Anderson
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Vanessa Jacobsohn
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Anne F Luetkemeyer
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Kimberly Page
- University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
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18
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Latkin C, Dayton L, Miller J, Yi G, Balaban A, Boodram B, Uzzi M, Falade-Nwulia O. A longitudinal study of vaccine hesitancy attitudes and social influence as predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in the US. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2022; 18:2043102. [PMID: 35417302 PMCID: PMC9196649 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2022.2043102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Background In many countries with high levels of COVID-19 vaccine access, uptake remains a major issue. We examined prospective predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake in a United States longitudinal study. Methods An online longitudinal study on COVID-19 and well-being assessed vaccine hesitancy attitudes, social norms, and uptake among 444 respondents who had completed both survey waves in March and June 2021. Results The mean sample age was 41, with 55% female, 71% white, 13% Black, and 6% Latinx. In March 2021, 14% had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose. By June 2021, 64% reported receiving at least one dose. In prospectively assessing predictors of vaccine uptake, we found strong correlations among five different vaccine hesitancy questions. In multivariable logistic regression models, family and friends discouraging vaccination (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] = .26, 95% CI = .07, .98), not knowing whom to believe about vaccine safety (aOR = .51, 95% CI = .27, .95), and concerns that shortcuts were taken with vaccine development (aOR = .43, 95% CI = .23, .81) were all independent predictors of lower vaccine uptake. Political conservatism, gender, education, and income were also independent predictors of reduced uptake. Vaccine hesitancy items were also modeled as a scale, and the scale was found to be strongly predictive of vaccine uptake. Conclusions The findings highlight the importance of social norm interventions and suggest general and specific vaccine hesitancy attitudes, especially trust, should be considered in developing vaccine uptake programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lauren Dayton
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jacob Miller
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Grace Yi
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Ariel Balaban
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Basmattee Boodram
- Division of Community Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Mudia Uzzi
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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19
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Karimi-Sari H, Rezaee-Zavareh MS, Falade-Nwulia O, Lim JK. Non-responders to sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection. J Hepatol 2022; 77:1215-1217. [PMID: 35798132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2022.06.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Joseph K Lim
- Yale Liver Center, Section of Digestive Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
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20
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Falade-Nwulia O, Felsher M, Kidorf M, Tobin K, Yang C, Latkin C. The impact of social network dynamics on engagement in drug use reduction programs among men and women who use drugs. J Subst Abuse Treat 2022; 137:108713. [PMID: 34969578 PMCID: PMC9086095 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2021.108713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cross-sectional studies have shown strong relationships between social network characteristics and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment engagement. The current study examined associations between longitudinal changes in egocentric social networks of male and female people who use drugs (PWUD) and engagement in drug use reduction programs, broadly defined as either formal SUD treatment or self-help groups. METHOD Using data from an HIV prevention and care study in Baltimore, MD, this study categorized PWUD into those who engaged and did not engage in any drug use reduction programs over two follow-ups during a one-year observation window. The study used multivariate logistic generalized estimating equations (GEE) to examine associations between network composition and stability measures and drug use reduction program engagement, stratified by gender. RESULTS Of the 176 subjects participating in drug use reduction programs at baseline, 56.3% remained engaged at one year. Among both male and female respondents, higher turnover into non-kin networks was associated with increased odds of engagement in drug use reduction programs (AOR 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.9, AOR 1.3; 95% CI: 1.0-1.8, respectively). For males, retention of intimate partner networks was associated with increased odds of program engagement (AOR 2.9; 95% CI: 1.1-7.6); for females, higher turnover into kin networks was associated with decreased odds of engagement (AOR 0.8; 95% CI: 0.5-1.0). CONCLUSION Evaluation of associations between social network characteristics and drug use reduction program engagement appears to benefit from longitudinal analyses that are stratified by gender. Efforts to improve retention in formal SUD treatment or self-help groups might consider intervening through social networks, perhaps by increasing overall levels of social support.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marisa Felsher
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Michael Kidorf
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Karin Tobin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Cui Yang
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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21
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Falade-Nwulia O, Momoh O, Felsher M, Nwulia E, Tofighi B, Ward K, McCormick S, Sulkowski M, Latkin C. Validation of a tool to assess effectiveness of peer-recruitment for hepatitis C testing and linkage to care among people who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 230:109177. [PMID: 34808487 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE People who inject drugs (PWID) have high hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence but low rates of HCV treatment uptake. To better harness the potential of peer-led social network-based interventions to increase HCV treatment uptake among PWID, simple tools that can help identify individuals with the potential to function effectively as peer-mentors who support network members to get HCV tested and linked to care are needed. METHODS Data from a survey administered to index PWID enrolled in a social network-based intervention, in which they were invited to recruit drug use network members for HCV testing and linkage to care, was analyzed. Constructs derived from exploratory factor analysis were validated through confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). We used logistic regression analysis to assess the association between scores in identified constructs and subsequent effectiveness in the peer mentor role, defined as recruiting at least one network member for HCV testing and linkage to care in the 12 weeks following survey completion. RESULTS Among 100 PWID with median age 53 years, 74% male, and 71% Black, CFA resulted in a multidimensional three-factor survey with 4 questions related to opinion leadership, 3 questions related to perceived HCV-related stigma, and 3 questions related to HCV communication comfort and care support willingness. Only self-designated opinion leadership was associated with effectiveness in the peer mentor role (adjusted odds ratio 3.76 (95% Confidence interval CI 1.01, 14.0)). CONCLUSION We developed and validated a simple tool with potential to ease and improve the efficiency of peer-led social network interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marisa Felsher
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Babak Tofighi
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Population Health, USA; Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, NYU College of Global Public Health, US
| | - Kathleen Ward
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, US
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22
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Felsher M, Tobin KE, Sulkowski M, Latkin C, Falade-Nwulia O. HCV communication within ego-centric networks of men and women who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2021; 229:109157. [PMID: 34740020 PMCID: PMC8665146 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2021.109157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Leveraging interpersonal communication among social networks of people who inject drugs (PWID) may be an innovative strategy to increase awareness and access to hepatitis C (HCV) care. However, little is known about HCV communication patterns among PWID and if these patterns vary by gender. METHODS Egocentric network data collected at baseline from HCV-infected PWID enrolled in a randomized HCV treatment intervention trial in Baltimore, Maryland were analyzed. Logistic generalized estimating models were conducted to identify predictors of HCV communication. RESULTS Among 227 PWID, the mean age was 43.8 (SD=10.3), 28.2% (n = 64) were women and 71.8% (n = 163) were men. Female participants reported 516 dyadic relationships and male participants 1139 dyadic relationships. While there were significant gender differences based on socio-demographics, risk behavior and network composition, there were few differences in HCV communication patterns. Both men and women had increased odds of HCV communication with alters who are currently enrolled in drug treatment (AOR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.4), alters with whom participants share drug preparation equipment (AOR 3.0, 95% CI: 1.9-4.6), alters who are sex partners compared to kin (AOR 3.0; 95% CI: 1.9-4.9) and alters with whom respondents have increased trust (AOR 1.1; 95% CI: 1.11.2) and daily/weekly interactions (AOR 1.7; 95% CI 1.3-2.1). CONCLUSION PWID engaged with trusted alters about HCV disclosure and information, highlighting the important role network interventions could play in this vulnerable population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marisa Felsher
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Suite 381, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
| | - Karin E Tobin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Suite 381, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 5200 Eastern Avenue, MFL Center Tower, Suite 381, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA
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23
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McCormick S, Ward KM, Sutcliffe CG, Irvin R, Chander G, Brooner RK, Mehta SH, Thomas DL, Sulkowski M, Falade-Nwulia O. Impact of Co-occurring Drug Use, Hazardous Alcohol Use, and Mental Health Disorders on Drug Use Patterns in People With HIV and Hepatitis C Virus Infection. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab520. [PMID: 35559126 PMCID: PMC9088503 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug use, hazardous alcohol use, and mental health disorders are prevalent among people with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Co-occurrence of alcohol use and depression negatively impacts substance use patterns. Nevertheless, HCV treatment provides a promising opportunity to identify and address co-occurring drug use, hazardous alcohol use, and mental health disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sean McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Kathleen M Ward
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Risha Irvin
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Robert K Brooner
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David L Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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24
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Grebely J, Collins AB, Artenie AA, Sutherland R, Meyer JP, Barocas JA, Falade-Nwulia O, Cepeda JA, Cunningham EB, Hajarizadeh B, Lafferty L, Lazarus JV, Bonn M, Marshall AD, Treloar C. Progress and remaining challenges to address hepatitis C, other infectious diseases, and drug-related harms to improve the health of people who use drugs. Int J Drug Policy 2021; 96:103469. [PMID: 34610884 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2021.103469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jason Grebely
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| | | | | | - Rachel Sutherland
- National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jaimie P Meyer
- AIDS Program, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, United States; Chronic Disease Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, United States
| | - Joshua A Barocas
- Divisions of General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, United States
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States
| | - Javier A Cepeda
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health,Baltimore, United States
| | | | | | - Lise Lafferty
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Jeffrey V Lazarus
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clínic, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Matthew Bonn
- Canadian Association of People Who Use Drugs, Dartmouth, Canada
| | - Alison D Marshall
- The Kirby Institute, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Carla Treloar
- Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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25
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Ward KM, Falade-Nwulia O, Moon J, Sutcliffe CG, Brinkley S, Haselhuhn T, Katz S, Herne K, Arteaga L, Mehta SH, Latkin C, Brooner RK, Sulkowski MS. Non-adherence to LDV/SOF did not predict SVR in a randomized controlled trial of HIV/HCV coinfected persons who use drugs. J Infect Dis 2021; 225:903-911. [PMID: 34543417 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Eliminating Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) will require effective treatment delivery to persons with substance use disorders (SUDs). We evaluated the relationship between ledipasvir/sofosbuvir treatment persistence (receiving 84 tablets), adherence, and sustained virologic response (SVR) in persons with HIV/HCV coinfection. METHODS Of the 144 participants with HIV/HCV and SUDs, 110 initiated a 12-week treatment course under one of three conditions (usual care, peer mentors, and cash incentives). We used self-report, pharmacy pill counts, and expected date of refill to examine adherence. Persistent participants were categorized as high adherence (taking ≥90% of doses) or low adherence (taking <90% of doses). RESULTS Most participants persisted on treatment after initiation (n=105), with 95% (n=100) achieving SVR. One-third (34%) of participants had moderate/heavy alcohol use by the biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth ≥50 ng/mL), and 44% had urine toxicology positive for cocaine or heroin at enrollment. The proportion of persons with high adherence was 72% (n=76) and low adherence, 28%. Although low adherence was associated with moderate/heavy alcohol use by PEth (RR 2.77, 95% CI 1.50-5.12), SVR did not vary according to adherence (p=0.702), and most participants (97%) with low adherence achieved SVR. CONCLUSION Treatment persistence led to high SVR rates among persons with HIV/HCV, despite imperfect adherence and SUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Ward
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | | | - Juhi Moon
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Sherilyn Brinkley
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Taryn Haselhuhn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Stephanie Katz
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Kayla Herne
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Lilian Arteaga
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Robert K Brooner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore MD, USA
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26
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Falade-Nwulia O. Hepatitis C Virus Elimination Requires More Than Good Drugs. Clin Infect Dis 2021; 71:1269-1270. [PMID: 31563937 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciz963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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27
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Latkin CA, Dayton L, Miller JR, Yi G, Jaleel A, Nwosu CC, Yang C, Falade-Nwulia O. Behavioral and Attitudinal Correlates of Trusted Sources of COVID-19 Vaccine Information in the US. Behav Sci (Basel) 2021; 11:bs11040056. [PMID: 33924118 PMCID: PMC8074305 DOI: 10.3390/bs11040056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
There is a critical need for the public to have trusted sources of vaccine information. A longitudinal online study assessed trust in COVID-19 vaccine information from 10 sources. A factor analysis for data reduction revealed two factors. The first factor contained politically conservative sources (PCS) of information. The second factor included eight news sources representing mainstream sources (MS). Multivariable logistic regression models were used. Trust in Dr. Fauci was also examined. High trust in MS was associated with intention to encourage family members to get COVID-19 vaccines, altruistic beliefs that more vulnerable people should have vaccine priority, and belief that racial minorities with higher rates of COVID-19 deaths should have priority. High trust in PCS was associated with intention to discourage friends from getting vaccinated. Higher trust in PCS was also associated with participants more likely to disagree that minorities with higher rates of COVID-19 deaths should have priority for a vaccine. High trust in Dr. Fauci as a source of COVID-19 vaccine information was associated with factors similar to high trust in MS. Fair, equitable, and transparent access and distribution are essential to ensure trust in public health systems' abilities to serve the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl A. Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.D.); (G.Y.); (C.Y.)
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
- Correspondence:
| | - Lauren Dayton
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.D.); (G.Y.); (C.Y.)
| | - Jacob R. Miller
- Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
| | - Grace Yi
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.D.); (G.Y.); (C.Y.)
| | - Afareen Jaleel
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (A.J.); (C.C.N.)
| | - Chikaodinaka C. Nwosu
- Institute for Computational Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218, USA; (A.J.); (C.C.N.)
| | - Cui Yang
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, 615 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA; (L.D.); (G.Y.); (C.Y.)
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA;
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28
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Thielen PM, Wohl S, Mehoke T, Ramakrishnan S, Kirsche M, Falade-Nwulia O, Trovão NS, Ernlund A, Howser C, Sadowski N, Morris CP, Hopkins M, Schwartz M, Fan Y, Gniazdowski V, Lessler J, Sauer L, Schatz MC, Evans JD, Ray SC, Timp W, Mostafa HH. Genomic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 during early introduction into the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area. JCI Insight 2021; 6:144350. [PMID: 33749660 PMCID: PMC8026189 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.144350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The early COVID-19 pandemic was characterized by rapid global spread. In Maryland and Washington, DC, United States, more than 2500 cases were reported within 3 weeks of the first COVID-19 detection in March 2020. We aimed to use genomic sequencing to understand the initial spread of SARS-CoV-2 — the virus that causes COVID-19 — in the region. We analyzed 620 samples collected from the Johns Hopkins Health System during March 11–31, 2020, comprising 28.6% of the total cases in Maryland and Washington, DC. From these samples, we generated 114 complete viral genomes. Analysis of these genomes alongside a subsampling of over 1000 previously published sequences showed that the diversity in this region rivaled global SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity at that time and that the sequences belong to all of the major globally circulating lineages, suggesting multiple introductions into the region. We also analyzed these regional SARS-CoV-2 genomes alongside detailed clinical metadata and found that clinically severe cases had viral genomes belonging to all major viral lineages. We conclude that efforts to control local spread of the virus were likely confounded by the number of introductions into the region early in the epidemic and the interconnectedness of the region as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M Thielen
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Shirlee Wohl
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Thomas Mehoke
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Melanie Kirsche
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Nídia S Trovão
- NIH, Fogarty International Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Amanda Ernlund
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Craig Howser
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - C Paul Morris
- Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Hopkins
- Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Matthew Schwartz
- Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Yunfan Fan
- Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Victoria Gniazdowski
- Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Justin Lessler
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Lauren Sauer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Department of Emergency Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Michael C Schatz
- Department of Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jared D Evans
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA
| | - Stuart C Ray
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Winston Timp
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Biology and Genetics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Heba H Mostafa
- Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Irvin R, Ntiri-Reid B, Kleinman M, Agee T, Hitt J, Anaedozie O, Arowolo T, Cassidy-Stewart H, Bush C, Wilson LE, Millman AJ, Nelson NP, Canary L, Brinkley S, Moon J, Falade-Nwulia O, Sulkowski MS, Thomas DL, Melia MT. Sharing the cure: Building primary care and public health infrastructure to improve the hepatitis C care continuum in Maryland. J Viral Hepat 2020; 27:1388-1395. [PMID: 32671942 PMCID: PMC7721959 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In 2014, trained healthcare provider capacity was insufficient to deliver care to an estimated 70 000 persons in Maryland with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The goal of Maryland Community Based Programs to Test and Cure Hepatitis C, a public health implementation project, was to improve HCV treatment access by expanding the workforce. Sharing the Cure (STC) was a package of services deployed 10/1/14-9/30/18 that included enhanced information technology and public health infrastructure, primary care provider training and practice transformation. Nine primary care sites enrolled. HCV clinical outcomes were documented among individuals who presented for care at sites and met criteria for HCV testing including risk factor or birth cohort (born between 1945 and 1965) based testing. Fifty-three providers completed the STC training. STC providers identified 3237 HCV antibody-positive patients of which 2624 (81%) were RNA+. Of those HCV RNA+, 1739 (66%) were staged, 932 (36%) were prescribed treatment, 838 (32%) started treatment, 721 (27%) completed treatment and 543 (21%) achieved cure. Among 1739 patients staged, 693 (40%) patients had a liver fibrosis assessment score < F2, rendering them ineligible for treatment under Maryland Medicaid guidelines. HCV RNA testing among HCV antibody-positive people increased from 40% (baseline) to 95% among STC providers. Of 554 patients with virologic data reported, 543 (98%) achieved cure. Primary care practices can effectively serve as HCV treatment centers to expand treatment access. However, criteria by insurance providers in Maryland were a major barrier to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risha Irvin
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Boatemaa Ntiri-Reid
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mary Kleinman
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Tracy Agee
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jeffrey Hitt
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Onyeka Anaedozie
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Tolu Arowolo
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Hope Cassidy-Stewart
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - CaSaundra Bush
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lucy E. Wilson
- Infectious Disease Prevention and Health Services Bureau, Maryland Department of Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Alexander J. Millman
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Noele P. Nelson
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Lauren Canary
- Division of Viral Hepatitis, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Sherilyn Brinkley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Juhi Moon
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mark S. Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David L. Thomas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Michael T. Melia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Dayton L, Tobin K, Falade-Nwulia O, Davey-Rothwell M, Al-Tayyib A, Saleem H, Latkin C. Racial Disparities in Overdose Prevention among People Who Inject Drugs. J Urban Health 2020; 97:823-830. [PMID: 32514829 PMCID: PMC7704879 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-020-00439-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Dayton
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2213 McElderry Street M227, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Karin Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2213 McElderry Street M227, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine - Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Melissa Davey-Rothwell
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2213 McElderry Street M227, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Alia Al-Tayyib
- Denver Public Health, Denver Health and Hospital Authority, 601 Broadway, Denver, CO, 80203, USA
| | - Haneefa Saleem
- Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E5033, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2213 McElderry Street M227, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Abstract
The availability of safe, efficacious, oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have ushered in a new era of hepatitis C treatment with potential to eliminate hepatitis C as a public health threat. To achieve population-level effectiveness of these oral DAAs, hepatitis C treatment by a wide range of providers in different settings will be essential to increase the number of persons treated. We provide a clinical review of hepatitis C treatment with a focus on practical tools for management of hepatitis C in majority of currently infected individuals who can be easily cured and optimization of treatment for those in whom treatment may not be as simple.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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32
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Falade-Nwulia O, Hackman J, Mehta SH, McCormick SD, Kirk GD, Sulkowski M, Thomas D, Latkin C, Laeyendecker O, Ray SC. Factors associated with phylogenetic clustering of hepatitis C among people who inject drugs in Baltimore. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:815. [PMID: 33167892 PMCID: PMC7652590 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05546-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The availability of effective, oral direct acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has put elimination of HCV as a public health challenge within reach. However, little is known about the characteristics of transmission networks of people who inject drugs (PWID). Methods Sequencing of a segment of the HCV genome was performed on samples collected from a community-based cohort of PWID between August 2005 and December 2016. Phylogenetic trees were inferred, and clusters were identified (70% bootstrap threshold; 0.04 maximum genetic distance threshold). We describe sex, race, age difference, and HIV infection status of potential transmission partners. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with being in an HCV cluster. Results Of 508 HCV genotype 1 viremic PWID, 8% (n = 41) were grouped into 20 clusters, consisting of 19 pairs and 1 triad. In adjusted analyses, female sex (odds ratio [OR] 2.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–4.5]) and HIV infection (OR 5.7 [CI 2.7–11.9]) remained independently associated with being in an HCV infection cluster. Conclusions Molecular epidemiological analysis reveals that, in this cohort of PWID in Baltimore, HIV infection and female sex were associated with HCV clustering. Combination HCV prevention interventions targeting HIV infected PWID and addressing HCV infection prevention needs of women have potential to advance HCV elimination efforts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-020-05546-x.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jada Hackman
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sean D McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Gregory D Kirk
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - David Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | | | - Stuart C Ray
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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33
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Falade-Nwulia O, Gicquelais RE, Astemborski J, McCormick SD, Kirk G, Sulkowski M, Thomas DL, Mehta SH. Hepatitis C treatment uptake among people who inject drugs in the oral direct-acting antiviral era. Liver Int 2020; 40:2407-2416. [PMID: 32770638 PMCID: PMC7706292 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased uptake of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment among people who inject drugs (PWID) will be critical to achieve HCV elimination goals. There are limited data on HCV treatment uptake among PWID recruited from community-based settings in the HCV direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era. METHODS We analysed data from PWID with HCV newly recruited into the Baltimore, Maryland-based AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort between 2015 and 2018. We characterized the HCV care continuum and evaluated factors associated with HCV treatment uptake. RESULTS Of the 418 PWID with HCV, the median age was 49 years and most (88%) reported recent injection drug use (IDU). Overall, 23% had ever been evaluated by a provider for HCV treatment, 17% ever initiated DAA treatment and 13% were cured of HCV infection. Treatment uptake approximately doubled between 2015 and 2018 (13% to 26%, P = .01). In multivariable analyses, HIV infection (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 2.5 [95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.3, 4.8]), current employment (aOR 4.1 [CI 1.2, 14.4]), having a primary care provider (aOR 4.3 [CI 1.2, 14.9) and longer duration of IDU (aOR 1.3 [CI 1.1, 1.6]) were positively associated with HCV treatment. PWID with a lower annual income (≤$5000) were less likely to have initiated HCV treatment (aOR 0.5 [CI 0.3, 0.98]). CONCLUSIONS Although HCV treatment uptake among PWID in this community-based setting in the DAA era remains suboptimal, it is encouraging that treatment uptake has increased in recent years. Innovative strategies are needed to reach all PWID infected with HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachel E. Gicquelais
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jacquie Astemborski
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Sean D. McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Greg Kirk
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David L. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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34
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Thielen PM, Wohl S, Mehoke T, Ramakrishnan S, Kirsche M, Falade-Nwulia O, Trovão NS, Ernlund A, Howser C, Sadowski N, Morris P, Hopkins M, Schwartz M, Fan Y, Gniazdowski V, Lessler J, Sauer L, Schatz MC, Evans JD, Ray SC, Timp W, Mostafa HH. Genomic Diversity of SARS-CoV-2 During Early Introduction into the United States National Capital Region. medRxiv 2020:2020.08.13.20174136. [PMID: 32817965 PMCID: PMC7430609 DOI: 10.1101/2020.08.13.20174136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The early COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by rapid global spread. In the United States National Capital Region, over 2,000 cases were reported within three weeks of its first detection in March 2020. We aimed to use genomic sequencing to understand the initial spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in the region. By correlating genetic information to disease phenotype, we also aimed to gain insight into any correlation between viral genotype and case severity or transmissibility. METHODS We performed whole genome sequencing of clinical SARS-CoV-2 samples collected in March 2020 by the Johns Hopkins Health System. We analyzed these regional SARS-CoV-2 genomes alongside detailed clinical metadata and the global phylogeny to understand early establishment of the virus within the region. RESULTS We analyzed 620 samples from the Johns Hopkins Health System collected between March 11-31, 2020, comprising 37.3% of the total cases in Maryland during this period. We selected 143 of these samples for sequencing, generating 114 complete viral genomes. These genomes belong to all five major Nextstrain-defined clades, suggesting multiple introductions into the region and underscoring the diversity of the regional epidemic. We also found that clinically severe cases had genomes belonging to all of these clades. CONCLUSIONS We established a pipeline for SARS-CoV-2 sequencing within the Johns Hopkins Health system, which enabled us to capture the significant viral diversity present in the region as early as March 2020. Efforts to control local spread of the virus were likely confounded by the number of introductions into the region early in the epidemic and interconnectedness of the region as a whole.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter M. Thielen
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Shirlee Wohl
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Thomas Mehoke
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | | | - Melanie Kirsche
- Johns Hopkins University Department of Computer Science, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Nídia S. Trovão
- National Institutes of Health, Fogarty International Center, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Amanda Ernlund
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Craig Howser
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Norah Sadowski
- Johns Hopkins University Department of Emergency Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Paul Morris
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Mark Hopkins
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Matthew Schwartz
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Yunfan Fan
- Johns Hopkins University Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Biology and Genetics, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Victoria Gniazdowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Justin Lessler
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Lauren Sauer
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Johns Hopkins University Department of Emergency Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Michael C. Schatz
- Johns Hopkins University Department of Computer Science, Baltimore, Maryland 21218
| | - Jared D. Evans
- Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland 20723
| | - Stuart C. Ray
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Winston Timp
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
- Johns Hopkins University Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Molecular Biology and Genetics, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
| | - Heba H. Mostafa
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Department of Pathology, Division of Medical Microbiology, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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35
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Falade-Nwulia O, Ward KM, McCormick S, Mehta SH, Pitts SR, Katz S, Chander G, Thomas DL, Sulkowski M, Latkin CA. Network-based recruitment of people who inject drugs for hepatitis C testing and linkage to care. J Viral Hepat 2020; 27:663-670. [PMID: 32045086 PMCID: PMC7299737 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Although oral direct-acting agent (DAA) therapies have the potential to reduce the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, treatment uptake remains low, particularly among people who inject drugs (PWID). This study examined the feasibility of an innovative peer-based recruitment strategy to engage PWID in HCV testing and treatment. We interviewed an initial set of HCV antibody-positive PWID as 'primary indexes' to gather demographic, drug use, health information and drug network characteristics. Primary indexes were then briefly educated on HCV and its treatment and encouraged to recruit their injection drug 'network members' for HCV testing and linkage to care. Eligible network members were enrolled as 'secondary indexes' and completed the same index study procedures. In sum, 17 of 36 primary indexes initiated the recruitment of 64 network members who were HCV antibody positive and eligible to become indexes. In multivariable analysis, successful recruitment of at least one network member was positively associated with prior HCV treatment (OR 2.80; CI [1.01, 7.72]), daily or more injection drug use (OR 2.38; CI [1.04, 5.47]), and a higher number of injection drug network members (OR 1.20; CI [1.01, 1.42]). Among the 69 participants with chronic HCV not previously linked to HCV care at enrolment, 91% (n = 63) completed a linkage to HCV care appointment, 45% (n = 31) scheduled an appointment with an HCV provider, and 20% (n = 14) initiated HCV therapy. These findings suggest a potential benefit for peer-driven, network-based interventions focused on HCV treatment-experienced PWID as a mechanism to increase HCV linkage to care.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sean McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Stephanie Katz
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - David L. Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carl A. Latkin
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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36
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Irvin R, Chander G, Ward KM, Manogue S, Falade-Nwulia O, Moon J, Sutcliffe CG, Brinkley S, Haselhuhn T, Katz S, Herne K, Arteaga L, Thomas DL, Mehta SH, Sulkowski MS. Unreported alcohol use was common but did not impact hepatitis C cure in HIV-infected persons who use drugs. J Viral Hepat 2020; 27:476-483. [PMID: 31854069 PMCID: PMC7890377 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.13251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2019] [Revised: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the prevalence and impact of heavy alcohol use on the hepatitis C virus (HCV) care continuum amongst HIV/HCV co-infected persons who use drugs. In the CHAMPS study, 144 HIV/HCV co-infected persons were randomized to contingent cash incentives, peer mentors and usual care to evaluate the impact on HCV care. Alcohol use was ascertained using the 10-item AUDIT (hazardous: male ≥8, female ≥4) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth) (heavy: ≥50 ng/mL), an alcohol biomarker. Log binomial regression was used to evaluate the association between heavy alcohol use and failure to initiate treatment and to achieve sustained virologic response (SVR). Of the 135 participants with PEth data, median age was 55 years, 59% were male, 92% were Black, 91% reported a history of drug use, and 97% were on antiretroviral therapy. Hazardous drinking was reported on AUDIT by 28% of participants, and 35% had heavy alcohol use by PEth. Of the 47 individuals with a PEth ≥50 ng/mL, 23 (49%) reported no or minimal alcohol use by AUDIT. HCV treatment was initiated in 103 of 135 participants, and SVR was achieved in 92%. PEth ≥50 ng/mL (Relative Risk [RR] 0.72, 95% CI 0.35-1.48) was not significantly associated with failure to initiate HCV treatment or failure to achieve SVR (RR 0.85, 95% CI 0.46-1.57).In conclusion, alcohol use was common and frequently not detected by self-report. However, heavy alcohol use, even when measured objectively, was not associated with failure to initiate HCV treatment or to achieve cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risha Irvin
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kathleen M. Ward
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sean Manogue
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Juhi Moon
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Catherine G. Sutcliffe
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Sherilyn Brinkley
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Taryn Haselhuhn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Stephanie Katz
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Kayla Herne
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Lilian Arteaga
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David L. Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mark S. Sulkowski
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
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37
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Falade-Nwulia O, Sacamano P, McCormick SD, Yang C, Kirk G, Thomas D, Sulkowski M, Latkin C, Mehta SH. Individual and network factors associated with HCV treatment uptake among people who inject drugs. Int J Drug Policy 2020; 78:102714. [PMID: 32135398 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugpo.2020.102714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment uptake among people who inject drugs (PWID), a population with disproportionately high rates of HCV, remains low. Peers have been shown to positively impact a broad range of health outcomes for PWID. There is, however, limited data on the impact of PWID social network members on HCV treatment. METHODS HCV-infected PWID enrolled in an ongoing community-based cohort were recruited as "indexes" to complete an egocentric social network survey. The survey elicited from the index PWID a list of their network members and the index's perception of network member characteristics. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to compare individual and network factors associated with HCV treatment in the index PWID. RESULTS Among 540 HCV-infected PWID, the mean age was 55.7 years and the majority were black (87.2%) and male (69.8%). PWID reported a mean of 4.4 (standard deviation [SD] 3.2) network members, most of whom were relatives (mean 2.2 [SD 1.5]). In multivariable analysis, increasing index age and HIV infection were positively associated with HCV treatment, while drug use and homelessness in the preceding 6 months were negatively associated with HCV treatment. From a network perspective, having at least one network member who regularly talked with the index about seeing their doctor for HIV care was associated with HCV treatment (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] 2.7; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) [1.3, 5.6]). Conversely, PWID who had at least one network member who helped them understand their HCV care were less likely to have been HCV treated (AOR 0.2; CI [0.1, 0.6). CONCLUSION HCV treatment uptake in this group of PWID appeared to be positively influenced by discussions with network members living with HIV who were in care and negatively influenced by HCV information sharing within PWID networks. These findings underscore the influence of peers on health seeking behaviors of their network members and emphasizes the importance of well-informed peers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
| | - Paul Sacamano
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sean D McCormick
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cui Yang
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Greg Kirk
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
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38
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Sacamano PL, Mehta SH, Latkin C, Falade-Nwulia O, Kirk GD, Rudolph AE. Characterizing latent classes of social support among persons who inject drugs. Drug Alcohol Depend 2020; 207:107816. [PMID: 31923777 PMCID: PMC7532840 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.107816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 11/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social network members influence risk and health behaviors, yet little is known about the support that persons who inject drugs (PWID) receive from their closest ties. METHODS 970 participants from the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) study completed a social network survey between April 2016 and June 2017 about their five closest ties. Our analysis: 1) identified latent classes of support received by participants; 2) determined whether class membership differed by current (≤12 months) vs. former (>12 months) injection drug use; 3) compared classes of support by individual and network characteristics. RESULTS 970 participants listed 3,388 network members. We identified three support classes: (1) Moderate (n = 249): probabilities of support <0.40; (2) High (n = 366): probabilities of support 0.58-0.82; (3) Very high (n = 355): probabilities of support 0.91-0.99. In adjusted analysis compared to moderate support, the odds of high and very high support increased as the mean age of network members increased (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR]:1.03; 95 % CI: 1.01, 1.05) and as the number of network members with whom they interacted daily increased (AOR-high: 1.33; 95 % CI:1.14, 1.56 and AOR-very high: 1.54; 95 % CI: 1.30, 1.83). While current injection drug use was associated with lower unadjusted odds of high and very high support, the associations were not statistically significant in adjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS Support was higher among networks of older ties and more frequent interaction, but differences did not appear to be driven by injection drug use status. Findings point to the importance of the closest social ties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul L Sacamano
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States.
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E6546, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, Hampton House 737, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Department of Medicine, 725 N. Wolfe Street, Suite 215, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Gregory D Kirk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N. Wolfe Street, Room E6533, Baltimore, MD 21205, United States
| | - Abby E Rudolph
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Temple University College of Public Health, 1301 Cecil B Moore Avenue, Ritter Annex 905, Philadelphia, PA 19122, United States
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Dayton L, Gicquelais RE, Tobin K, Davey-Rothwell M, Falade-Nwulia O, Kong X, Fingerhood M, Jones AA, Latkin C. More than just availability: Who has access and who administers take-home naloxone in Baltimore, MD. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0224686. [PMID: 31697736 PMCID: PMC6837378 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Fatal opioid overdose is a pressing public health concern in the United States. Addressing barriers and augmenting facilitators to take-home naloxone (THN) access and administration could expand program reach in preventing fatal overdoses. Methods THN access (i.e., being prescribed or receiving THN) was assessed in a Baltimore, Maryland-based sample of 577 people who use opioids (PWUO) and had a history of injecting drugs. A sub-analysis examined correlates of THN administration among those with THN access and who witnessed an overdose (N = 345). Logistic generalized estimating equations with robust standard errors were used to identify facilitators and barriers to accessing and using THN. Results The majority of PWUO (66%) reported THN access. In the multivariable model, decreased THN access was associated with the fear that a person may become aggressive after being revived with THN (aOR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.35–0.85), police threaten people at an overdose event (aOR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.36–1.00), and insufficient overdose training (aOR: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.28–0.68). Enrollment in medication-assisted treatment, personally experiencing an overdose, and graduating from high school were associated with higher access. About half (49%) of PWUO with THN access and who had witnessed an overdose reported having administered THN. THN use was positively associated with “often” or “always” carrying THN (aOR: 3.47, 95% CI: 1.99–6.06), witnessing more overdoses (aOR:5.18, 95% CI: 2.22–12.07), experiencing recent homelessness, and injecting in the past year. THN use was reduced among participants who did not feel that they had sufficient overdose training (aOR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.32–0.96). Conclusion THN programs must bolster confidence in administering THN and address barriers to use, such as fear of a THN recipient becoming aggressive. Normative change around carrying THN is an important component in an overdose prevention strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Dayton
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Rachel E. Gicquelais
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Karin Tobin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Melissa Davey-Rothwell
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Xiangrong Kong
- Department of Ophthalmology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Michael Fingerhood
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Abenaa A. Jones
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Hackman J, Falade-Nwulia O, Patel EU, Mehta SH, Kirk GD, Astemborski J, Ray SC, Thomas DL, Laeyendecker O. Correlates of hepatitis C viral clustering among people who inject drugs in Baltimore. Infect Genet Evol 2019; 77:104078. [PMID: 31669367 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 10/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
This study examines correlates of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genetic clustering among community-recruited people who inject drugs enrolled in the AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience cohort in Baltimore between 1988 and 1989. HCV RNA was extracted and the core/envelope-1 region was sequenced. Clusters were identified from maximum likelihood trees with 1000 bootstrap replicates using a 70% aLRT and a 4% genetic-distance threshold in Cluster Picker. Overall, 46% of participants were in a cluster, including 122 genotype-1a and 36 genotype-1b clusters with an average of 2-3 genetically linked HCV infections. The largest cluster consists of 9 participants. In univariable analysis, black race (PR = 1.66 [95% CI: 1.12-2.45]), age <35 years (PR = 1.18 [95% CI: 1.02-1.37]), and injection drug use of cocaine alone (PR = 1.30 [95% CI: 1.02-1.65]) were significantly associated with being in a cluster. Conversely, a history of medication-associated treatment (MAT) was negatively associated with being in a cluster (PR = 0.82 [95% CI: 0.71-0.95]). In multivariable analysis, black race (APR = 1.62 [95% CI: 1.11-2.38]) remained independently associated being in a cluster while MAT (APR = 0.85 [95% CI: 0.74-0.99]) remained negatively associated with clustering. Our findings suggest strong locally-propagated transmission networks during the early epidemic that was driven by younger PWID. In light of the current opioid epidemic in the US, these findings suggest an urgent need for preventive interventions to mitigate the growth of large HCV transmission networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jada Hackman
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States of America
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Eshan U Patel
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Gregory D Kirk
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Jacquie Astemborski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Stuart C Ray
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - David L Thomas
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Oliver Laeyendecker
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States of America; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America.
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Irvin R, McAdams-Mahmoud A, White JJ, Grant Z, Falade-Nwulia O, Sherman SG, Beyrer C, Sulkowski MS, Thomas DL, Mehta SH, Chaisson RE. An Education and Field Experience Program to Increase Detection of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Hepatitis C Virus. Prog Community Health Partnersh 2019; 12:101-109. [PMID: 29606698 DOI: 10.1353/cpr.2018.0011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Baltimore is an urban center that has been highly impacted by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV); however, many individuals are unaware of their HIV and/or HCV status. In 2013, the Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) developed Generation Tomorrow, an HIV and HCV education, testing, and counseling program with community input and collaboration. OBJECTIVES The aims of Generation Tomorrow are to increase HIV and HCV awareness and detection in Baltimore and engage the next generation of health professionals (students) and community members (peers) in HIV and HCV outreach services. METHODS The Generation Tomorrow educational component includes formal HIV and HCV testing and counselling training, and a lecture series for students and peers. The participants then engage in field assignments and outreach events with Johns Hopkins associated programs or community-based organizations. RESULTS Generation Tomorrow trained 71 students and peers in three cohorts, 70% of whom reported that they planned to stay in HIV- and/or HCV-related work. From October 2014 to May 2015, which represents the first year that Generation Tomorrow ran with the full academic calendar, Generation Tomorrow students and peers worked with partner organizations to conduct 1,104 HIV rapid antibody tests and found 19 individuals (1.72%) to be HIV positive. Additionally, 778 HCV rapid antibody tests were conducted and 175 individuals (22.5%) were HCV antibody positive. CONCLUSIONS Generation Tomorrow has been successful in engaging students and community peers in HIV and HCV education, testing, and counseling, and has documented HIV and HCV positivity rates well above general community prevalence.
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Falade-Nwulia O, Sutcliffe CG, Mehta SH, Moon J, Chander G, Keruly J, Katzianer J, Thomas DL, Moore RD, Sulkowski MS. Hepatitis C Elimination in People With HIV Is Contingent on Closing Gaps in the HIV Continuum. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz426. [PMID: 31667200 PMCID: PMC6814283 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bolstered by the high efficacy of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment, the World Health Organization has called for HCV elimination by 2030. People with HIV (PWH) have been identified as a population in which elimination should be prioritized. METHODS We examined progress in HCV elimination through the HCV care continuum among patients infected with HIV/HCV receiving HIV care at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Patients with HIV care visits in at least 2 consecutive years were followed through December 15, 2018, for referral to HCV care, treatment initiation, and cure. RESULTS Among 593 HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals, 547 (92%) were referred for HCV care, 517 (87%) were evaluated for HCV treatment, 457 (77%) were prescribed HCV treatment, 426 (72%) initiated treatment, and 370 (62%) achieved HCV cure. In multivariable analysis, advanced liver disease (hazard ratio [HR], 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.88) remained significantly positively associated with HCV treatment initiation. Conversely, being insured by state Medicaid (HR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.61-0.92), having an HIV RNA >400 copies/mL (HR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.49), and having missed 1%-24% (HR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.54-0.97), 25%-49% (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49-0.89), and ≥50% of HIV care visits (HR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.25-0.60) were significantly negatively associated with HCV treatment initiation. CONCLUSIONS HCV infection can be eliminated in PWH. However, HCV elimination requires unrestricted access to HCV treatment and improved methods of retaining people in medical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Juhi Moon
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jeanne Keruly
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jennifer Katzianer
- Johns Hopkins Pharmaquip, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - David L Thomas
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Richard D Moore
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Irvin R, Chander G, Falade-Nwulia O, Astemborski J, Starbird L, Kirk GD, Sulkowski MS, Thomas DL, Mehta SH. Overlapping epidemics of alcohol and illicit drug use among HCV-infected persons who inject drugs. Addict Behav 2019; 96:56-61. [PMID: 31035079 PMCID: PMC6718047 DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2019.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use in people who inject drugs (PWID) with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection accelerates liver disease progression. This paper describes the prevalence and associated correlates of alcohol use among HCV antibody positive PWID. METHODS In a large cohort of HCV antibody positive PWID (N = 1623) followed from 2005 to 2013, we characterized alcohol use using the AUDIT-C. We used multivariable logistic regression with generalized estimated equations to examine socio-demographic, clinical, and substance use correlates of alcohol use. RESULTS At their initial visit, 41% reported no, 21% reported moderate, and 38% reported heavy alcohol use. The odds of moderate and heavy alcohol use increased with greater intensity of substance use represented by a composite summary variable which ranged from 0 to 3 substances (street-acquired prescription drugs, non-injection cocaine/heroin, and injection drugs) used. Compared to those who used no drugs, those who used 3 substances had 3.71 odds (95% CI: 3.07-4.48) of moderate alcohol use and 3.65 odds (95% CI: 3.20-4.16) of heavy alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of moderate/heavy alcohol use is high among HCV antibody positive PWID and occurs frequently in combination with other drug use. This may contribute to progressive liver fibrosis thus limiting the gains achieved from HCV cure. Public health interventions need to address the overlapping epidemics of HCV, alcohol use, and other substance use in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Risha Irvin
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Oluwaseun Falade-Nwulia
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Jacquie Astemborski
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Laura Starbird
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Gregory D Kirk
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - David L Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
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Falade-Nwulia O, Hackman J, Mehta S, Sulkowski M, Latkin C, Thomas D, Downing Z, Latanich R, Kirk G, Laeyendecker O, Ray S. A22 Phylogenetic clustering of hepatitis C virus infection among people who inject drugs in Baltimore. Virus Evol 2019. [PMCID: PMC6736145 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vez002.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The availability of effective, oral direct acting antivirals for hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment has fueled optimism for HCV elimination through treatment as prevention (TasP) among people who inject drugs (PWID). Identifying characteristics of individuals in transmission networks would provide critical information for the development and implementation of effective, targeted HCV TasP strategies. The AIDS linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort has followed PWID in Baltimore since 1988. Sequencing of the HCV core/E1 region (342 nucleotides) was performed on HCV viremic samples from the most recent study visit attended by ALIVE participants between August, 2005 and December, 2016. Outgroup sequences were retrieved from GenBank through a BLAST search for HCV sequences similar to study sequences to support identification of ‘local clusters’ and were aligned to study sequences using Clustal O. Phylogenetic trees were inferred for each of HCV subtype 1a and 1b separately through maximum likelihood analysis implemented in the MEGA X software using the Tamura-Nei model with gamma distribution and invariant sites. Nucleotide substitution model selection was based on the corrected Akaike information criterion scores of various models in MEGA. Robustness of the resulting tree was assessed by bootstrapping with 1,000 replicates. Clusters were identified using ClusterPicker software (70% bootstrap threshold and 0.05 maximum genetic distance threshold). Sensitivity analyses were performed by varying the genetic distance threshold between 0.025 and 0.05 to determine the effect on identification of factors associated with clustering. HCV infection clustering was defined as > 2 participants with HCV genome sequences satisfying 70 per cent bootstrap and 0.05 genetic threshold distance requirement for sequence similarity. Logistic regression was used to assess sociodemographic factors associated with being in an HCV cluster. Among 512 HCV genotype 1 viremic PWID, HCV subtype prevalence was 83 per cent genotype 1a and 17 per cent genotype 1b. The median age of participants was 54 years, 68 per cent male, 87 per cent Black, and 38 per cent HIV infected. Overall, 9 per cent (n = 44) were grouped into 21 clusters, consisting of 20 pairs and 1 triad. Of the 425 genotype 1a and 87 genotype 1b samples evaluated, 8 per cent (n = 33) and 13 per cent (n = 11) respectively, were in clusters. In unadjusted analyses, membership in a cluster, was associated with younger age (odds ratio (OR) 1.5 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1–2.1] per 10 year age decrease); female sex (OR 2.8 [95% CI 1.5–5.3]), HIV infection (OR 4.9 [95% CI 2.5–9.9]), and living in East Baltimore (versus outside East Baltimore, OR 2.0 [95% CI 1.0–3.9]). In adjusted analyses, female sex (OR 2.0 [95% CI 1.0–3.9] and HIV infection (OR 5.4 [95% CI 2.6–11.1] remained independently associated with being in an HCV infection cluster. HIV-infected PWID and their networks should be prioritized for HCV treatment and prevention interventions given an increased likelihood of transmission in these groups.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jada Hackman
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Stuart Ray
- Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Hackman J, Falade-Nwulia O, Mehta S, Downing Z, Kirk G, Ray S, Thomas D, Laeyendecker O. A23 Population level diversification of hepatitis C viral strains over time among people who inject drugs in Baltimore, MD. Virus Evol 2019. [PMCID: PMC6736091 DOI: 10.1093/ve/vez002.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection occurs in 30–90 per cent of people who inject drugs (PWID). Although cure rates can exceed 95 per cent, treatment access is limited and approximately 400,000 people die each year due to complications of chronic infection. A temporal analysis of cluster networks among PWID can be used to inform strategies to interdict transmission. In Baltimore, PWID have been recruited for The AIDS Linked to the IntraVenous Experience (ALIVE) cohort. A demographic questionnaire was administered and recorded for baseline and recent participants. Viral RNA underwent PCR with primers targeting the core and envelope-1 protein (CE1) and sequenced via Sanger sequencing. Sequences with > 400 bp reads and Q-scores >370 were used for downstream analysis resulting in 322 ALIVE baseline participants (1988–9) and 548 recently diagnosed subjects enrolled approximately two decades later (2005–16). Cluster networks were rendered with a threshold of 4 per cent in MicrobeTRACE, and statistical analyses were performed in R Studio. Of the 1988–9 subjects, the majority (259/317, 81.7%) were a part of cluster. There were nine clusters and fifty-eight singletons, with two large clusters containing most sequences of genotype 1a (73.5%). Two decades later, a minority of recently diagnosed individuals (235/512, 44.1%) were part of a cluster. There were seventeen clusters with 286 singletons with two large clusters containing 1a genotype individuals (21.5%). Additional clustering was done by parsing the two datasets by subtype 1a (n = 714) and 1b (n = 151). The genotype 1a network demonstrates a majority, 65.8 per cent, of participants in clusters. Moreover, two large clusters can be observed with baseline participants towards the center and recent participants on the outskirts indicative of high linkage at baseline. The genotype 1b network produced a single large cluster but subclusters were observed. The sequences between the two time points co-mingled but subclusters were also observed. Interestingly, the two large clusters from 1988 to 1989 were still evident in the 2005–16 viral sequences. We observed greater cluster diversity in more recently diagnosed individuals, indicative of a less connected network of individuals sharing transmission risk, though major viral strains did persist over time in this cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Hackman
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - O Falade-Nwulia
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S Mehta
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Z Downing
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - G Kirk
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - S Ray
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - D Thomas
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - O Laeyendecker
- National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Radwan D, Cachay E, Falade-Nwulia O, Moore RD, Westergaard R, Mathews WC, Aberg J, Cheever L, Gebo KA. HCV Screening and Treatment Uptake Among Patients in HIV Care During 2014-2015. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 2019; 80:559-567. [PMID: 30649030 PMCID: PMC6650288 DOI: 10.1097/qai.0000000000001949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among persons living with HIV (PWH), the prevalence of HCV screening, treatment, and sustained virologic response (SVR) is unknown. This study aims to characterize the continuum of HCV screening and treatment among PWH in HIV care. SETTING Adult patients enrolled at 12 sites of the HIV Research Network located in 3 regions of the United States were included. METHODS We examined the prevalence of HCV screening, HCV coinfection, direct-acting antiretroviral (DAA) treatment, and SVR-12 between 2014 and 2015. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify characteristics associated with outcomes, adjusted for site. RESULTS Among 29,071 PWH (age 18-87, 74.8% male, 44.4% black), 77.9% were screened for HCV antibodies; 94.6% of those screened had a confirmatory HCV RNA viral load test. Among those tested, 61.1% were determined to have chronic HCV. We estimate that only 23.4% of those eligible for DAA were prescribed DAA, and only 17.8% of those eligible evidenced initiating DAA treatment. Those who initiated treatment achieved SVR-12 at a rate of 95.2%. Blacks and people who inject drugs (PWID) were more likely to be screened for HCV than whites or those with heterosexual risk. Persons older than 40 years, whites, Hispanics, and PWID [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 8.70 (7.74 to 9.78)] were more likely to be coinfected than their counterparts. When examining treatment with DAA, persons older than 50 years, on antiretroviral therapy [AOR 2.27 (1.11 to 4.64)], with HIV-1 RNA <400 [AOR 2.67 (1.71 to 4.18)], and those with higher Fib-4 scores were more likely to be treated with DAA. CONCLUSIONS Although rates of screening for HCV among PWH are high, screening remains far from comprehensive. Rates of SVR were high, consistent with previously published literature. Additional programs to improve screening and make treatment more widely available will help reduce the impact of HCV morbidity among PWH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Radwan
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Laura Cheever
- Health Resources and Services Administration, Rockville, MD
| | - Kelly A. Gebo
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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Ward KM, Falade-Nwulia O, Moon J, Sutcliffe CG, Brinkley S, Haselhuhn T, Katz S, Herne K, Arteaga L, Mehta SH, Latkin C, Brooner RK, Sulkowski MS. A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cash Incentives or Peer Support to Increase HCV Treatment for Persons With HIV Who Use Drugs: The CHAMPS Study. Open Forum Infect Dis 2019; 6:ofz166. [PMID: 31049365 PMCID: PMC6488268 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofz166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite access to direct-acting antivirals, barriers to a hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure persist, especially among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH) who use drugs. Interventions such as peer mentors or cash incentives may improve the care continuum. Methods The CHAMPS (Chronic HepAtitis C Management to ImProve OutcomeS) study randomized 144 PLWH, recruited from an outpatient clinic, with substance use disorders into three treatment groups: usual care (UC) (n = 36), UC plus cash incentives (n = 54), and UC plus peer mentors (n = 54) to evaluate HCV treatment uptake and cure. All participants received 12-weeks of ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF). Trained peer mentors had well-controlled HIV and HCV. Cash incentives were contingent on visit attendance (maximum $220). The primary endpoint was HCV treatment initiation; secondary endpoints included sustained virologic response (SVR) and HCV reinfection. Results The majority of participants were male (61%), Black (93%), and unemployed (85%). Depression and active drug and alcohol use were common. Overall, 110 of 144 (76%) participants initiated LDV/SOF. Although treatment initiation rates were higher in PLWH randomized to peers (83%, 45 of 54) or cash (76%, 41 of 54) compared to UC (67%, 24 of 36), these differences were not statistically significant (P = .11). Most PLWH who initiated treatment achieved SVR (100 of 110, 91%). LDV/SOF was well tolerated; peers and cash had no effect on drug and alcohol use during therapy. One individual from the cash cohort experienced HCV reinfection. Conclusion After removal of system barriers, one-third of PLWH in UC did not initiate HCV treatment. Among those who initiated, SVR rates were high. Research involving PLWH who use drugs should focus on overcoming barriers to treatment initiation. Clinical trial information The registration data for the trial are in the ClinicalTrials.gov database, number NCT02402218.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Ward
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | | | - Juhi Moon
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Catherine G Sutcliffe
- Department of Epidemiology, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Sherilyn Brinkley
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Taryn Haselhuhn
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Stephanie Katz
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Kayla Herne
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Lilian Arteaga
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Department of Epidemiology, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Carl Latkin
- Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Robert K Brooner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Mark S Sulkowski
- Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Falade-Nwulia O, Irvin R, Merkow A, Sulkowski M, Niculescu A, Olsen Y, Stoller K, Thomas DL, Latkin C, Mehta SH. Barriers and facilitators of hepatitis C treatment uptake among people who inject drugs enrolled in opioid treatment programs in Baltimore. J Subst Abuse Treat 2019; 100:45-51. [PMID: 30898327 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsat.2019.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major public health issue among people who inject drugs (PWID) with prevalence of 50-80% in the United States. Effective, simple, oral direct acting agents (DAA) of short duration with minimal side effects have been associated with cure rates > 95%. However, HCV treatment uptake among PWID remains low. We characterized the HCV care continuum, HCV treatment knowledge, as well as barriers and facilitators to HCV treatment uptake among PWID enrolled in two opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. METHODS Between July and November 2016, 124 HCV infected PWID were recruited from two opioid treatment programs in Baltimore through convenience sampling. Participants completed a 50-item questionnaire to assess HCV treatment knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Progress through the HCV care continuum was assessed based on a series of questions assessing evaluation for HCV treatment, recommendation for HCV treatment by a provider, and HCV treatment initiation. HCV status was assessed based on participant self-report. RESULTS The median age was 52 years (IQR 44-58), 56% were male, the majority were African American (69%), and 19% reported HIV coinfection. Participants had been tested for HCV at their primary care provider's (PCP's) office (34%), drug treatment center (20%), emergency room (11%), or prison (9%), and most (60%) had been diagnosed with HCV over 5 years prior. The majority reported that HCV was a major health concern for them (91%), were aware there were new treatments for HCV (89%), and that the new treatments cure most people (69%). More than half (60%) had seen a health professional who could treat HCV, 40% had HCV therapy recommended by their HCV specialist, and 20% had started or completed treatment. In univariable analysis, PWID were significantly more likely to have been treated if they were HIV co-infected (OR 3.4 (95% CI 1.3-9.2)) or had a partner or friend concerned about their HCV (OR 3.4 (95% CI 1.2-9.7)), and were significantly less likely to have been treated if they had used any illicit drugs in the preceding 6 months (OR 0.4 (95% CI 0.2-0.99). In multivariable analysis, having a friend or partner concerned about their HCV remained significantly associated with HCV treatment (OR 5.0 (95% CI 1.4-17.7)). When questioned about what would facilitate HCV treatment, the majority (85%) reported that a friend telling them that HCV treatment had helped them and having HCV treatment provided at their opioid treatment program would make them more likely to engage in HCV treatment. CONCLUSION Despite a high prevalence of HCV among opioid treatment program patients and the availability of effective treatments, uptake remains low. We identified several key barriers and facilitators that can affect HCV treatment uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Risha Irvin
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Alana Merkow
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Alexander Niculescu
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Yngvild Olsen
- Institute for Behavior Resources, Inc, REACH Health Services, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Kenneth Stoller
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - David L Thomas
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States of America; Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Shruti H Mehta
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
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Falade-Nwulia O, Sulkowski MS, Merkow A, Latkin C, Mehta SH. Understanding and addressing hepatitis C reinfection in the oral direct-acting antiviral era. J Viral Hepat 2018; 25:220-227. [PMID: 29316030 PMCID: PMC5841922 DOI: 10.1111/jvh.12859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The availability of effective, simple, well-tolerated oral direct-acting antiviral (DAA) hepatitis C regimens has raised optimism for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination at the population level. HCV reinfection in key populations such as people who inject drugs (PWID) and HIV-infected men who have sex with men (MSM) however threatens the achievement of this goal from a patient, provider and population perspective. The goal of this review was to synthesize our current understanding of estimated rates and factors associated with HCV reinfection. This review also proposes interventions to aid understanding of and reduce hepatitis C reinfection among PWID and HIV-infected MSM in the oral direct-acting antiviral era.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alana Merkow
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Carl Latkin
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
| | - Shruti H. Mehta
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
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Falade-Nwulia O, Sutcliffe C, Moon J, Chander G, Wansom T, Keruly J, Katzianer J, Nathanson A, Marks J, Mehta S, Thomas D, Moore R, Sulkowski M. High hepatitis C cure rates among black and nonblack human immunodeficiency virus-infected adults in an urban center. Hepatology 2017; 66:1402-1412. [PMID: 28608973 PMCID: PMC5650518 DOI: 10.1002/hep.29308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 05/18/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED Hepatitis C virus (HCV) cure rates have been similar in patients with and without human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) coinfection; however, in the ION-4 study, black patients treated with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir (LDV/SOF) were significantly less likely to achieve cure (90%) compared to nonblack patients (99%). There are limited real-world data on the effectiveness of oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in predominantly minority HIV/HCV coinfected populations. We analyzed HCV treatment outcomes among 255 HCV coinfected patients initiating DAAs between February 2014 and March 2016 in an urban clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. To facilitate adherence, patients received standardized HIV nurse/pharmacist support, which included nurse visits and telephone calls. Median age was 43 years, 88% were black, 73% male, 69% had a history of injection drug use, 45% a history of hazardous alcohol use, and 57% a comorbid psychiatric diagnosis. Median CD4 count was 577 (interquartile range, 397-820) cells/mm3 ; most (97%) were on antiretroviral therapy, had HIV RNA <20 copies/mL (87%), and were infected with HCV genotype 1 (98%). Over 60% had significant fibrosis (Fibrosis-4 Index score 1.45-3.25 [44%] and >3.25 [17%, cirrhosis]) and 30% were HCV treatment experienced. The majority of patients received LDV/SOF with or without ribavirin (91%) and were treated for 12 weeks. Overall, the sustained virological response rate was 97% (95% confidence interval [CI], 93-98) and did not vary by race (black, 96% [95% CI, 93-98]; nonblack, 97%, [95% CI, 83-99]), history of injection drug use, alcohol use, or psychiatric diagnosis. CONCLUSION HCV treatment was highly effective among HIV-infected patients who received care within an integrated nurse/pharmacist adherence support program. These results suggest that race and psychosocial comorbidity may not be barriers to HCV elimination. (Hepatology 2017;66:1402-1412).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Catherine Sutcliffe
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - Juhi Moon
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Geetanjali Chander
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Tanyaporn Wansom
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jeanne Keruly
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jennifer Katzianer
- Johns Hopkins Pharmaquip, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
| | - Amy Nathanson
- Johns Hopkins Pharmaquip, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD
| | - Jillian Marks
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Shruti Mehta
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD
| | - David Thomas
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Richard Moore
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
| | - Mark Sulkowski
- Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD
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