Durability of antiretroviral therapy and predictors of virologic failure among perinatally HIV-infected children in Tanzania: a four-year follow-up.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: In Tanzania, HIV-1 RNA testing is rarely available and not standard of
care. Determining virologic failure is challenging and resistance mutations accumulate,
thereby compromising second-line therapy. We evaluated durability of antiretroviral
therapy (ART) and predictors of virologic failure among a pediatric cohort at four-year
follow-up. METHODS: This was a prospective cross-sectional study with retrospective
chart review evaluating a perinatally HIV-infected Tanzanian cohort enrolled in 2008-09
with repeat HIV-1 RNA in 2012-13. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were
extracted from charts, resistance mutations from 2008-9 were analyzed, and prospective
HIV RNA was obtained. RESULTS: 161 (78%) participants of the original cohort consented
to repeat HIV RNA. The average age was 12.2 years (55% adolescents ≥12 years). Average
time on ART was 6.4 years with 41% receiving second-line (protease inhibitor based)
therapy. Among those originally suppressed on a first-line (non-nucleoside reverse
transcriptase based regimen) 76% remained suppressed. Of those originally failing
first-line, 88% were switched to second-line and 72% have suppressed virus. Increased
level of viremia and duration of ART trended with an increased number of thymidine
analogue mutations (TAMs). Increased TAMs increased the odds of virologic failure
(p = 0.18), as did adolescent age (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: After viral load testing
in 2008-09 many participants switched to second-line therapy. The majority achieved
virologic suppression despite multiple resistance mutations. Though virologic testing
would likely hasten the switch to second-line among those failing, methods to improve
adherence is critical to maximize durability of ART and improve virologic outcomes
among youth in resource-limited settings.
Type
Journal articleSubject
AdolescentAnti-HIV Agents
Child
Cross-Sectional Studies
Drug Resistance, Viral
Female
Follow-Up Studies
HIV Infections
HIV-1
Humans
Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical
Male
Prospective Studies
RNA, Viral
Retrospective Studies
Tanzania
Treatment Failure
Viral Load
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10203Published Version (Please cite this version)
10.1186/s12879-014-0567-3Publication Info
Dow, Dorothy E; Shayo, Aisa M; Cunningham, Coleen K; & Reddy, Elizabeth A (2014). Durability of antiretroviral therapy and predictors of virologic failure among perinatally
HIV-infected children in Tanzania: a four-year follow-up. BMC Infect Dis, 14. pp. 567. 10.1186/s12879-014-0567-3. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/10203.This is constructed from limited available data and may be imprecise. To cite this
article, please review & use the official citation provided by the journal.
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Show full item recordScholars@Duke
Coleen Kathryn Cunningham
Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pediatrics
Dr. Cunningham is a pediatric infectious diseases physician who has focused her research
on the prevention and treatment of HIV infection in children. She has also played
important roles in evaluation of vaccines for other infectious diseases and recently
has worked on Ebola virus treatment studies. She is currently working on studies
of active and passive immunization to prevent HIV transmission in neonates born to
HIV infected women.
Dorothy Elizabeth Dow
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Dorothy Dow, MD, MSc is Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Assistant Research Professor
at the Duke Global Health Institute. Dr. Dow’s research focuses on prevention and
treatment of HIV in pediatric populations including prevention of mother-to-child
transmission and a focus on adolescent and young adult populations. Dr. Dow is co-chair
of IMPAACT Network Protocol 2016 and a member of the <a href="https://w
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