A great volume of HIV and AIDS research enters the medical literature every month. It’s difficult to monitor everything, so here’s a quick look at some notable news items and journal articles published over the past few weeks.
A recent neurocognitive study found that executive dysfunction persists among young adults with perinatal HIV infection in comparison to controls.
Interventions designed for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection have prevented nearly 22,000 cases of perinatal HIV transmission in the United States since 1994.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use reduced fear and shame associated with sex and facilitated greater sexual satisfaction and intimacy among men who have sex with men, according to a study by investigators at the University of Washington.
A study in HIV Medicine found that several of the World Health Organization’s HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) early warning indicators (EWIs) were associated with and predictive of HIVDR, supporting the WHO EWIs as a component of the HIVDR prevention method in settings where HIVDR testing is not routinely or widely available.
Findings from a large multi-center Ethiopian study suggest that sub-optimal adherence to combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) was present in up to a quarter of HIV patients, despite a high degree of average adherence to cART.
Developing strategies and interventions to facilitate parent–adolescent communication about sex-related topics, particularly HIV prevention and condom use, may be important to increase HIV testing among young women and men, according to a study in AIDS Care.
A French study found that comorbidities and coprescriptions are highly prevalent in ageing HIV-infected patients, especially those with a long history of HIV infection.
A review article in AIDS Research and Therapy noted that HIV-associated pulmonary tuberculosis treatment mandates a committed approach that encompasses both effective as well as enduring therapy originating from newer drug combinations, evolving ideas and emerging concepts from clinical trials globally.
Home-based HIV testing remains an efficient strategy to diagnose and link to care in settings with high levels of HIV awareness, according to a recent study in Chiradzulu District, Malawi.
A recent study suggests that obesity is an additional health burden to people living with HIV and that their daily dietary practices are not meeting the U.S. government-recommended nutritional standards.
Implementation of the Affordable Care Act was followed by HIV-positive patient enrollment growth and improved viral control in Kaiser Permanente Northern California, according to a study in JAIDS.
A pediatric study found that the statin drug atorvastatin lowered total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B in HIV-infected youth with antiretroviral-associated hyperlipidemia. The authors said atorvastatin could be considered for HIV-infected children with hyperlipidemia.
Subsequent to the initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in HIV patients, immunological recovery rather than type of antiretroviral therapy is the major driver of changes in cognitive function.
Among malnourished antiretroviral-eligible HIV-positive adults in Zambia and Tanzania, pre-ART mortality was twice that in the early post-ART period, suggesting many early ART deaths represent advanced HIV disease rather than treatment-related events.
A study in JAIDS found that drug regimen simplification from a 5-tablet regimen to the 2-tablet, once-daily combination of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide plus darunavir has durable maintenance of virologic suppression and improvements in specific markers of renal safety.
An analysis in BMC Infectious Diseases revealed that the clinical outcomes of generic version of abacavir/lamivudine and efavirenz in HIV treatment naïve patients showed the expected safety and effectiveness profile of proprietary antiretroviral drugs.
Implementation of proper and integrated malaria preventive measures as well as frequent monitoring of anemia on prescription of antiretroviral therapy could likely improve the health conditions of HIV-infected children.
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