Prevalence and burden of HBV co-infection among people living with HIV:A global systematic review and meta-analysis

Globally, in 2017 35 million people were living with HIV (PLHIV) and 257 million had chronic HBV infection (HBsAg positive). The extent of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is unknown. We undertook a systematic review to estimate the global burden of HBsAg co-infection in PLHIV. We searched MEDLINE, Embase and other databases for published studies (2002-2018) measuring prevalence of HBsAg among PLHIV. The review was registered with PROSPERO (#CRD42019123388). Populations were categorized by HIV-exposure category. The global burden of co-infection was estimated by applying regional co-infection prevalence estimates to UNAIDS estimates of PLHIV. We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the odds of HBsAg among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. We identified 506 estimates (475 studies) of HIV-HBsAg co-infection prevalence from 80/195 (41.0%) countries. Globally, the prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection is 7.6% (IQR 5.6%-12.1%) in PLHIV, or 2.7 million HIV-HBsAg co-infections (IQR 2.0-4.2). The greatest burden (69% of cases; 1.9 million) is in sub-Saharan Africa. Globally, there was little difference in prevalence of HIV-HBsAg co-infection by population group (approximately 6%-7%), but it was slightly higher among people who inject drugs (11.8% IQR 6.0%-16.9%). Odds of HBsAg infection were 1.4 times higher among PLHIV compared to HIV-negative individuals. There is therefore, a high global burden of HIV-HBsAg co-infection, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Key prevention strategies include infant HBV vaccination, including a timely birth-dose. Findings also highlight the importance of targeting PLHIV, especially high-risk groups for testing, catch-up HBV vaccination and other preventative interventions. The global scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for PLHIV using a tenofovir-based ART regimen provides an opportunity to simultaneously treat those with HBV co-infection, and in pregnant women to also reduce mother-to-child transmission of HBV alongside HIV

Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Person and Object

Adherence is critical for the effectiveness of antiretroviral HIV therapy (ART), accordingly decreasing the opportunistic diseases and increasing the quality of life. Neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are still frequent in ART era and could impair the adherence, but how ethical is to refer ART in patients with NCD

Adherence and neurocognitive screening in Romanian HIV patients

Background: Adherence is critical for the effectiveness of antiretroviral HIV therapy (ART), accordingly decreasing the opportunistic diseases and increasing the quality of life. Neurocognitive disorders (NCD) are still frequent in ART era and could impair the adherence, but how ethical is to refer ART in patients with NCD? Objective: To assess the relation between NCD and adherence in HIV Romanian patients. Material and methods: Cross-sectional screening study on 151 patients under ART, no drug users, from HIV Clinic - Galati, assessed by HIV-Associated Dementia Scale (HDS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) [1], ART CNS-effectiveness Letendre scores [2] and adherence assessment questionnaire CNLAS- Romania. Normal values: HDS >10; anxiety/ depression <8. Statistical analysis performed: Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test, with 5% significance level. Results: Characteristics of the patients: median age 22 [20; 56] years old; sex ratio F/M 1.17; median educational level 8 [0; >12] years; HBV co-infection 27.8%; AIDS stage 85.3%; current median CD4 526/mm3 [8; 1605] and 65% undetectable HIV-RNA levels. 49.6% (75/151) patients attain HDS scores <10 and imply probable NCD. Scores below 8 for anxiety are more frequent than for depression: 24% vs 13%. The median ART CNS penetration score is 8 [5; 12]. Adherence is considered for 66% patients and is correlating with CD4 number (p=0.001), educational level >4 years (p=0.001; OR=4.2), HDS >10 (p=0.01; OR=2.4) and ART-CNS penetration score >7 (p=0.023; OR=2.4). Low HDS are influenced by old age (p=0.003), depression (p=0.02) and ART-CNS penetration scores <7 (p=0.01). Anxiety is related neither with adherence nor with NCD by HDS, but females are obvious anxious than males (p<0.001). Conclusions: Basic educational level is sufficient for developing ART adherence. High scores of HDS screening should be predictors for ART adherence. Referring ART as well to patients with low HDS scores is rational and ethical, if joint actions of effective ART-CNS regimens and depression improvement strategy are considered

Progressive slowing of clonic phase predicts postictal generalized EEG suppression.

Postictal generalized electroencephalography (EEG) suppression (PGES) is a surrogate marker of sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP). It is still unclear which ictal phenomena lead to prolonged PGES and increased risk of SUDEP. Semiology features of generalized convulsive seizure (GCS type 1) have been reported as a predictor of prolonged PGES. Progressive slowing of clonic phase (PSCP) has been observed in GCSs, with gradually increasing inhibitory periods interrupting the tonic contractions. We hypothesized that PSCP is associated with prolonged PGES. We analyzed 90 bilateral convulsive seizures in 50 consecutive patients (21 female; age: 11-62 years, median: 31 years) recruited to video-EEG monitoring. Five raters, blinded to all other data, independently assessed the presence of PSCP. PGES and seizure semiology were evaluated independently. We determined inter-rater agreement (IRA) for the presence of PSCP, and we evaluated its association, as well as that of other ictal features, with the occurrence of PGES, prolonged PGES (≥20 s) and very prolonged PGES (≥50 s) using multivariate logistic regression analysis. We found substantial IRA for the presence of PSCP (percent agreement: 80%; beyond-chance agreement coefficient: .655). PSCP was an independent predictor of the occurrence of PGES and prolonged PGES (p < .001). All seizures with very prolonged PGES had PSCP. GCS type 1 was an independent predictor of occurrence of PGES (p = .02) and prolonged PGES (p = .03) but not of very prolonged PGES. Only half of the seizures with very prolonged PGES were GCS type 1. PSCP predicts prolonged PGES, emphasizing the importance of gradually increasing inhibitory phenomena at the end of the seizures. Our findings shed more light on the ictal phenomena leading to increased risk of SUDEP. These phenomena may provide basis for algorithms implemented into wearable devices for identifying GCS with increased risk of SUDEP