CIHR canadian HIV trials network HIV workshop: ethical research through community participation and strengthening scientific validity

The CIHR canadian HIV trials network mandate includes strengthening capacity to conduct and apply clinical research through training and mentoring initiatives of HIV researchers by building strong networks and  partnerships on the African continent. At the17th International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA), the CTN facilitated a two-day workshop to address ethical issues in the conduct of HIV research, and career enhancing strategies for young African HIV researchers. Conference attendees were allowed to attend whichever session was of interest to them. We report on the topics covered, readings shared and participants’ evaluation of the workshop. The scientific aspects of ethical research in HIV and career enhancement strategies are relevant issues to conference attendees.Key words: Capacity building, ethics, HIV research, South Afric

Field-adapted sampling of whole blood to determine the levels of amodiaquine and its metabolite in children with uncomplicated malaria treated with amodiaquine plus artesunate combination

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Artemisinin combination therapy (ACT) has been widely adopted as first-line treatment for uncomplicated falciparum malaria. In Uganda, amodiaquine plus artesunate (AQ+AS), is the alternative first-line regimen to Coartem^®(artemether + lumefantrine) for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria. Currently, there are few field-adapted analytical techniques for monitoring amodiaquine utilization in patients. This study evaluates the field applicability of a new method to determine amodiaquine and its metabolite concentrations in whole blood dried on filter paper.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twelve patients aged between 1.5 to 8 years with uncomplicated malaria received three standard oral doses of AQ+AS. Filter paper blood samples were collected before drug intake and at six different time points over 28 days period. A new field-adapted sampling procedure and liquid chromatographic method was used for quantitative determination of amodiaquine and its metabolite in whole blood.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The sampling procedure was successively applied in the field. Amodiaquine could be quantified for at least three days and the metabolite up to 28 days. All parasites in all the 12 patients cleared within the first three days of treatment and no adverse drug effects were observed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The methodology is suitable for field studies. The possibility to determine the concentration of the active metabolite of amodiaquine up to 28 days suggested that the method is sensitive enough to monitor amodiaquine utilization in patients. Amodiaquine plus artesunate seems effective for treatment of falciparum malaria.</p

A comparative study of logistic regression based machine learning techniques for prediction of early virological suppression in antiretroviral initiating HIV patients

Abstract Background Treatment with effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) lowers morbidity and mortality among HIV positive individuals. Effective highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) should lead to undetectable viral load within 6 months of initiation of therapy. Failure to achieve and maintain viral suppression may lead to development of resistance and increase the risk of viral transmission. In this paper three logistic regression based machine learning approaches are developed to predict early virological outcomes using easily measurable baseline demographic and clinical variables (age, body weight, sex, TB disease status, ART regimen, viral load, CD4 count). The predictive performance and generalizability of the approaches are compared. Methods The multitask temporal logistic regression (MTLR), patient specific survival prediction (PSSP) and simple logistic regression (SLR) models were developed and validated using the IDI research cohort data and predictive performance tested on an external dataset from the EFV cohort. The model calibration and discrimination plots, discriminatory measures (AUROC, F1) and overall predictive performance (brier score) were assessed. Results The MTLR model outperformed the PSSP and SLR models in terms of goodness of fit (RMSE = 0.053, 0.1, and 0.14 respectively), discrimination (AUROC = 0.92, 0.75 and 0.53 respectively) and general predictive performance (Brier score= 0.08, 0.19, 0.11 respectively). The predictive importance of variables varied with time after initiation of ART. The final MTLR model accurately (accuracy = 92.9%) predicted outcomes in the external (EFV cohort) dataset with satisfactory discrimination (0.878) and a low (6.9%) false positive rate. Conclusion Multitask Logistic regression based models are capable of accurately predicting early virological suppression using readily available baseline demographic and clinical variables and could be used to derive a risk score for use in resource limited settings

Indigenous traditional knowledge of medicinal plants used by herbalists in treating opportunistic infections among people living with HIV/AIDS in Uganda

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Currently, more than two thirds of the world's 36.9 million people living with HIV/AIDS reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. Opportunistic infections (OI) associated with HIV are the single most important cause of mortality and morbidity among HIV/AIDS patients in poor countries. There is widespread use of medicinal plant species to manage the HIV infection and it's associated OI in Uganda, even by patients already on antiretroviral drugs (ARV). However, much of this information remains undocumented and unverified. Aim of study: The aim of this study was to systematically and comprehensively document the traditional indigenous knowledge and practices associated with the management of HIV/AIDS infections by herbalists in Uganda. Methods: Ethnobotanical data were collected using semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. Ninety traditional medicine practitioners (TMP) or herbalists were interviewed in Arua, Dokolo, Mbale, Bushenyi, Iganga, Rakai, Luwero and Kaabong districts to gather information on the plant species used. Data were analysed and presented using descriptive statistics and the Informant Consensus Factor. Results: We documented 236 medicinal plant species from 70 families and 201 genera. Acacia was the most widely represented genus with five species. The most frequently used medicinal plant species for treating various OI were Erythrina abyssinica (45), Warburgia ugandensis (43), Zanthoxylum chalybeum (38), Acacia hockii (37), Mangifera indica (36), Aloe vera (35), Albizia coriaria (34), Azadirachta indica (32), Psorospermum febrifugum (27) Vernonia amygdalina (22) and Gymnosporia senegalensis (21). Some of the plant species were used for treating all the OI mentioned. There is a high degree of consensus among the TMP on which plant species they use for the different OI, even though they are geographically separated. Herbalists contribute to the widespread practice of simultaneously using herbal medicines and ARV. Some TMP are also engaged in dangerous practices like injecting patients with herbs and encouraging simultaneous use of herbs and ARV. Although the TMP relied on biomedical laboratory diagnoses for confirming the patients’ HIV sero status, they were familiar with the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS. Conclusion: There is wide spread use of a rich diversity of medicinal plants species and practices by TMP to manage OI in HIV/AIDS patients in Uganda

Therapeutic efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate-amodiaquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa : A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of malaria in the world. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) have been the cornerstone in the efforts to reduce the global burden of malaria. In the effort to facilitate early detection of resistance for artemisinin derivatives and partner drugs, WHO recommends monitoring of ACT's efficacy in the malaria endemic countries. The present systematic meta-analysis study summarises the evidence of therapeutic efficacy of the commonly used artemisinin-based combinations for the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa after more than a decade since the introduction of the drugs. Methods Fifty two studies carried out from 2010 to 2020 on the efficacy of artemether-lumefantrine or dihydro-artemisinin piperaquine or artesunate amodiaquine in patients with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa were searched for using the Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, Medline, LILACS, and EMBASE online data bases. Data was extracted by two independent reviewers. Random analysis effect was performed in STATA 13. Heterogeneity was established using I-2 statistics. Results Based on per protocol analysis, unadjusted cure rates in malaria infected patients treated with artemether-lumefantrine (ALU), artesunate-amodiaquine (ASAQ) and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DHP) were 89%, 94% and 91% respectively. However, the cure rates after PCR correction were 98% for ALU, 99% for ASAQ and 99% for DHP. Conclusion The present meta-analysis reports the overall high malaria treatment success for artemether-lumefantrine, artesunate-amodiaquine and dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine above the WHO threshold value in Sub-Saharan Africa

Evaluation of the effects of Artemisia Annua L. and Moringa Oleifera Lam. on CD4 count and viral load among PLWH on ART at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital: a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial

Abstract Background Initiation of ART among people living with HIV (PLWH) having a CD4 count ≤ 350cells/µl, produces poor immunological recovery, putting them at a high risk of opportunistic infections. To mitigate this, PLWH on ART in Uganda frequently use herbal remedies like Artemisia annua and Moringa oleifera, but their clinical benefits and potential antiretroviral (ARV) interactions remain unknown. This study examined the impact of A. annua and M. oleifera on CD4 count, viral load, and potential ARV interactions among PLWH on ART at an HIV clinic in Uganda. Methods 282 HIV-positive participants on antiretroviral therapy (ART) with a CD4 count ≤ 350cells/µl were randomized in a double-blind clinical trial to receive daily, in addition to their routine standard of care either; 1) A. annua leaf powder, 2) A. annua plus M. oleifera, and 3) routine standard of care only. Change in the CD4 count at 12 months was our primary outcome. Secondary outcomes included changes in viral load, complete blood count, and ARV plasma levels. Participants were followed up for a year and outcomes were measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Results At 12 months of patient follow-up, in addition to standard of care, administration of A. annua + M. oleifera resulted in an absolute mean CD4 increment of 105.06 cells/µl, ( p < 0.001), while administration of A. annua plus routine standard of care registered an absolute mean CD4 increment of 60.84 cells/µl, (p = 0.001) compared to the control group. The A. annua plus M. oleifera treatment significantly reduced viral load (p = 0.022) and increased platelet count (p = 0.025) and white blood cell counts (p = 0.003) compared to standard care alone, with no significant difference in ARV plasma levels across the groups. Conclusion A combination of A. annua and M. oleifera leaf powders taken once a day together with the routine standard of care produced a significant increase in CD4 count, WBCs, platelets, and viral load suppression among individuals on ART. A. annua and M. oleifera have potential to offer an affordable alternative remedy for managing HIV infection, particularly in low-resource communities lacking ART access. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03366922

Expanding regulatory science: Regulatory complementarity and reliance

Abstract Drug regulatory institutions, infrastructures, and systems are becoming increasingly interconnected across national boundaries and increasingly global in outlook. This process is reflected in the broadening and deepening application of the principles and practice of Regulatory Reliance, and parallel initiatives to strengthen the capacities of regulatory institutions in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs). Although these developments are important and constructive, they have tended to be framed in terms of the transfer of systems, knowledge, and skills from relatively “mature” regulatory agencies in high‐income countries (HICs) to less‐well‐resourced regulatory agencies in LMICs. This framing recognizes and foregrounds the considerable practical challenges that many LMIC regulatory agencies face, but in doing so, also backgrounds and underestimates the significance of the different contextual insights that LMIC health researchers and regulators can bring to the regulatory deliberations of their HIC counterparts. This position paper argues that the systematic pursuit, identification, and sharing of these different contextual insights—a dimension of regulatory science that we term “Regulatory Complementarity”—can augment the current practice and goals of Regulatory Reliance, and further invigorate the emerging global regulatory ecosystem

Pharmacovigilance of suspected or confirmed therapeutic ineffectiveness of artemisinin-based combination therapy: extent, associated factors, challenges and solutions to reporting

Background: Therapeutic ineffectiveness of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) increases the risk of malaria-related morbidity and mortality, and raises healthcare costs. Yet, little has been done to promote the pharmacovigilance (PV) of ACT ineffectiveness in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Uganda. This study aimed to determine the extent and associated factors of the past 6 months reporting of suspected or confirmed ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness by healthcare professionals (HCPs), and difficulties and potential solutions to the PV of ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness. Methods: Survey of 685 HCPs conducted using a self-administered questionnaire from June to July 2018 in a nationally representative sample of public and private health facilities in Uganda. HCPs disclosed if they had spontaneously reported ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness to appropriate authorities in the previous 6 months. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify determinants of past 6-months, HCP-reported ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness. Results: One in five (20%, 137/685; 95% CI 17-23%) HCPs reported ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness to an appropriate authority in the previous 6 months. HCPs commonly reported ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness to immediate supervisors (72%, 106/147), mostly verbally only (80%, 109/137); none had ever submitted a written report of ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness to Uganda's National Pharmacovigilance Centre. Common difficulties of reporting ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness were: unavailability of reporting procedures (31%, 129/421), poor follow-up of treated patients (22%, 93/421) and absence of reporting tools (16%, 68/421). Factors associated with reporting ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness in the past 6 months were: hospital-status (vs other; OR = 2.4, 95% CI 1.41-4.21), HCPs aged under 25 years (OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.29-3.76), suspicion of ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness in the past 4 weeks (OR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.29-3.92), receipt of patient-complaint(s) of ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness in the past 4 weeks (OR = 2.9, 95% CI 1.62-5.12) and HCPs from northern (vs central; OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.28-0.93) and western (vs central; OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.17-0.77) parts of Uganda. Conclusion: One in five HCPs reported ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness, mostly verbally to supervisors. The existing adverse drug reaction (ADR)-reporting infrastructure could be leveraged to promote the PV of ACT therapeutic ineffectiveness