Secondary hyperparathyroidism among Nigerians with chronic kidney disease

Backround: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) is a manifestation of chronic kidney disease mineral bone disorder (CKD-MBD). SHPT is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.Methods: A cross- sectional descriptive study involving 230 patients with CKD. Results: The mean age of the study population was 44.17±15.24 years. The median intact parathyroid hormone and alkaline phosphatase levels were 96pg/ml (range 4-953pg/ml) and 88 iu/l (range 10-800 iu/l) respectively. The mean (with standard deviation) calcium, serum phosphate, calcium phosphate product and haemoglobin levels were 2.22±0.29mmol/l, 1.8±0.62mmol/l, 3.94±1.42mmol2/l2 and 9.90±1.87g/dl respectively. Majority of patients had advanced CKD with 70.3% of patients in stage G5. The prevalence rates of SHPT, hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase and elevated calcium phosphate product were 55.2%, 34.8%, 66.1%, 42.2% and 25.2% respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that SHPT was associated with hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase, proteinuria, anaemia, hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy and stage of kidney disease; being worse with advancing kidney disease. Independently associated with SHPT were hypocalcaemia (OR=4.84), hyperphosphataemia (OR=3.06), and elevated alkaline phosphatase (OR=2.04).Conclusion: The prevalence of SHPT in CKD is high, occurs early and is independently associated with hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia and elevated alkaline phosphatase. The prevalence of SHPT also increases with worsening renal function.Keywords: Secondary hyperparathyroidism, chronic kidney disease, intact parathyroid hormone, hypocalcaemia, hyperphosphataemia, elevated alkaline phosphatase

Toward an Understanding of Disengagement from HIV Treatment and Care in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Study

Background: The rollout of antiretroviral therapy in sub-Saharan Africa has brought lifesaving treatment to millions of HIV-infected individuals. Treatment is lifelong, however, and to continue to benefit, patients must remain in care. Despite this, systematic investigations of retention have repeatedly documented high rates of loss to follow-up from HIV treatment programs. This paper introduces an explanation for missed clinic visits and subsequent disengagement among patients enrolled in HIV treatment and care programs in Africa. Methods and Findings: Eight-hundred-ninety patients enrolled in HIV treatment programs in Jos, Nigeria; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; and Mbarara, Uganda who had extended absences from care were tracked for qualitative research interviews. Two-hundred-eighty-seven were located, and 91 took part in the study. Interview data were inductively analyzed to identify reasons for missed visits and to assemble them into a broader explanation of how missed visits may develop into disengagement. Findings reveal unintentional and intentional reasons for missing, along with reluctance to return to care following an absence. Disengagement is interpreted as a process through which missed visits and ensuing reluctance to return over time erode patients' subjective sense of connectedness to care. Conclusions: Missed visits are inevitable over a lifelong course of HIV care. Efforts to prevent missed clinic visits combined with moves to minimize barriers to re-entry into care are more likely than either approach alone to keep missed visits from turning into long-term disengagement

Treatment Outcomes in a Decentralized Antiretroviral Therapy Program: A Comparison of Two Levels of Care in North Central Nigeria

Background. Decentralization of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services is a key strategy to achieving universal access to treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. Our objective was to assess clinical and laboratory outcomes within a decentralized program in Nigeria. Methods. Using a tiered hub-and-spoke model to decentralize services, a tertiary hospital scaled down services to 13 secondary-level hospitals using national and program guidelines. We obtained sociodemographic, clinical, and immunovirologic data on previously antiretroviral drug naïve patients aged ≥15 years that received HAART for at least 6 months and compared treatment outcomes between the prime and satellite sites. Results. Out of 7,747 patients, 3729 (48.1%) were enrolled at the satellites while on HAART, prime site patients achieved better immune reconstitution based on CD4+ cell counts at 12 (P < 0.001) and 24 weeks (P < 0.001) with similar responses at 48 weeks (P = 0.11) and higher rates of viral suppression (<400 c/mL) at 12 (P < 0.001) and 48 weeks (P = 0.03), but similar responses at 24 weeks (P = 0.21). Mortality was 2.3% versus 5.0% (P < 0.001) at prime and satellite sites, while transfer rate was 8.7% versus 5.5% (P = 0.001) at prime and satellites. Conclusion. ART decentralization is feasible in resource-limited settings, but efforts have to be intensified to maintain good quality of care

Comparative incidence of adverse drug reaction during the first and subsequent year of antiretroviral therapy in a Nigerian HIV infected Cohort

Background: Despite close to two decades of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Nigeria, data on late on-onset ART-associated adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are sparse. Objectives: To describe early and late-onset ADRs and compare their incidence in an outpatient HIV positive Cohort on ART. Method: We described the incidence of clinical ADRs identified and documented in an outpatient clinic cohort of HIV-positive patients treated between June 2004 and December 2015 at a tertiary health facility in Nigeria. Incidence rates of ADRs during the first and subsequent years of ART were compared. Results: of the 13,983 patients\u2019 data analyzed, 9317 were females (66%), and those in the age bracket of 25 to 45 years made up 78% of the studied population. During 52,411 person-years (py) of ART, 1485 incident ADRs were recorded; Incidence rate (IR) 28.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 26.9:29.8) ADRs per 1000 person-years (py) of ART. The IR of ADRs was about two times higher in the first year of ART compared to subsequent years of treatment; crude incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.77 (95% CI 1.59:1.97). Anemia, hypersensitivity reactions, and nervous system disorders had 7, 23, and 5 times higher incidence, respectively, in the first year of therapy, compared to subsequent years. Conclusion: The first year of ART is the period of highest risk of ADRs. Individual and programmatic treatment success in resource-limited settings requires strategies for early identification and management of ADR during the period of greatest risk of ADRs

Patient Experiences of Decentralized HIV Treatment and Care in Plateau State, North Central Nigeria: A Qualitative Study

Background. Decentralization of care and treatment for HIV infection in Africa makes services available in local health facilities. Decentralization has been associated with improved retention and comparable or superior treatment outcomes, but patient experiences are not well understood. Methods. We conducted a qualitative study of patient experiences in decentralized HIV care in Plateau State, north central Nigeria. Five decentralized care sites in the Plateau State Decentralization Initiative were purposefully selected. Ninety-three patients and 16 providers at these sites participated in individual interviews and focus groups. Data collection activities were audio-recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were inductively content analyzed to derive descriptive categories representing patient experiences of decentralized care. Results. Patient participants in this study experienced the transition to decentralized care as a series of &quot;trade-offs.&quot; Advantages cited included saving time and money on travel to clinic visits, avoiding dangers on the road, and the &quot;family-like atmosphere&quot; found in some decentralized clinics. Disadvantages were loss of access to ancillary services, reduced opportunities for interaction with providers, and increased risk of disclosure. Participants preferred decentralized services overall. Conclusion. Difficulty and cost of travel remain a fundamental barrier to accessing HIV care outside urban centers, suggesting increased availability of community-based services will be enthusiastically received

Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in a Large Adult Cohort in Jos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND HIV infection and the use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) may increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, data from regions with a high burden of HIV/AIDS is limited. We determined the prevalence of T2DM at the time of presentation to a large HIV Clinic in Nigeria, as well as the incidence of diabetes 12 months following ART initiation. METHODS Data from patients enrolled for ART from 2011 to 2013 was analyzed, including 2632 patients on enrollment and 2452 re-evaluated after 12 months of ART commencement. The presence of diabetes, demographic, clinical and biochemical data were retrieved from standardized databases. CD4+, HIV viral load, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) status were noted. Bivariate and logistic regressions were used to identify risk factors for T2DM. RESULTS Baseline T2DM prevalence was 2.3% (95%CI: 1.8% - 2.9%), and age, but not body mass index (BMI) was a risk factor for diabetes. After 12 months of ART, a further 5.3% had developed T2DM. Newly developed diabetes was not associated with age, but was associated with BMI. There were no significant associations between prevalent or incident diabetes and CD4+, viral load or type of ART. CONCLUSIONS Diabetes is not uncommon in HIV infected individuals at the time of presentation to HIV services. Patients initiating ART then have a high risk of developing diabetes in the first year of ART. Incident diabetes was associated with a BMI≥25.0, and excessive weight gain should be avoided

Treatment Outcomes Among Older Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Adults in Nigeria

Abstract Background. Older age at initiation of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes. Our objectives were to compare outcomes between older and younger patients in our clinical cohort in Jos, Nigeria. Methods. This retrospective cohort study evaluated patients enrolled on cART at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria between 2004 and 2012. We compared baseline and treatment differences between older (≥50 years) and younger (15–49 years) patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard models estimated survival and loss to follow-up (LTFU) and determined factors associated with these outcomes at 24 months. Results. Of 8352 patients, 643 (7.7%) were aged ≥50 years. The median change in CD4 count from baseline was 151 vs 132 (P = .0005) at 12 months and 185 vs 151 cells/mm3 (P = .03) at 24 months for younger and older patients, respectively. A total of 68.9% vs 71.6% (P = .13) and 69.6% vs 74.8% (P = .005) of younger and older patients achieved viral suppression at 12 and 24 months, with similar incidence of mortality and LTFU. In adjusted hazard models, factors associated with increased risk of mortality were male sex, World Health Organization (WHO) stage III/IV, and having a gap in care, whereas being fully suppressed was protective. The risk of being LTFU was lower for older patients, those fully suppressed virologically and with adherence rates >95%. Male sex, lack of education, WHO stage III/IV, body mass index <18.5 kg/m2, and having a gap in care independently predicted LTFU. Conclusions. Older patients achieved better viral suppression, and older age was not associated with increased mortality or LTFU in this study

Association of HIV-induced immunosuppression and clinical malaria in Nigerian adults

Background: Despite the growing body of evidence on the interaction between HIV and malaria in sub-Saharan Africa, there is a dearth of data on clinical malaria in HIV-infected patients in Nigeria. We determined the burden of clinical malaria in HIV-infected adult Nigerians and further investigated the association between their immunological status and the rates of clinical malaria. Methods: Ninety seven antiretroviral treatment-naïve HIV-infected adults were enrolled in a cross-sectional study from August to December, 2009. The participants had a complete clinical evaluation, thick and thin blood films for malaria parasites and CD4 cell count quantification. Clinical malaria was defined as having fever (temperature ≥ 37.5oC or history of fever within 48 hours) and a malaria parasite density above the median value obtained for subjects with co-existing fever and parasitaemia. Results: Clinical malaria was diagnosed in 10 out of 97 patients (10.3%). Lower CD4 cell counts were associated with increasing rates of clinical malaria which was 0% at CD4 cell count of ≥ 500, 2.6% at 200-499 and 30% a

Superior Effectiveness of Zidovudine Compared With Tenofovir When Combined With Nevirapine-based Antiretroviral Therapy in a Large Nigerian Cohort

Background. Despite sparse efficacy data, tenofovir–emtricitabine or tenofovir–lamivudine plus nevirapine is used in many resource-constrained settings. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included patients initiating nevirapine-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) with either tenofovir–emtricitabine or lamivudine (tenofovir group) or zidovudine–lamivudine (zidovudine group). Clinical, virologic, and immunologic evaluations were performed at baseline and every 6 months. Virologic failure was defined as 2 consecutive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-RNA values >1000 copies/mL. Patients were included from ART initiation until time of failure, regimen switch, discontinuation, or last HIV-RNA measurement. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to model factors influencing time to failure. Bias due to dependent censoring was investigated via inverse probability weighted pooled logistic regression. Results. A total of 5547 patients were evaluated; 1484 (26.8%) were in the tenofovir group and 4063 (73.2%) were in the zidovudine group. In the adjusted model, tenofovir regimen (hazard ratio [HR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.21–1.79) and higher baseline log10 HIV-RNA (HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03–1.28) were associated with virologic failure. Higher baseline log10 CD4+ cell count (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, .40–.63) and increasing age (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, .97–.99) decreased the risk of virologic failure. Inverse probability weighting results were consistent with the primary analysis. Conclusions. Compared with zidovudine–lamivudine, the use of tenofovir–lamivudine or emtricitabine in combination with nevirapine was a strong predictor of virologic failure in our cohort, which was not explained by other risk factors or criteria for regimen selection

Addressing the under-reporting of adverse drug reactions in public health programs controlling HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria: A prospective cohort study

Background Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are a major clinical and public health problem world-wide. The prompt reporting of suspected ADRs to regulatory authorities to activate drug safety surveillance and regulation appears to be the most pragmatic measure for addressing the problem. This paper evaluated a pharmacovigilance (PV) training model that was designed to improve the reporting of ADRs in public health programs treating the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Tuberculosis (TB) and Malaria. Methods A Structured Pharmacovigilance and Training Initiative (SPHAR-TI) model based on the World Health Organization accredited Structured Operational Research and Training Initiative (SOR-IT) model was designed and implemented over a period of 12 months. A prospective cohort design was deployed to evaluate the outcomes of the model. The primary outcomes were knowledge gained and Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSR) (completed adverse drug reactions monitoring forms) submitted, while the secondary outcomes were facility based Pharmacovigilance Committees activated and health facility healthcare workers trained by the participants. Results Fifty-five (98%) participants were trained and followed up for 12 months. More than three quarter of the participants have never received training on pharmacovigilance prior to the course. Yet, a significant gain in knowledge was observed after the participants completed a comprehensive training for six days. In only seven months, 3000 ICSRs (with 100% completeness) were submitted, 2,937 facility based healthcare workers trained and 46 Pharmacovigilance Committees activated by the participants. Overall, a 273% increase in ICSRs submission to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was observed. Conclusion Participants gained knowledge, which tended to increase the reporting of ADRs. The SPHAR-TI model could be an option for strengthening the continuous reporting of ADRs in public health programs in resource limited settings