Shroufi, Amir; Gunguwo, Hilary; Dixon, Mark; Nyathi, Mary; Ndebele, Wedu; Saint-Sauveur, Jean-François; Taziwa, Fabian; Ferreyra, Cecilia; Viñoles, Mari-Carmen; Ferrand, Rashida A; (2013) HIV-infected adolescents in southern Africa can achieve good treatment outcomes: results from a retrospective cohort study. AIDS (London, England), 27 (12). pp. 1971-1978. ISSN 0269-9370 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/QAD.0b013e32836149ea
Permanent Identifier
Use this Digital Object Identifier when citing or linking to this resource.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: In this study we examine whether adolescents treated for HIV/AIDS in southern Africa can achieve similar treatment outcomes to adults. DESIGN: We have used a retrospective cohort study design to compare outcomes for adolescents and adults commencing antiretroviral therapy (ART) between 2004 and 2010 in a public sector hospital clinic in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. METHODS: Cox proportional hazards modelling was used to investigate risk factors for death and loss to follow-up (LTFU) (defined as missing a scheduled appointment by ≥3months). RESULTS: One thousand, seven hundred and seventy-six adolescents commenced ART, 94% having had no previous history of ART. The median age at ART initiation was 13.3 years. HIV diagnosis in 97% of adolescents occurred after presentation with clinical disease and a higher proportion had advanced HIV disease at presentation compared with adults [WHO Stage 3/4 disease (79.3 versus 65.2%, P < 0.001)]. Despite this, adolescents had no worse mortality than adults, assuming 50% mortality among those LTFU (6.4 versus 7.3 per 100 person-years, P = 0.75) with rates of loss to follow-up significantly lower than in adults (4.8 versus 9.2 per 100 person-years, P < 0.001). Among those who were followed for 5 years or more, 5.8% of adolescents switched to a second-line regimen as a result of treatment failure, compared with 2.1% of adults (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: With adolescent-focused services, it is feasible to achieve good outcomes for adolescents in large-scale ART programs in sub-Saharan Africa. However, adolescents are at high risk of treatment failure, which compromises future drug options. Interventions to address poor adherence in adolescence should be prioritized.
Item Type | Article |
---|---|
Faculty and Department | Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases > Dept of Clinical Research |
PubMed ID | 23525033 |
ISI | 330525800014 |
Related URLs |
Download
Filename: HIV_infected_adolescents_in_southern_Africa_can.14.pdf
Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0
Download