Major differences in organization and availability of health care and medicines for HIV/TB coinfected patients across Europe.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the organization and delivery of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) health care and to analyse potential differences between treatment centres in Eastern (EE) and Western Europe (WE). METHODS: Thirty-eight European HIV and TB treatment centres participating in the TB:HIV study within EuroCoord completed a survey on health care management for coinfected patients in 2013 (EE: 17 respondents; WE:21; 76% of all TB:HIV centres). Descriptive statistics were obtained for regional comparisons. The reported data on health care strategies were compared with actual clinical practice at patient level via data derived from the TB:HIV study. RESULTS: Respondent centres in EE comprised: Belarus (n = 3), Estonia (1), Georgia (1), Latvia (1), Lithuania (1), Poland (4), Romania (1), the Russian Federation (4) and Ukraine (1); those in WE comprised: Belgium (1), Denmark (1), France (1), Italy (7), Spain (2), Switzerland (1) and UK (8). Compared with WE, treatment of HIV and TB in EE are less often located at the same site (47% in EE versus 100% in WE; P < 0.001) and less often provided by the same doctors (41% versus 90%, respectively; P = 0.002), whereas regular screening of HIV-infected patients for TB (80% versus 40%, respectively; P = 0.037) and directly observed treatment (88% versus 20%, respectively; P < 0.001) were more common in EE. The reported availability of rifabutin and second- and third-line anti-TB drugs was lower, and opioid substitution therapy (OST) was available at fewer centres in EE compared with WE (53% versus 100%, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Major differences exist between EE and WE in relation to the organization and delivery of health care for HIV/TB-coinfected patients and the availability of anti-TB drugs and OST. Significant discrepancies between reported and actual clinical practices were found in EE.

[Generalized pneumocystosis in HIV infection].

The paper describes a rare case of rapidly progressive generalized pneumocystosis in HIV infection in a 43-year-old patient who died 4.5-5 months after disease onset. The specific feature of the case is that in pneumocystosis there was multiple organ dysfunction, as well as infiltrate decay to form small and large lung cavities similar to tuberculosis ones. Autopsy disclosed Pneumocystis-induced changes in the liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and the wall of the ileum. Pneumocystosis and HIV infection were diagnosed only posthumously. The specificity of organ diseases was immunohistochemically verified.

[Combined cycloferon treatment of tuberculosis in patients infected with HIV].

Outcome of treatment of 102 patients co-infected with HIV and tuberculosis hospitalized at Second Municipal Tuberculosis Hospital (St. Petersburg) is analyzed. The median period of follow up was 8 weeks. In order to select the optimum treatment scheme, all patients were divided into three groups (I-III). Group I (51 patients) received, in addition to antituberculosis medications, cycloferon 600 mg tablets on alternate days. Group II (16 patients) received alpha and gamma interferons (Interal injection, 3 MU and Ingaron injection, 500,000 on alternate days) in combination with antituberculosis medications. Control group III (35 patients) received antituberculosis treatment plus placebo. Assessment of the outcome of TB treatment upon 8 weeks of follow up showed a remarkable improvement of clinical and immunological conditions in the patients who received interferons and cycloferon.

[The use of cycloferon in the combined treatment of tuberculosis patients infected with HIV and viral hepatitis].

The study was designed to evaluate efficiency of 8-week treatment of 86 patients with tuberculosis and concomitant mild hepatitis B using cycloferon tablets. This therapy had beneficial effect on the symptoms of intoxication syndrome and respiratory manifestations of tuberculosis; in addition, it improved hemograms. By the end of the treatment the frequency of sputum abacillation was 4.9 times and positive X-ray dynamics (cavity closure) 2.2 times higher than in control. Therapy positively influenced hepatic function assessed from activity of cytolitic enzymes and bilirubin level; also, it improved serum levels of total protein.

[Extrapulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients].

The authors analyze 143 cases of extrapulmonary and generalized tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients. There is a steady increase in the number of patients with multiple organ tuberculosis that frequently acquires the pattern of an acute generalized septic process. Generalized tuberculosis predominantly develops in HIV-infected patients with a considerable reduction in immunological parameters and it is, in these cases, of primary generalized nature. The efficiency of treatment is very low in patients with multiple organ tuberculosis. Despite therapy, the progression of the disease results in early death. However, the prospects for further inclusion of highly active antiretroviral therapy in multimodality treatment for comorbidity give hope for the solution of this problem.

[Analysis of death rates in patients with tuberculosis and HIV infection].

The proportion of those who died at a hospital in 2001 is 3.8% of the treated patients and that in 2002 is 4.2%. In 2003, mortality rates increased more than 3-fold and accounted for 13.4%. Patients with a long history of tuberculosis were found to have pulmonary tuberculosis without extrapulmonary foci. Generalized forms of tuberculosis were detectable in more than a third of the cases and more frequently encountered in patients with significant immunodeficiency for whom tuberculosis was opportunistic infection.

[Tuberculosis in the HIV-infected: early detection and prevention].

Tuberculosis in the HIV infected becomes an urgent problem the phthisiologists of Saint Petersburg face. The test using tuberculin in a dose of 2 TE remains the most informative method for determining Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) infection in HIV-affected persons. It is a more information method than the Mantoux reaction using 5 TE. The diagnostic value of enzyme immunoassay employing tuberculous antigen is low in the persons infected MBT and HIV. There is evidence for the effectiveness of prophylactic double (isonizid and ethambutol) component courses against the development of tuberculosis for those infected with MBT and HIV.

[Use of regional lymphotropic therapy in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in HIV-infected individuals]. / Primenenie regionarnoi limfotropnoi terapii v lechenii tuberkuleza legkikh u VICH-infitsirovannykh lits.

The efficiency of regional lymphotropic therapy (RLT) used to treat tuberculosis in HIV-infected patients was analyzed. With this treatment, the symptoms of intoxication are eliminated more rapidly. In shorter periods, bacterial isolation ceases and decay cavities close in the majority of patients. This chemotherapy is better tolerated and toxic reactions occur less frequently. Due to its absolute controllability, RLT is may be used in socially dysadapted patients.

Health care index score and risk of death following tuberculosis diagnosis in HIV-positive patients.

OBJECTIVES: To assess health care utilisation for patients co-infected with TB and HIV (TB-HIV), and to develop a weighted health care index (HCI) score based on commonly used interventions and compare it with patient outcome. METHODS: A total of 1061 HIV patients diagnosed with TB in four regions, Central/Northern, Southern and Eastern Europe and Argentina, between January 2004 and December 2006 were enrolled in the TB-HIV study. A weighted HCI score (range 0-5), based on independent prognostic factors identified in multivariable Cox models and the final score, included performance of TB drug susceptibility testing (DST), an initial TB regimen containing a rifamycin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide, and start of combination antiretroviral treatment (cART). RESULTS: The mean HCI score was highest in Central/Northern Europe (3.2, 95%CI 3.1-3.3) and lowest in Eastern Europe (1.6, 95%CI 1.5-1.7). The cumulative probability of death 1 year after TB diagnosis decreased from 39% (95%CI 31-48) among patients with an HCI score of 0, to 9% (95%CI 6-13) among those with a score of ≥4. In an adjusted Cox model, a 1-unit increase in the HCI score was associated with 27% reduced mortality (relative hazard 0.73, 95%CI 0.64-0.84). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that DST, standard anti-tuberculosis treatment and early cART may improve outcome for TB-HIV patients. The proposed HCI score provides a tool for future research and monitoring of the management of TB-HIV patients. The highest HCI score may serve as a benchmark to assess TB-HIV management, encouraging continuous health care improvement.