Good practices for retention in the circuit of prevention of Mother-Child Transmission of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the literature.

This review assesses the effectiveness of interventions to improve Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) retention and adherence to treatment in Sub-Saharan Africa since the adoption of Option B +. PubMed, Cochrane, African Index Medicus and the graey literature were used to select articles that used as endpoints whose judgement criteria were retention in the PMTCT circuit and compliance with antiretroviral ARV treatment. Only studies with a comparison group published in or after from 2013 were eligible. Fourteen studies meeting the eligibility criteria were included. Nine studies have a high or moderate level of GRADE evidence. Six studies assessing retention in the PMTCT circuit showed significantly betterhigher outcomes for the intervention group: peer support (n = 1), couple screening (n = 1), text message use (n = 1), financial transfer (n = 1) and integration of maternal and child health services (n = 2). Integration of maternal and child health services, peer support within the community, involvement of male partners, and the use of mobile health techniques can improve PMTCT indicators.

[Study of treatment adherence by patients living with HIV in 2009 at the outpatient care and treatment center of Brazzaville, Congo]. / Observance thérapeutique des personnes vivant avec le VIH en 2009 au centre de traitement ambulatoire de Brazzaville, Congo.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment adherence and its determinants in patients living with HIV followed up at the outpatient care and treatment center in Brazzaville, Congo. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included patients who attended the center from July to October 2009. Adherence was evaluated using a self-administered questionnaire, 5 distinct measurement tools, and global adherence index. Correlations between patient characteristics and adherence data were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 214 patients were enrolled in the study. Mean patient age was 42 years. The female-to-male ratio was 2. There were 6 children. Most patients (92.5%) were receiving a first-line antiretroviral regimen; it consisted of a combination of zidovudine, lamivudine and nevirapine in 53.3% of cases. Adherence was estimated at 55.4-86.9% depending on the measurement tool. The global adherence index was significantly higher in patients who achieved their pre-defined life project (OR 4.33, p = 0.04) and in those who spoke lingala (OR 3.99, p = 0.01). After 6 months of antiretroviral therapy, mean weight gain was 4.8 kg; mean increase in CD4 was 104/mm3 (262 versus 158); and viral load was undetectable in 89.4% of patients. CONCLUSION: This study in Brazzaville (Congo) confirms that antiretroviral treatment adherence is satisfactory in sub-Saharan Africa. Adherence was mainly correlated with structural factors, e.g. language and life project, and with the patient friendliness of the regime. Most patients had favourable responses based on clinical, immunological, and virological criteria.

[Liver cirrhosis in Cotonou, Republic of Benin: clinical aspects and factors related to death]. / Cirrhose hépatique a Cotonou (République du Bénin): aspects cliniques et facteurs liés au décès.

UNLABELLED: Infection by hepatitis B virus is the main cause of liver cirrhosis in Africa. The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate clinical and epidemiological features as well as factors related to death in cirrhosis patients admitted to the National University Hospital in Cotonou, Benin. METHODS: The files of patients admitted from January 1 to December 31, 2004 were reviewed. RESULTS: Out of the 230 useable files reviewed, a total of 52 involved patients were admitted for liver cirrhosis. The male/female sex ratio was 2.25 and mean age was 49 years. The proportion of unemployed and salaried patients was 42.3% and 28.8% respectively. Hepatitis B and alcohol consumption were the main etiological factors: 53.3% and 23.2% respectively. The main reasons for hospitalization were asthenia in 73% of cases, abdominal pain in 57%, and digestive bleeding in 21%. The revealing manifestations were ascitis (75%), jaundice (71.7%), and hepatocellular carcinoma (42.3%). Higher risk for in-hospital death (42.3%) was correlated with male gender, salaried employment, and presentation with jaundice, ascitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. The risk of death during hospitalization was higher for patients who were of male gender, working as salaried employees and admitted for the first time with jaundice, ascitis, or hepatocellular carcinoma. CONCLUSION: A program for mass vaccination of children against hepatitis B virus is needed to prevent cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. A campaign against alcohol abuse could reduce cirrhosis due to alcohol consumption.

[Use of spirulina supplement for nutritional management of HIV-infected patients: study in Bangui, Central African Republic]. / Intérêt de la Spiruline chez les personnes vivant avec le VIH a Bangui (RCA).

Treatment of HIV-infected persons including nutritional management is a major concern in Africa and in particular in the Central African Republic (CAR). This six-month randomized prospective longitudinal study was carried out at the Friends of Africa Center that was a facility for comprehensive management of persons infected and affected by HIV in Banqui, CAR. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of spirulina supplement on clinical and laboratory findings in HIV-infected patients who were not indications for ARV treatment. A total of 160 patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in group 1 (n=79) received 10 grams of spirulina per day on a regular basis while patients in group 2 (n = 81) received a placebo. In addition patients in both groups received dietary products supplied by the World Food Program (WFP). Follow-up of the 160 patients at three and six months showed that 16 patients had been lost from follow-up and 16 had died, with no difference in distribution between the two groups. A significant improvement in the main follow-up criteria, i.e., weight, arm girth, number of infectious episodes, CD4 count, and protidemia, was observed in both groups. No difference was found between the two groups except with regard to protidemia and creatinemia that were higher in the group receiving spirulina supplement. From a clinical standpoint results were less clear-cut since the Karnofsky score was better in the group receiving spirulina than in the group receiving the placebo at 3 months but not at 6 months and fewer patients presented pneumonia at six months. Further study over a longer period will be needed to determine if spirulina is useful and to evaluate if higher doses can have beneficial nutritional and immunitary effects without adverse effects, in particular renal problems.

[Prescribing and dispensing generic drugs in the Mambéré-Kadéï health district of the Central African Republic]. / Prescription et dispensation des médicaments essentiel génériques dans la Préfecture Sanitaire de la Mambéré-Kadéï (République centrafricaine).

Good drug prescription and distribution practices are pre-requisites for rational use of essential generic medications. However few studies have been conducted on this topic in sub-Saharan Africa especially in rural areas. The purpose of this study in the Mambéré-Kadei health district of the Central African Republic was to evaluate drug use patterns with special attention to prescribing and dispensing, as a basis for assisting policy makers in planning and identifying intervention strategies. The transverse descriptive survey was undertaken in 14 public health facilities in the Mambéré-Kadéï health district. Data were collected by interviewing care providers and patients immediately after consultation and at the exit of the dispensary. The indicators recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for investigating drug use patterns in Communities were used for data collection. A total of 512 prescriptions were analysed. The average number of drugs prescribed per consultation was 3.5. Most drugs (68.6%) were prescribed by generic name. Antibiotic use (31.4% of consultations) was frequent and 29% of patients received injections. 82.1% of the drugs were compliant with the national essential drug list. The distribution survey showed that 79.46% of prescriptions were completely filled. No serious distribution errors occurred but 21.5% of the dispensed drugs were inadequately labelled. Patients understood the modalities of use for 69.6% of prescribed drugs. The average consultation and distribution times were 8.3 and 5 minutes respectively. Excessive use of antibiotics and injections and blunderbuss therapy is still observed in Mambéré-Kadei. Many drugs not included on the essential drug list and non-generics are prescribed. Other prescription and distribution problems identified in this survey include poor information on drug use, inadequate labelling of dispensed drugs, and lack of access to standard drug use tools such as a locally adapted essential drug list, formularies and standard treatment guidelines. To improve the system, caregivers must receive more training on the rational use of essential generic drugs and the population must be better informed.

[National coordination of the ambulatory treatment centers (ATC) in Gabon: a new process to conduct the scaling up of care for people living with HIV-AIDS]. / La coordination nationale des centres de traitement ambulatoire au Gabon : une expérience novatrice de décentralisation opérationnelle de la prise en charge du VIH-sida.

Gabonese authorities are strongly mobilized in the fight against AIDS. With a national seroprevalence of 5.9%, 54,000 people are living with HIV-AIDS. Starting from the experience conducted on three ambulatory treatment centers (ATC) [Libreville, Franceville, Port-Gentil] in collaboration with the French Red Cross, Gabonese authorities decided the scaling up of HIV patients' care to seven new ATC at a national level. The increasing number of structures conducted to standardize treatment's guidelines, training of caregivers, quality of care, coordination, monitoring and evaluation. Technical and medical supervision of the ten ATC were attributed to the French Red Cross by Gabonese authorities with the financial support of the French Agency for Development. The ten ATC, founded by the ministry of public health, were then organized within a network under the responsibility of a national coordination. This structure created in September 2007 represents the main organism to conduct, evaluate and follow-up activities and functioning of the ten ATC. All these activities are conducted in agreement with the national program of fight against AIDS. Within one year this structure of coordination allowed to organize the training of 208 caregivers, to elaborate a team of national and international experts, to start a process of national guidelines, to elaborate technical procedures and indicators for monitoring, follow-up and evaluation. In June 2007, 5 ATC were in function taking care of 7,062 PLWA. In November 2008, 9 ATC were in function taking care of 8,174 PLWA. This project is planned for four years. It might allow to structure and organize a national network of care for PLWA according to the national strategy. This procedure of scaling up under the responsibility of a national team of technical and operational coordination is a new process. It completes and strengthens the national organization process.

[Ten years of commitment to persons living with HIV-AIDS: evaluation of the management in three ambulatory treatment centers of the French Red Cross in Africa]. / Dix ans d'engagement auprès des personnes vivant avec le VIH-sida : évaluation de la prise en charge dans trois centres de traitement ambulatoire de la Croix-Rouge française en Afrique.

The French Red Cross (FRC) has developed a strategy for the follow-up of people living with HIV-AIDS in Africa by setting-up and managing healthcare centers specialized in the management of HIV infection. Nearly one hundred and seventy thousand patients have had access to care in fifteen Ambulatory Treatment Centers (ATCs). For the ten years anniversary of the FRC's AIDS programs, we present the results of the evaluation of three ATCs in Africa. These results which show a low mortality rate in the patients on antiretroviral therapy and a very low rate of second line patients (1.5%) confirm the efficiency of the management of people living with HIV in the ATCs and generally of the AIDS programs of the FRC. However, the mortality remains high in patients who have a CD4+ cell count of less than 50/mm3 when antiretrovirals (ARVs) initiation. Services and care dispensed in the ATCs and particularly the antiretroviral therapy have demonstrated their feasibility and efficiency. In ten years, the challenge of the management of HIV has changed. Today, there is a need to integrate additional actions in the area of the supply of primary healthcare, of training and of motivation of the care providers. In addition, the follow-up/evaluation of the patient management programs remains useful to determine the impact and long-term efficacy of ARVs in resource-limited countries.

[Measuring treatment compliance in patients with HIV in Bangui, Central African Republic]. / Mesure de l'observance thérapeutique des patients vivant avec le VIH à Bangui.

The purpose of this trial was to test a simple method of measuring and identifying non-compliance with antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis in a resource-limited setting. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among HIV patients attending two outpatient clinics in Bangui, Central African Republic. Compliance with ARV and CTX treatment was assessed based on 5 measurement modalities, i.e., skipping medication during the 4 days prior to attendance, attendance assiduity, number of remaining tablets, patient visual analogue scale (VAS), and physician VAS. These measures were combined to obtain an overall medication compliance score. A total of 141 patients were interviewed including 89 using ARV and 52 using CTX. Compliance scores varied according to measurement modality from 66.3% to 96.6% for ARV and from 67.3% to 90.4% for CTX. The only significant difference between patients using ARV and CTX involved physician VAS that was significantly lower for CTX than ARV (p=0.04). Overall medication compliance scores classified 117 patients (83%) as compliant and 21 patients (17%) as non-compliant. According to this study the level of medication compliance was relatively good (83%). Findings also indicated that measurement of compliance was feasible using a combination of remaining tablet count and assessment of medication skipping in the last 4 or 7 days. Routine clinical use of these modalities allows assessment and improvement of medication compliance.

[Drug supply for HIV patients in day care centre in Republic of Congo: the French Red Cross experience]. / Problématique du médicament dans les centres de traitement ambulatoire de la Croix-Rouge Française au Congo.

The commitment of the French Red Cross Society to fight against HIV-AIDS in Africa is based on day care centres (DCC) set up and operated within public hospitals, for instance in Brazzaville and Pointe-Noire in Republic of Congo. These outpatient facilities offer global care including supply of medicines and antiretroviral therapies. The regular supply of medicines, laboratory and medicals materials necessary for the follow-up of the patient is the key of the quality of these structures and their durability. The French Red Cross guarantees this supply chain in countries where no secure pharmaceutical purchasing centre exists, as for exemple in Republic of Congo.

[Assessment of compliance with ARV treatment in Africa]. / Bilan de quelques études sur l'observance aux ARV en Afrique.

This study was conducted in health facilities in the capitals of five sub-Saharan African countries (Cotonou, Benin; Bangui, Central African Republic; Libreville, Gabon; Yaoundé, Cameroon; and Casablanca, Morocco). The purpose was to investigate factors promoting and impeding compliance with antiretroviral therapy (ART) and cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis in adult patients. Patients were interviewed immediately after follow-up examination to identify the problems that they encountered and the solutions that they proposed to improve compliance. Compliance was assessed based on three measurement modalities, i.e. skipping medication during the four days prior to attendance, counting the number of remaining tablets, and attendance assiduity. Compliance scores varied according to measurement modality from 65% to 90%. All patients underlined the impact of treatment on their daily life and the difficulty of following the prescribed regimen properly. Impeding factors for compliance were treatment-related hunger, lack of information, out-of-pocket expenses (including laboratory tests, transportation, and loss of income), side effects, long waiting time at the treatment centers, and fear stigma and discrimination. Efforts to increase access to treatment can only be successful if accompanied by measures to promote compliance.