Acceptability and Use of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and Daily Oral Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) During Breastfeeding in South Africa, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Uganda.

This study examines qualitative acceptability of the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and oral daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among breastfeeding persons participating in Microbicide Trials Network 043/B-PROTECTED, a phase 3B safety and drug detectability study of DVR and oral PrEP in breastfeeding. A subsample of 52 participants were purposively sampled to participate in an in-depth interview (IDI). Breastfeeding participants found both study products to be acceptable, and easy to use. A common motivation for product use was to protect the baby from HIV, although participants' understanding of how the study drug would work to protect their babies was often unclear. While most participants did not report experiencing side effects, fears about side effects were common as both initial worries about how the study products would affect their health and the health of their baby, and increased anxiety that health issues experienced by them, or their baby were from the products.

Maternal Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Drug Resistance Is Associated With Vertical Transmission and Is Prevalent in Infected Infants.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess if maternal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance is associated with an increased risk of HIV vertical transmission and to describe the dynamics of drug resistance in HIV-infected infants. METHODS: This was a case-control study of PROMISE study participants. "Cases" were mother-infant pairs with HIV vertical transmission during pregnancy or breastfeeding and "controls" were mother-infant pairs without transmission matched 1:3 by delivery date and clinical site. Genotypic HIV drug resistance analyses were performed on mothers' and their infants' plasma at or near the time of infant HIV diagnosis. Longitudinal analysis of genotypic resistance was assessed in available specimens from infants, from diagnosis and beyond, including antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation and last study visits. RESULTS: Our analyses included 85 cases and 255 matched controls. Maternal HIV drug resistance, adjusted for plasma HIV RNA load at infant HIV diagnosis, enrollment CD4 count, and antepartum regimens, was not associated with in utero/peripartum HIV transmission. In contrast, both maternal plasma HIV RNA load and HIV drug resistance were independent risk factors associated with vertical transmission during breastfeeding. Furthermore, HIV drug resistance was selected across infected infants during infancy. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal HIV drug resistance and maternal viral load were independent risk factors for vertical transmission during breastfeeding, suggesting that nevirapine alone may be insufficient infant prophylaxis against drug-resistant variants in maternal breast milk. These findings support efforts to achieve suppression of HIV replication during pregnancy and suggest that breastfeeding infants may benefit from prophylaxis with a greater barrier to drug resistance than nevirapine alone.

Pregnancy Outcomes of Women Conceiving on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Compared to Those Commenced on ART During Pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the number of infected women of childbearing age living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and conceiving on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is increasing. Evidence of ART safety at conception and during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes remains conflicting. The Promoting Maternal and Infant Survival Everywhere (PROMISE) 1077 breastfeeding (BF) and formula feeding (FF) international multisite trials provide an opportunity to examine the impact of ART at conception on pregnancy outcomes with subsequent pregnancies. METHODS: The PROMISE 1077BF/1077FF trials were designed to address key questions in the management of HIV-infected women who did not meet clinical guidelines for ART treatment during the time of the trials. After the period of risk of mother-to-child transmission was over, women were randomized to either continue or discontinue ART. We compared subsequent pregnancy outcomes of nonbreastfeeding women randomized to continue ART following delivery, or breastfeeding women randomized to continue ART following breastfeeding cessation who conceived while on ART to women randomized to discontinue ART, who restarted ART after pregnancy was diagnosed. RESULTS: Pregnancy outcomes of 939 subsequent pregnancies of 826 mothers were recorded. The intention-to-treat analyses showed increased incidence of low birth weight (<2500 g) for women who conceived while on ART (relative risk, 2.65 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.20-5.81]), and also a higher risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirth, or neonatal death (hazard ratio, 1.40 [95% CI, .99-1.98]) compared to women who restarted ART after they were found to be pregnant during trial follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: We found an increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes in women conceiving on ART, emphasizing the need for improved obstetric and neonatal care for this group. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT01061151.

Benefits and Risks of Antiretroviral Therapy for Perinatal HIV Prevention.

BACKGROUND: Randomized-trial data on the risks and benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) as compared with zidovudine and single-dose nevirapine to prevent transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in HIV-infected pregnant women with high CD4 counts are lacking. METHODS: We randomly assigned HIV-infected women at 14 or more weeks of gestation with CD4 counts of at least 350 cells per cubic millimeter to zidovudine and single-dose nevirapine plus a 1-to-2-week postpartum "tail" of tenofovir and emtricitabine (zidovudine alone); zidovudine, lamivudine, and lopinavir-ritonavir (zidovudine-based ART); or tenofovir, emtricitabine, and lopinavir-ritonavir (tenofovir-based ART). The primary outcomes were HIV transmission at 1 week of age in the infant and maternal and infant safety. RESULTS: The median CD4 count was 530 cells per cubic millimeter among 3490 primarily black African HIV-infected women enrolled at a median of 26 weeks of gestation (interquartile range, 21 to 30). The rate of transmission was significantly lower with ART than with zidovudine alone (0.5% in the combined ART groups vs. 1.8%; difference, -1.3 percentage points; repeated confidence interval, -2.1 to -0.4). However, the rate of maternal grade 2 to 4 adverse events was significantly higher with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (21.1% vs. 17.3%, P=0.008), and the rate of grade 2 to 4 abnormal blood chemical values was higher with tenofovir-based ART than with zidovudine alone (2.9% vs. 0.8%, P=0.03). Adverse events did not differ significantly between the ART groups (P>0.99). A birth weight of less than 2500 g was more frequent with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (23.0% vs. 12.0%, P<0.001) and was more frequent with tenofovir-based ART than with zidovudine alone (16.9% vs. 8.9%, P=0.004); preterm delivery before 37 weeks was more frequent with zidovudine-based ART than with zidovudine alone (20.5% vs. 13.1%, P<0.001). Tenofovir-based ART was associated with higher rates than zidovudine-based ART of very preterm delivery before 34 weeks (6.0% vs. 2.6%, P=0.04) and early infant death (4.4% vs. 0.6%, P=0.001), but there were no significant differences between tenofovir-based ART and zidovudine alone (P=0.10 and P=0.43). The rate of HIV-free survival was highest among infants whose mothers received zidovudine-based ART. CONCLUSIONS: Antenatal ART resulted in significantly lower rates of early HIV transmission than zidovudine alone but a higher risk of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health; PROMISE ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT01061151 and NCT01253538 .).

Systemic inflammation in pregnant women with HIV: relationship with HIV treatment regimen and preterm delivery.

OBJECTIVE: HIV treatment regimen during pregnancy was associated with preterm delivery (PTD) in the PROMISE 1077 BF trial. Systemic inflammation among pregnant women with HIV could help explain differences in PTD by treatment regimen. We assessed associations between inflammation, treatment regimen, and PTD. DESIGN/METHODS: A nested 1 : 1 case-control study ( N  = 362) was conducted within a multicountry randomized trial comparing three HIV regimens in pregnant women: zidovudine alone, or combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) with lopinavir/ritonavir and either zidovudine or tenofovir. Cases were women with PTD (<37 weeks of gestational age). The following inflammatory biomarkers were measured in plasma samples using immunoassays: soluble CD14 (sCD14) and sCD163, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein, interleukin (IL)-6, interferon γ, and tumor necrosis factor α. We fit regression models to assess associations between second trimester biomarkers (measured before ART initiation at 13-23 weeks of gestational age and 4 weeks later), treatment regimen, and PTD. We also assessed whether inflammation was a mediator in the relationship between ART regimen and PTD. RESULTS: Persistently high interleukin-6 was associated with increased PTD. Compared with zidovudine alone, the difference in biomarker concentration between week 0 and week 4 was significantly higher ( P  < 0.05) for both protease inhibitor-based regimens. However, the estimated proportion of the ART effect on increased PTD mediated by persistently high biomarker levels was 5% or less for all biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Persistently high IL-6 during pregnancy was associated with PTD. Although protease inhibitor-based ART was associated with increases in inflammation, factors other than inflammation likely explain the increased PTD in ART-based regimens compared with zidovudine alone.

Effects of Combination Antiretroviral Therapy and Nutritional Rehabilitation on Growth in Children Aged 6-36 Months with Severe Acute Malnutrition in IMPAACT Protocol P1092.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is known to improve child survival and growth in children living with HIV (CLHIV). We investigated growth outcomes in children with severe nonedematous acute malnutrition (SAM) and without SAM (mild malnutrition and normal nutrition) after initiation of ART in both groups and nutritional support. MATERIAL AND METHODS: IMPAACT P1092 enrolled CLHIV aged 6 to <36 months with World Health Organization (WHO)-defined SAM or without SAM across 5 sites in Sub-Saharan Africa and followed them for 48 weeks. The enrollment was conducted in four countries: Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe between October 2015 and September 2017. Weight, height, and mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were measured at baseline through 48 weeks. WHO weight-for-length/height Z-scores (WFL/H Z-score) were calculated. SAM children received readily available therapeutic food per WHO guidelines. All participants were initiated on a triple-ART regimen. SAM children entered the study after initial nutritional rehabilitation. RESULTS: Fifty-two CLHIV, 25 in the SAM cohort and 27 in the without SAM cohort, were enrolled. WFL/H Z-scores and MUAC in the SAM cohort increased significantly at weeks 24 and 48 [WFL/H Z-scores: mean change (95% CI) 2.34 (1.77, 2.91) and 2.73 (2.09, 3.37), both P < .001; MUAC: mean change (95% CI) 2.63 (1.98, 3.28) and 3.53 (2.83, 4.24) cm, P < .001]. At week 48, mean SAM height was 4 cm shorter and mean weight 1 kg lighter than without SAM [post hoc mean differences -4.11 (95% CI -8.60, 0.38) cm and -0.92 (95% CI -2.22, 0.39) kg]. CONCLUSIONS: CLHIV with SAM who undergo WHO nutritional rehabilitation can achieve significant growth and WFL/H Z-score improvements but continued intensive anthropometric monitoring is needed as SAM may still be behind those without SAM.

Characterizing HIV drug resistance in cases of vertical transmission in the VESTED randomized antiretroviral treatment trial.

Introduction: VESTED (NCT03048422) compared the safety and efficacy of three antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimens in pregnant and postpartum women: dolutegravir+emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide fumarate; dolutegravir+emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF); efavirenz/emtricitabine/TDF. Vertical HIV transmission (VT) occurred to 4/617 (0.60%) live-born infants, who were evaluated for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) and other risk factors. Setting: In 2018-2020, pregnant (weeks-14-28) women living with HIV and ≤14 days of ART were enrolled at 22 international sites and followed with their infants through 50 weeks postpartum. Methods: HIV sequences derived by single genome amplification (SGA) from longitudinally collected specimens were assessed from VT Cases for HIVDR in protease, reverse transcriptase, integrase, and the nef 3'polypurine tract (3'PPT). Results: The four Case mothers were prescribed efavirenz-based-ART for 1-7 days prior to randomization to study ART. Their infants received postnatal nevirapine+/-zidovudine prophylaxis and were breastfed. A total of 833 SGA sequences were derived. The "major" (Stanford HIVDR Score ≥60) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) mutation (K103N) was detected persistently in one viremic mother, and likely contributed to VT of HIVDR. Major NNRTI HIVDR mutations were detected in all three surviving infants. No integrase, nor high frequencies of 3'PPT mutations conferring dolutegravir HIVDR were detected. The timing of HIV infant diagnosis, plasma HIV RNA levels and HIVDR suggests one in utero, one peripartum, one early, and one late breastfeeding transmission. Conclusions: VT was rare. New-onset NNRTI HIVDR in Case mothers was likely from efavirenz-ART prescribed prior to study dolutegravir-ART, and in one case appeared transmitted to the infant despite nevirapine prophylaxis.

Effects of preterm birth, maternal ART and breastfeeding on 24-month infant HIV-free survival in a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: IMPAACT 1077BF/FF (PROMISE) compared the safety/efficacy of two HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens to zidovudine (ZDV) alone during pregnancy for HIV prevention. PROMISE found an increased risk of preterm delivery (<37 weeks) with antepartum triple ART (TDF/FTC/LPV+r or ZDV/3TC/LPV+r) compared with ZDV alone. We assessed the impact of preterm birth, breastfeeding, and antepartum ART regimen on 24-month infant survival. METHODS: We compared HIV-free and overall survival at 24 months for liveborn infants by gestational age, time-varying breastfeeding status, and antepartum ART arm at 14 sites in Africa and India. Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities and Cox proportional hazards ratios were estimated. RESULTS: Three thousand four hundred and eighty-two live-born infants [568 (16.3%) preterm and 2914 (83.7%) term] were included. Preterm birth was significantly associated with lower HIV-free survival [0.85; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82-0.88] and lower overall survival (0.89; 95% CI 0.86-0.91) versus term birth (0.96; 95% CI 0.95-0.96). Very preterm birth (<34 weeks) was associated with low HIV-free survival (0.65; 95% CI 0.54-0.73) and low overall survival (0.66; 95% CI 0.56-0.74). Risk of HIV infection or death at 24 months was higher with TDF-ART than ZDV-ART (adjusted hazard ratio 2.37; 95% CI 1.21-4.64). Breastfeeding initiated near birth decreased risk of infection or death at 24 months (adjusted hazard ratio 0.05; 95% CI 0.03-0.08) compared with not breastfeeding. CONCLUSION: Preterm birth and antepartum TDF-ART were associated with lower 24-month HIV-free survival compared with term birth and ZDV-ART. Any breastfeeding strongly promoted HIV-free survival, especially if initiated close to birth. Reducing preterm birth and promoting infant feeding with breastmilk among HIV/antiretroviral drug-exposed infants remain global health priorities.

Progesterone and prolactin levels in pregnant women living with HIV who delivered preterm and low birthweight infants: A nested case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is associated with high rates of adverse birth outcomes, including preterm birth and low birthweight. Studies suggest that progesterone and prolactin may play important intermediary roles. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Antenatal Component of the PROMISE trial, a multi-center study of pregnant women taking antiretroviral regimens (lopinavir/ritonavir-containing ART or zidovudine alone) to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission. In a nested case-control study, we compared data from women who gave birth to preterm (<37 weeks gestation) and/or low birthweight (<2500 g) infants to matched individuals who did not. We measured serum progesterone and prolactin at 24-34 weeks gestation. We used conditional logistic regression to describe relationships between hormone levels, birth outcomes, and antiretroviral regimens. RESULTS: 299 women and their newborns were included (146 cases, 153 controls). When compared to women receiving zidovudine alone, those on ART had higher odds of progesterone levels under the 10th percentile (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]:2.34, 95%CI:1.41-3.89) and 25th percentile (AOR:2.07, 95%CI:1.46-2.94). However, higher levels of progesterone-rather than lower levels-were associated with our composite case outcome at the 10th percentile (AOR:1.88, 95%CI:0.77-4.59) and 25th percentile (AOR:1.96, 95%CI:1.06-3.61). Associations were not observed between prolactin, antiretroviral regimen, and birth outcomes. CONCLUSION: We observed lower progesterone levels among women allocated to ART regimens; however, higher progesterone levels were associated with preterm birth and/or low birthweight. While features of the study design may have contributed to these findings, they nevertheless highlight the potentially complex mechanisms underpinning adverse birth outcomes and HIV.

Micronutrients and nutritional status among children living with HIV with and without severe acute malnutrition: IMPAACT P1092.

BACKGROUND: Micronutrient deficiencies from malabsorption, gut infections, and altered gut barrier function are common in children living with the human immunodeficiency virus (CLHIV) and may worsen with severe acute malnutrition (SAM). Exploratory data of baseline zinc and selenium levels and changes over 48 weeks in children living with HIV by nutritional status are presented. METHODS: Zinc, selenium, serum protein and albumin levels measured at study entry and over 48 weeks were compared between children aged 6 to < 36 months who were living with HIV and had SAM or mild malnutrition-normal nutrition. Children with SAM were enrolled after 10-18 days of nutritional rehabilitation. Two-sided t-tests were used to compare levels and changes in levels of micronutrients and proteins by nutritional status. RESULTS: Fifty-two participants, 25 with and 27 without SAM, of median (Q1,Q3) age 19 (13,25) and 18 (12,25) months respectively, were enrolled. Zinc deficiency was present at entry in 2/25 (8%) of those who had SAM. Mean (SD) baseline zinc levels were [52.2(15.3) and 54.7(12.0) µg/dL] for the SAM and non-SAM cohorts respectively while selenium levels were similar [92.9(25.0), 84.3(29.2) µg/L]. Mean changes of zinc and selenium from study entry to week 48 were similar between the children with and without SAM. There was no significant difference between baseline protein levels [75.2(13.2), 77.3(9.4) g/L] and the mean change from study entry to 48 weeks was also similar between the two groups; with a mean difference of 4.6 g/L [95% CI, (-2.4,11.6)]. Children with SAM compared to those without had significantly lower serum albumin levels at study entry with similar levels at 48 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Children with severe malnutrition who were initiated/switched to zidovudine/lamivudine/boosted lopinavir following 10 to 18 days of nutritional rehabilitation showed normal baseline levels of selenium and zinc, and had comparable selenium levels after 48 weeks. There was a strong positive correlation in entry and week 48 selenium levels within each cohort and for zinc in the non-SAM cohort. These data support the current WHO recommended approach to management of severe malnutrition in CLHIV who are initiated on combination antiretroviral treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01818258 26/03/2013.

Bone and Renal Health in Infants With or Without Breastmilk Exposure to Tenofovir-Based Maternal Antiretroviral Treatment in the PROMISE Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: We assessed bone and kidney outcomes in infants randomized postdelivery as mother-infant pairs within the IMPAACT PROMISE trial to maternal tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based antiretroviral treatment (mART) or infant nevirapine prophylaxis (iNVP) to prevent breastfeeding HIV transmission. METHODS: Infants were coenrolled in the P1084s substudy on randomization day and followed through Week 74. Lumbar spine bone mineral content (LS-BMC) was assessed at entry (6-21 age days) and Week 26 by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Creatinine clearance (CrCl) was calculated at entry; Weeks 10, 26, and 74. Student t tests compared mean LS-BMC and CrCl at Week 26 and mean change from entry between arms. RESULTS: Of 400 enrolled infants, the mean (SD; n) for entry LS-BMC was 1.68 g (0.35; n = 363) and CrCl was 64.2 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (24.6; n = 357). At Week 26, 98% of infants were breastfeeding and 96% on their assigned HIV prevention strategy. The mean (SD) Week 26 LS-BMC was 2.64 g (0.48) for mART and 2.77 g (0.44) for iNVP; mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) -0.13 g (-0.22 to -0.04), P = 0.007, n = 375/398 (94%). Mean absolute (-0.14 g [-0.23 to -0.06]) and percent (-10.88% [-18.53 to -3.23]) increase in LS-BMC from entry was smaller for mART than iNVP. At Week 26, the mean (SD) CrCl was 130.0 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (34.9) for mART vs. 126.1 mL/min/1.73 m 2 (30.0) for iNVP; mean difference (95% CI) 3.8 (-3.0 to 10.7), P = 0.27, n = 349/398 (88%). CONCLUSION: Week 26 mean LS-BMC was lower in infants in the mART group compared with the iNVP group. However, this difference (∼0.23 g) was less than one-half SD, considered potentially clinically relevant. No infant renal safety concerns were observed.

Self-reported Antiretroviral Adherence: Association With Maternal Viral Load Suppression in Postpartum Women Living With HIV-1 From Promoting Maternal and Infant Survival Everywhere, a Randomized Controlled Trial in Sub-Saharan Africa and India.

INTRODUCTION: Optimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial to promoting maternal-infant health. SETTING: Fourteen sites in 7 countries within sub-Saharan Africa and India. METHODS: The multicomponent, open-label strategy PROMISE trial enrolled breastfeeding mother-infant pairs not meeting in-country criteria for maternal ART (mART) initiation in the postpartum component within 5 days of delivery. Randomization was to mART versus infant NVP (iNVP) prophylaxis. Infants in the mART arm also received 6 weeks of iNVP. Self-reported adherence was assessed in a secondary analysis. Time-to-event analyses were performed to explore the association between adherence and maternal viral load (mVL) in the mART arm. RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred thirty-one mother-infant pairs were enrolled between 2011 and 2014; the baseline maternal median CD4 was 686 (IQR 553-869), and the median mVL was 322 copies/mL (IQR 40-1422). Self-reported adherence was lower in the mART arm compared with the iNVP arm (no missed doses within 4 weeks of all study visits: 66% vs 83%; within 2 weeks: 71% vs 85%; P < 0.0001). The iNVP adherence at week 6 was high in both arms: 97% in mART arm; 95% in iNVP arm. Time-to-event analyses showed that adherence to mART was associated with time to first mVL ≥400 copies/mL ( P < 0.0001). Missing 1 full day of doses over 3 days was associated with a 66% risk of mVL ≥1000 copies/mL (HR: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.37, 1.99). CONCLUSIONS: Postpartum women were less adherent to their own ART than mothers providing their infant's nevirapine prophylaxis. The self-reported missed mART doses were associated with high mVL. Strategies to optimize postpartum mART adherence are urgently needed. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01061151; closed to follow-up.

Twenty years of Prevention of Mother to Child HIV Transmission: research to implementation at a national referral hospital in Uganda.

Background: Over 90% of new paediatric HIV infections are acquired through mother to child transmission. Prevention of mother to child HIV transmission (PMTCT) research in sub-Saharan Africa informed WHO guidelines which enabled implementation of PMTCT programs globally. Objectives: To describe Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University (MU-JHU) perinatal HIV prevention research and implementation of the Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) PMTCT program. Methods: Perinatal HIV prevention studies conducted at MU-JHU between 1997-2016 were summarized. Program aggregated data was extracted and analyzed using STATA 15. Results: In 1999, the HIVNET 012 study demonstrated that single-dose nevirapine (sdNVP) to the mother at onset of labor and to her newborn, reduced MTCT by nearly 50%. In 2016, the PROMISE study documented the safety and efficacy of ART during pregnancy and breastfeeding period. Program implementation at MNRH started in 2000. Uptake of HIV testing increased from 70% to 99% from 2006 onwards. sd NVP was the initial ARV regimen but by 2012, MOH recommended Option B+(triple therapy). MTCT rates reduced from 16.9% in 2001 to 2.3% in 2020. Conclusion: Perinatal HIV prevention clinical trials conducted at MU-JHU provided evidence to inform WHO PMTCT guidelines. MNRH program evaluation demonstrated the significant decline in MTCT rates over the last two decades.

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of HIV/antiretroviral drug perinatally exposed uninfected children aged 3-6 years.

OBJECTIVE: Given the roll out of maternal antiretroviral therapy (ART) for prevention-of-perinatal-HIV-transmission, increasing numbers of children are perinatally HIV/antiretroviral exposed but uninfected (CAHEU). Some studies suggest CAHEU may be at increased risk for neurodevelopmental (ND) deficits. We aimed to assess ND performance among preschool CAHEU. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study assessed ND outcomes among 3-6-year-old CAHEU at entry into a multicountry cohort study. METHODS: We used the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL) and Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (KABC-II) to assess ND status among 3-6-year-old CAHEU at entry into the PROMISE Ongoing Treatment Evaluation (PROMOTE) study conducted in Uganda, Malawi, Zimbabwe and South Africa. Statistical analyses (Stata 16.1) was used to generate group means for ND composite scores and subscale scores, compared to standardized test score means. We used multivariable analysis to adjust for known developmental risk factors including maternal clinical/socioeconomic variables, child sex, growth-for-age measurements, and country. RESULTS: 1647 children aged 3-6 years had baseline ND testing in PROMOTE; group-mean unadjusted Cognitive Composite scores on the MSEL were 85.8 (standard deviation [SD]: 18.2) and KABC-II were 79.5 (SD: 13.2). Composite score group-mean differences were noted by country, with South African and Zimbabwean children having higher scores. In KABC-II multivariable analyses, maternal age >40 years, lower education, male sex, and stunting were associated with lower composite scores. CONCLUSIONS: Among a large cohort of 3-6 year old CAHEU from eastern/southern Africa, group-mean composite ND scores averaged within the low-normal range; with differences noted by country, maternal clinical and socioeconomic factors.

Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Zidovudine, Lamivudine, and Lopinavir/Ritonavir in HIV-infected Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition in Sub-Saharan Africa: IMPAACT Protocol P1092.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) may alter the pharmacokinetics (PK), efficacy, and safety of antiretroviral therapy. The phase IV study, IMPAACT P1092, compared PK, safety, and tolerability of zidovudine (ZDV), lamivudine (3TC), and lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) in children with and without SAM. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Children living with HIV 6 to <36 months of age with or without World Health Organization (WHO)-defined SAM received ZDV, 3TC, and LPV/r syrup for 48 weeks according to WHO weight band dosing. Intensive PK sampling was performed at weeks 1, 12, and 24. Plasma drug concentrations were measured using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Steady-state mean area under the curve (AUC0-12h) and clearance (CL/F) for each drug were compared. Grade ≥3 adverse events were compared between cohorts. RESULTS: Fifty-two children were enrolled across 5 sites in Africa with 44% (23/52) female, median age 19 months (Q1, Q3: 13, 25). Twenty-five children had SAM with entry median weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) -3.4 (IQR -4.0, -3.0) and 27 non-SAM had median WHZ -1.0 (IQR -1.8, -0.1). No significant differences in mean AUC0-12h or CL/F were observed (P ≥ 0.09) except for lower 3TC AUC0-12h (GMR, 0.60; 95% CI, 0.4-1.0; P = 0.047) at week 12, higher ZDV AUC0-12h (GMR, 1.52; 1.2-2.0; P = 0.003) at week 24 in the SAM cohort compared with non-SAM cohort. Treatment-related grade ≥3 events did not differ significantly between cohorts (24.0% vs. 25.9%). CONCLUSION: PK and safety findings for ZDV, 3TC, and LPV/r support current WHO weight band dosing of syrup formulations in children with SAM.

Association of Maternal Viral Load and CD4 Count With Perinatal HIV-1 Transmission Risk During Breastfeeding in the PROMISE Postpartum Component.

BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding mothers with HIV infection not qualifying for antiretroviral therapy (ART) based on country-specific guidelines at the time of the Promoting Maternal-Infant Survival Everywhere trial and their uninfected neonates were randomized to maternal ART (mART) or infant nevirapine prophylaxis (iNVP) postpartum. HIV transmission proportions were similar (<1%) in the 2 arms. We assessed whether maternal viral load (MVL) and CD4 cell counts were associated with breastfeeding HIV transmission. METHODS: MVL was collected at entry (7-14 days postpartum) and at weeks 6, 14, 26, and 50 postpartum. CD4 cell counts were collected at entry and weeks 14, 26, 38, and 50 postpartum. Infant HIV-1 nucleic acid test was performed at weeks 1 and 6, every 4 weeks until week 26, and then every 12 weeks. The associations of baseline and time-varying MVL and CD4 cell counts with transmission risk were assessed using time-to-event analyses by randomized treatment arm. RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred thirty-one mother-infant pairs were enrolled in the study. Baseline MVL (P = 0.11) and CD4 cell counts (P = 0.51) were not significantly associated with infant HIV-1 infection. Time-varying MVL was significantly associated with infant HIV-1 infection {hazard ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 13.96 (3.12 to 62.45)} in the mART arm but not in the iNVP arm [hazard ratio (95% CI): 1.04 (0.20 to 5.39)]. Time-varying CD4 cell counts were also significantly associated with infant HIV-1 infection [hazard ratio (95% CI): 0.18 (0.03 to 0.93)] in the mART arm but not in the iNVP arm [hazard ratio (95% CI): 0.38 (0.08 to 1.77)]. CONCLUSIONS: In women receiving mART, increased MVL and decreased CD4 cell counts during breastfeeding were associated with increased risk of infant HIV-1 infection.

Risk Factors for Adverse Birth Outcomes in the PROMISE 1077BF/1077FF Trial.

BACKGROUND: In the multicountry PROMISE 1077BF/1077FF trial, the risk of low birth weight (LBW; <2500 g) and preterm delivery (PTD; <37 weeks) was significantly higher among women initiating a protease inhibitor-based antiretroviral treatment (ART) regimen than those receiving ZDV alone. Among those assigned to a protease inhibitor regimen, tenofovir/emtricitabine was associated with the more severe outcomes of very LBW (<1500 g) and very PTD (<34 weeks) compared with zidovudine/lamivudine. METHODS: We used multivariate logistic regression to further explore these treatment findings, taking into account demographic baseline clinical and postentry obstetrical factors. We evaluated individual adverse outcomes and composites that included stillbirth and early loss/spontaneous abortion. RESULTS: Among 3333 women delivering at least 1 live infant, median maternal age at enrollment was 26 years; 661 (20%) were primiparous, and 110 (3.3%) reported at least 1 previous PTD. Seventeen percent of newborns were LBW, 1% were very LBW, 17% had PTD, and 3% had very PTD. Treatment allocation remained strongly associated with multiple adverse outcomes after controlling for other risk factors with both ART regimens exhibiting increased risk relative to ZDV alone. Other risk factors remaining significant in at least one of the multivariate models included the following: country, gestational age at entry, maternal age, maternal body mass index, previous PTD, history of alcohol use, baseline HIV viral titer, multiple gestation, and several obstetric risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: ART effects on adverse pregnancy outcomes reported in the randomized PROMISE trial remained strongly significant even after controlling for demographic, baseline clinical, and obstetrical risk factors, which were also associated with these outcomes.

Tenofovir concentrations in hair strongly predict virologic suppression in breastfeeding women.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) adherence is often suboptimal in the perinatal period. We measured hair tenofovir (TFV) concentrations as a metric of adherence in postpartum women to understand patterns and predictors of adherence throughout this critical period. In addition, we examined the association between hair TFV concentrations and virologic outcomes. METHODS: Between 12/2012 and 09/2016, hair samples were collected longitudinally from delivery through breastfeeding from women on ART in the Promoting Maternal and Infant Survival Everywhere study (NCT01061151) in sub-Saharan Africa. Hair TFV levels were measured using validated methods. Using generalized estimating equations, we estimated the association between hair TFV levels and virologic suppression (<400 copies/ml) over time and assessed predictors of hair TFV levels. RESULTS: Hair TFV levels were measured at 370 visits in 71 women from delivery through a median of 14 months (interquartile range 12-15) of breastfeeding. Levels ranged from below detection (0.002) to 1.067 ng/mg (geometric mean: 0.047). After at least 90 days on ART, 69 women had at least one viral load measured (median 5 measures, range 1-9); 18 (26%) experienced viremia at least once. Each doubling of TFV level more than doubled odds of concurrent virologic suppression [odds ratio 2.35, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-3.84, P = 0.0006] and was associated with 1.43 times the odds of future suppression (95% CI: 0.75-2.73, P = 0.28). Relative to the first 3 months after delivery, hair levels were highest in months 6-12 (1.42-fold higher, 95% CI: 1.09-1.85, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Hair TFV levels strongly predicted concurrent virologic suppression among breastfeeding women. Objective adherence metrics can supplement virologic monitoring to optimize treatment outcomes in this important transition period.

Maternal Humoral Immune Responses Do Not Predict Postnatal HIV-1 Transmission Risk in Antiretroviral-Treated Mothers from the IMPAACT PROMISE Study.

To design immune interventions that can synergize with antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce the rate of HIV mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), it is essential to characterize maternal immune responses in the setting of ART during pregnancy and breastfeeding and define their effect on MTCT. Prior studies reported an association between breast milk envelope (Env)-specific antibodies and antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity with reduced postnatal transmission. In this study, we investigated whether these immune correlates were similarly associated with protection in a matched case-control study of mother-infant pairs receiving maternal ART or infant nevirapine prophylaxis during breastfeeding in the International Maternal-Pediatric-Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network Promoting Maternal-Infant Survival Everywhere (PROMISE) trial, assessing postnatal transmission risk in 19 transmitting and 57 nontransmitting mothers using conditional logistic regression models adjusted for maternal plasma viral load. The odds ratios of postnatal MTCT for a 1-unit increase in an immune correlate were 3.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56, 23.14) for breast milk Env-specific secretory IgA (sIgA), 2.32 (95% CI, 0.43, 12.56) for breast milk and 2.16 (95% CI, 0.51, 9.14) for plasma Env-specific IgA, and 4.57 (95% CI, 0.68, 30.48) for breast milk and 0.96 (95% CI, 0.25, 3.67) for plasma ADCC activity, with all CIs spanning 1.0. Interestingly, although mucosal IgA responses are poor in untreated HIV-infected women, there was a strong correlation between the magnitudes of breast milk and plasma Env-specific IgA in this cohort. In this analysis of the small number of postnatal virus transmissions in the landmark PROMISE study, no single antibody response was associated with breast milk transmission risk.IMPORTANCE Each year, >150,000 infants become newly infected with HIV-1 through MTCT despite ART, with up to 42% of infections occurring during breastfeeding. Several factors contribute to continued pediatric infections, including ART nonadherence, the emergence of drug-resistant HIV strains, acute infection during breastfeeding, and poor access to ART in resource-limited areas. A better understanding of the maternal humoral immune responses that provide protection against postnatal transmission in the setting of ART is critical to guide the design of maternal vaccine strategies to further eliminate postnatal HIV transmission. In this study, we found that in women treated with antiretrovirals during pregnancy, there was a positive correlation between plasma viral load and breast milk and plasma IgA responses; however, conclusions regarding odds of MTCT risk were limited by the small sample size. These findings will inform future studies to investigate maternal immune interventions that can synergize with ART to eliminate MTCT during breastfeeding.

Prevention of HIV-1 Transmission Through Breastfeeding: Efficacy and Safety of Maternal Antiretroviral Therapy Versus Infant Nevirapine Prophylaxis for Duration of Breastfeeding in HIV-1-Infected Women With High CD4 Cell Count (IMPAACT PROMISE): A Randomized, Open-Label, Clinical Trial.

BACKGROUND: No randomized trial has directly compared the efficacy of prolonged infant antiretroviral prophylaxis versus maternal antiretroviral therapy (mART) for prevention of mother-to-child transmission throughout the breastfeeding period. SETTING: Fourteen sites in Sub-Saharan Africa and India. METHODS: A randomized, open-label strategy trial was conducted in HIV-1-infected women with CD4 counts ≥350 cells/mm (or ≥country-specific ART threshold if higher) and their breastfeeding HIV-1-uninfected newborns. Randomization at 6-14 days postpartum was to mART or infant nevirapine (iNVP) prophylaxis continued until 18 months after delivery or breastfeeding cessation, infant HIV-1 infection, or toxicity, whichever occurred first. The primary efficacy outcome was confirmed infant HIV-1 infection. Efficacy analyses included all randomized mother-infant pairs except those with infant HIV-1 infection at entry. RESULTS: Between June 2011 and October 2014, 2431 mother-infant pairs were enrolled; 97% of women were World Health Organization Clinical Stage I, median screening CD4 count 686 cells/mm. Median infant gestational age/birth weight was 39 weeks/2.9 kilograms. Seven of 1219 (0.57%) and 7 of 1211 (0.58%) analyzed infants in the mART and iNVP arms, respectively, were HIV-infected (hazard ratio 1.0, 96% repeated confidence interval 0.3-3.1); infant HIV-free survival was high (97.1%, mART and 97.7%, iNVP, at 24 months). There were no significant differences between arms in median time to breastfeeding cessation (16 months) or incidence of severe, life-threatening, or fatal adverse events for mothers or infants (14 and 42 per 100 person-years, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both mART and iNVP prophylaxis strategies were safe and associated with very low breastfeeding HIV-1 transmission and high infant HIV-1-free survival at 24 months.