Increased Mortality After Tuberculosis Treatment Completion in Persons Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus in Latin America.

We assessed the association between cured tuberculosis (TB) and mortality among persons living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in Latin America. We compared survival among persons with and without TB at enrollment in HIV care, starting 9 months after clinic enrollment. In multivariable analysis, TB was associated with higher long-term mortality (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.25-1.99).

The Population Impact of Late Presentation With Advanced HIV Disease and Delayed Antiretroviral Therapy in Adults Receiving HIV Care in Latin America.

Late presentation to care and antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease are common in Latin America. We estimated the impact of these conditions on mortality in the region. We included adults enrolled during 2001-2014 at HIV care clinics. We estimated the adjusted attributable risk (AR) and population attributable fraction (PAF) for all-cause mortality of presentation to care with advanced HIV disease (advanced LP), ART initiation with advanced HIV disease, and not initiating ART. Advanced HIV disease was defined as CD4 of <200 cells/µL or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. AR and PAF were derived using marginal structural models. Of 9,229 patients, 56% presented with advanced HIV disease. ARs of death for advanced LP were 86%, 71%, and 58%, and PAFs were 78%, 58%, and 43% at 1, 5, and 10 years after enrollment. Among people without advanced LP, ARs of death for delaying ART were 39%, 32%, and 37% at 1, 5, and 10 years post-enrollment and PAFs were 20%, 14%, and 15%. Among people with advanced LP, ART decreased the hazard of death by 63% in the first year after enrollment, but 93% of these started ART; thus universal ART among them would reduce mortality by only 10%. Earlier presentation to care and earlier ART initiation would prevent most HIV deaths in Latin America.

Mortality in Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Initiating Treatment: A Six-Cohort Study in Latin America.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the risks of and factors associated with mortality, loss to follow-up, and changing regimens after children with HIV infected perinatally initiate combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in Latin America and the Caribbean. STUDY DESIGN: This 1997-2013 retrospective cohort study included 1174 antiretroviral therapy-naïve, perinatally infected children who started cART age when they were younger than 18 years of age (median 4.7 years; IQR 1.7-8.8) at 1 of 6 cohorts from Argentina, Brazil, Haiti, and Honduras, within the Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology. Median follow-up was 5.6 years (IQR 2.3-9.3). Study outcomes were all-cause mortality, loss to follow-up, and major changes in cART. We used Cox proportional hazards models stratified by site to examine the association between predictors and times to death or changing regimens. RESULTS: Only 52% started cART at younger than 5 years of age; 19% began a protease inhibitor. At cART initiation, median CD4 count was 472 cells/mm3 (IQR 201-902); median CD4% was 16% (IQR 10-23). Probability of death was high in the first year of cART: 0.06 (95% CI 0.04-0.07). Five years after cART initiation, the cumulative mortality incidence was 0.12 (95% CI 0.10-0.14). Cumulative incidences for loss to follow-up and regimen change after 5 years were 0.16 (95% 0.14-0.18) and 0.30 (95% 0.26-0.34), respectively. Younger children had the greatest risk of mortality, whereas older children had the greatest risk of being lost to follow-up or changing regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Innovative clinical and community approaches are needed for quality improvement in the pediatric care of HIV in the Americas.

Substance Use and Adherence Among People Living with HIV/AIDS Receiving cART in Latin America.

This cross-sectional study describes substance use prevalence and its association with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) adherence among 3343 individuals receiving care at HIV clinics in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru. A rapid screening tool evaluated self-reported 7-day recall of alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine use, and missed cART doses. Overall, 29.3 % individuals reported having ≥1 alcoholic drinks, 5.0 % reported any illicit drug use and 17.0 % reported missed cART doses. In the logistic regression model, compared to no substance use, alcohol use [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.46, 95 % confidence interval (CI): 1.99-3.05], illicit drug use (AOR = 3.57, 95 % CI: 2.02-6.30), and using both alcohol and illicit drugs (AOR = 4.98, 95 % CI: 3.19-7.79) were associated with missed cART doses. The associations between substance use and likelihood of missing cART doses point to the need of targeting alcohol and illicit drug use to improve adherence among people living with HIV in Latin America.

Monitoring of HIV treatment in seven countries in the WHO Region of the Americas.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of adequate monitoring and the costs of measuring CD4+ T-lymphocytes (CD4+ cell) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load in people receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in seven countries in the WHO Region of the Americas. METHODS: We obtained retrospective, longitudinal data for 14 476 adults who started a first ART regimen at seven HIV clinics in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Peru between 2000 and 2011. We estimated the proportion of 180-day periods with adequate monitoring, which we defined as at least one CD4+ cell count and one viral load measurement. Factors associated with adequate monitoring were analysed using regression methods. The costs of the tests were estimated. FINDINGS: The median follow-up time was 50.4 months; the proportion of 180-day periods with adequate CD4+ cell counts was 69% while the proportion with adequate monitoring was 62%. Adequate monitoring was more likely in participants who were older, who started ART more recently, whose first regimen included a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor or who had a CD4+ cell count less than 200 cells/µl at ART initiation. The cost of one CD4+ cell count ranged from 7.37 United States dollars (US$) in Argentina to US$ 64.09 in Chile; the cost of one viral load measurement ranged from US$ 20.34 in Brazil to US$ 186.28 in Haiti. CONCLUSION: In HIV-infected participants receiving ART in the WHO Region of the Americas, CD4+ cell count and viral load monitoring was often carried out less frequently than regional guidelines recommend. The laboratory costs of monitoring varied greatly.

Temporal Trends in Age at HIV Diagnosis in Cohorts in the United States, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

In the United States (USA), the age of those newly diagnosed with HIV is changing, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM). A retrospective analysis included HIV-infected adults from seven sites in the Caribbean, Central and South America network (CCASAnet) and the Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic (VCCC-Nashville, Tennessee, USA). We estimated the proportion of patients <25 years at HIV diagnosis by calendar year among the general population and MSM. 19,466 (CCASAnet) and 3,746 (VCCC) patients were included. The proportion <25 years at diagnosis in VCCC increased over time for both the general population and MSM (p < 0.001). Only in the Chilean site for the general population and the Brazilian site for MSM were similar trends seen. Subjects <25 years of age at diagnosis were less likely to be immunocompromised at enrollment at both the VCCC and CCASAnet. Recent trends in the USA of greater numbers of newly diagnosed young patients were not consistently observed in Latin America and the Caribbean. Prevention efforts tailored to young adults should be increased.

Late-onset opportunistic infections while receiving anti-retroviral therapy in Latin America: burden and risk factors.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to describe the incidence, clinical characteristics, and risk factors of late-onset opportunistic infections (LOI) in people who live with HIV (PWLHA) within the Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study including treatment-naive PWLHA enrolled at seven sites (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru, Mexico, and two sites in Honduras). Follow-up began at 6 months after treatment started. Outcomes were LOI, loss to follow-up, and death. We used a Cox proportional hazards model and a competing risks model to evaluate risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 10,583 patients were included. Median follow up was at 5.4 years. LOI occurred in 895 (8.4%) patients. Median time to opportunistic infection was 2.1 years. The most common infections were tuberculosis (39%), esophageal candidiasis (10%), and Pneumocystis jirovecii (P. jirovecii) pneumonia (10%). Death occurred in 576 (5.4%) patients, and 3021 (28.5%) patients were lost to follow-up. A protease inhibitor-based regimen (hazard ratio 1.25), AIDS-defining events during the first 6 months of antiretroviral-treatment (hazard ratio 2.12), starting antiretroviral-treatment in earlier years (hazard ratio 1.52 for 2005 vs 2010), and treatment switch (hazard ratio 1.31) were associated with a higher risk of LOI. CONCLUSION: LOI occurred in nearly one in 10 patients. People with risk factors could benefit from closer follow-up.

Weight gain post-ART in HIV+ Latinos/as differs in the USA, Haiti, and Latin America.

Background: An obesity epidemic has been documented among adult Latinos/as in Latin America and the United States (US); however, little is known about obesity among Latinos/as with HIV (PWH). Moreover, Latinos/as PWH in the US may have different weight trajectories than those in Latin America due to the cultural and environmental contexts. We assessed weight and body mass index (BMI) trajectories among PWH initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART) across 5 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean and the US. Methods: ART-naÿve PWH ≥18 years old, enrolled in Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, and Haiti (sites within CCA-SAnet) and the US (NA-ACCORD) starting ART between 2000 and 2017, with at least one weight measured after ART initiation were included. Participants were classified according to site/ethnicity as: Latinos/as in US, non-Latinos/as in US, Haitians, and Latinos/as in Latin America. Generalized least squares models were used to assess trends in weight and BMI. Models estimating probabilities of becoming overweight/obese (BMI ≥25 kg/m2) and of becoming obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) post ART initiation for males and females were fit using generalized estimating equations with a logit link and an independence working correlation structure. Findings: Among 59,207 PWH, 9% were Latinos/as from Latin America, 9% Latinos/as from the US, 68% non-Latinos/as from the US and 14% were Haitian. At ART initiation, 29% were overweight and 14% were obese. Post-ART weight and BMI increases were steeper for Latinos/as in Latin America compared with other sites/ethnicities; however, BMI at 3-years post ART remained lower compared to Latinos/as and non-Latinos/as in the US. Among females, at 3-years post ART initiation the greatest adjusted probability of obesity was found among non-Latinas in the US (15·2%) and lowest among Latinas in Latin America (8.6%). Among males, while starting with a lower BMI, Latinos in Latin America had the greatest adjusted probability of becoming overweight or obese 3-years post-ART initiation. Interpretation: In the Americas, PWH gain substantial weight after ART initiation. Despite environmental and cultural differences, PWH in Latin America, Haiti and Latinos and non-Latinos in the US share similar BMI trajectories on ART and high probabilities of becoming overweight and obese over time. Multicohort studies are needed to better understand the burden of other metabolic syndrome components in PWH across different countries.

Timing of HIV diagnosis relative to pregnancy and postpartum HIV care continuum outcomes among Latin American women, 2000 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: HIV incidence among women of reproductive age and vertical HIV transmission rates remain high in Latin America. We, therefore, quantified HIV care continuum barriers and outcomes among pregnant women living with HIV (WLWH) in Latin America. METHODS: WLWH (aged ≥16 years) enrolling at Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet) sites from 2000 to 2017 who had HIV diagnosis, pregnancy and delivery dates contributed. Logistic regression produced adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for retention in care (≥2 visits ≥3 months apart) and virological suppression (viral load <200 copies/mL) 12 months after pregnancy outcome. Cumulative incidences of loss to follow-up (LTFU) postpartum were estimated using Cox regression. Evidence of HIV status at pregnancy confirmation was the exposure. Covariates included pregnancy outcome (born alive vs. others); AIDS diagnosis prior to delivery; CD4, age, HIV-1 RNA and cART regimen at first delivery and CCASAnet country. RESULTS: Among 579 WLWH, median postpartum follow-up was 4.34 years (IQR 1.91, 7.35); 459 (79%) were HIV-diagnosed before pregnancy confirmation, 445 (77%) retained in care and 259 (45%) virologically suppressed at 12 months of postpartum. Cumulative incidence of LTFU was 21% by 12 months and 40% by five years postpartum. Those HIV-diagnosed during pregnancy had lower odds of retention (aOR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.97) and virological suppression (aOR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.82) versus those HIV-diagnosed before. CONCLUSION: HIV diagnosis during pregnancy was associated with poorer 12-month retention and virological suppression. Young women should be tested and linked to HIV care earlier to narrow these disparities.

Estimated life expectancy gains with antiretroviral therapy among adults with HIV in Latin America and the Caribbean: a multisite retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: There are few data on life expectancy gains among people living with HIV in low-income and middle-income settings where antiretroviral therapy (ART) is increasingly available. We aimed to analyse life expectancy trends from 2003 to 2017 among people with HIV beginning treatment with ART within the Caribbean, central America, and South America. METHODS: We did a multisite retrospective cohort study and included people with HIV who had started treatment with ART and were aged 16 years or older between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2017, from Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet) sites in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru, who contributed person-time data from the age of 20 years until date of death, last contact, database closure, or Dec 31, 2017. We used the Chiang method of abridged life tables to estimate life expectancy at age 20 years for three eras (2003-08, 2009-12, and 2013-17) overall and by demographic and clinical characteristics at ART initiation. We used Poisson regression models to weight mortality rates to account for informative censoring. FINDINGS: 30 688 people with HIV were included in the study; 17 491 (57·0%) were from the Haiti site and 13 197 (43·0%) were from all other sites. There were 2637 deaths during the study period: 1470 in Haiti and 1167 in other sites. Crude and weighted mortality rates decreased among all age groups over calendar eras. From 2003-08 to 2013-17, overall life expectancy for people with HIV at age 20 years increased from 13·9 years (95% CI 12·5-15·2) to 61·2 years (59·0-63·4) in Haiti and from 31·0 years (29·3-32·8) to 69·5 years (67·2-71·8) in other sites. Life expectancies at the end of the study period were within 10 years of those of the general population (69·9 years in Haiti and 78·0 years in all other sites in 2018). Disparities in life expectancy among people with HIV by sex or HIV transmission risk factor, CD4 cell count, level of education, and history of tuberculosis at or before ART initiation persisted across calendar eras. INTERPRETATION: Life expectancy among people with HIV receiving ART has significantly improved in Latin America and the Caribbean. Persistent disparities in life expectancy among people with HIV by demographic and clinical factors at ART initiation highlight vulnerable populations in the region. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health. TRANSLATION: For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Antiretroviral therapy and Kaposi's sarcoma trends and outcomes among adults with HIV in Latin America.

INTRODUCTION: Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) remains the most frequent malignancy in persons living with HIV (PWH) in Latin America. We examined KS trends and outcomes from Latin American clinical sites in the era of increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: Cohorts in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina and Chile contributed clinical data of PWH ≥16 years old from 2000 to 2017, excluding patients with KS diagnosed before clinic enrolment. We compared KS incidence over time using multivariable incidence rate ratios. Predictors of KS before/at or after ART initiation and of mortality after KS were examined using Cox regression. RESULTS: Of 25 981 PWH, 481 had incident KS, including 200 ART-naïve and 281 ART-treated patients. From 2000 to 2017, the incidence of KS decreased from 55.1 to 3.0 per 1000 person-years. In models adjusting for CD4 and other factors, the relative risk for KS decreased from 2000 to 2008. Since 2010, the adjusted risk of KS increased in the periods before and ≤90 days after ART initiation but decreased >90 days after ART. In addition to low CD4 and male-to-male sex, KS risk after ART was associated with age and history of other AIDS-defining illnesses. Mortality after KS (approximately 25% after five years) was not associated with either year of KS diagnosis nor timing of diagnosis relative to ART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: KS incidence in Latin America has remained stable in recent years and risk is highest before and shortly after ART initiation. Early diagnosis of HIV and ART initiation remain critical priorities in the region.

Frequency of non-communicable diseases in people 50 years of age and older receiving HIV care in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: A growing population of older adults with HIV will increase demands on HIV-related healthcare. Nearly a quarter of people receiving care for HIV in Latin America are currently 50 years or older, yet little is known about the frequency of comorbidities in this population. We estimated the prevalence and incidence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) among people 50 years of age or older (≥50yo) receiving HIV care during 2000-2015 in six centers affiliated with the Caribbean, Central and South American network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet). METHODS: We estimated the annual prevalence, and overall prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, psychiatric disorders, chronic liver and renal diseases, and non-AIDS-defining cancers, and multimorbidity (more than one NCD) of people ≥50yo receiving care for HIV. Analyses were performed according to age at enrollment into HIV care (<50yo and ≥50yo). RESULTS: We included 3,415 patients ≥50yo, of whom 1,487(43%) were enrolled at age ≥50 years. The annual prevalence of NCDs increased from 32% to 68% and multimorbidity from 30% to 40% during 2000-2015. At the last registered visit, 53% of patients enrolled <50yo and 50% of those enrolled ≥50yo had at least one NCD. Most common NCDs at the last visit in each age-group at enrollment were dyslipidemia (36% in <50yo and 28% in ≥50yo), hypertension (17% and 18%), psychiatric disorders (15% and 10%), and diabetes (11% and 12%). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of NCDs and multimorbidity in people ≥50 years receiving care for HIV in CCASAnet centers in Latin America increased substantially in the last 15 years. Our results make evident the need of planning for provision of complex, primary care for aging adults living with HIV.

Temporal changes in ART initiation in adults with high CD4 counts in Latin America: a cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended initiating combination ART (cART) in all adults with HIV and CD4+ lymphocyte counts (CD4) <500 cells/mm3 . In 2015, this was updated to recommend cART initiation in all patients with HIV, regardless of CD4 count. Implementation of these guidelines in real-world settings has not been evaluated in Latin America. To assess changes in time to cART initiation during routine care, we estimated trends in time from enrolment in care to cART initiation in HIV-positive adults with high CD4 counts in the Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet) during 2003 to 2017. METHODS: All cART-naive individuals ≥18 years of age from 2003 to 2017 with CD4 ≥350 cells/mm3 and without AIDS at enrolment at five CCASAnet sites (Brazil, Chile, Honduras, Mexico and Peru) were included. Patients without information regarding AIDS-defining events were excluded. We estimated unadjusted median time from enrolment to cART initiation by calendar year using Kaplan-Meier methods and calculated adjusted hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for trends in cART initiation using Cox models and restricted cubic splines for continuous variables, accounting for age, sex, CD4 at enrolment, route of HIV transmission and clinic site. RESULTS: Of the 3171 patients included, 1,650 (52%) had CD4 ≥500 cells/mm3 at enrolment. Median time to cART initiation after 2013 was 6.21 weeks (interquartile range (IQR): 1.89, 23.21), and 4.71 weeks (IQR: 1.43, 9.57) after 2015. Among 763 (24%) patients who never initiated cART, 33 (4.3%) were reported as deceased, 481 (63%) were lost to follow-up, and 249 (33%) were administratively censored before initiation. Adjusted probability of cART initiation greatly increased in recent years, in particular after 2013 and 2015 (2013 vs. 2003: HR = 7.14; 95% CI: 5.84 to 8.73, and 2015 vs. 2003: HR = 12.60; 95% CI: 10.37 to 15.32). CONCLUSIONS: Time to cART initiation decreased substantially, roughly following changes in WHO guidelines in this real-world setting in Latin America. However, a very high proportion of patients never started cART, compromising retention in care and survival, as shown by their higher proportion of LTFU and death, which reinforce the notion that earlier treatment implementation strategies are needed.

Evaluating the care cascade after antiretroviral therapy initiation in Latin America.

Accelerating antiretroviral therapy (ART) administration, improving retention, and achieving viral suppression in low- and middle-income countries must be prioritized. We evaluated trends and disparities in these milestones in a large Latin American cohort. Adults starting ART (ARTstart) from 2003 to 2014 at Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology sites were assessed for care cascade outcomes: CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart; retention (≥1 visit at one year after ARTstart); viral suppression (≥1 HIV-1 RNA <200 copies/ml at one year after ARTstart). Modified Poisson regression provided adjusted prevalence ratios by age, gender, and HIV transmission risk, accounting for site and year of ARTstart. Proportions achieving ARTstart and suppression improved over time (p < 0.05). Older age was associated with better retention and viral suppression, but not ARTstart at CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3. Females and men who have sex with men (MSM) were more likely to have CD4 cell count >200 cells/mm3 at ARTstart. Injection drug users (IDUs) were less likely to be retained while MSM were more likely to achieve viral suppression (all p < 0.05). Despite improvements in these outcomes over the course of a decade in this cohort, significant disparities existed, disadvantaging younger patients, men, and IDUs. These gaps indicate continued progress in providing early diagnosis and ARTstart remain critical.

Durability of Efavirenz Compared With Boosted Protease Inhibitor-Based Regimens in Antiretroviral-Naïve Patients in the Caribbean and Central and South America.

BACKGROUND: Efavirenz (EFV) and boosted protease inhibitors (bPIs) are still the preferred options for firstline antiretroviral regimens (firstline ART) in Latin America and have comparable short-term efficacy. We assessed the long-term durability and outcomes of patients receiving EFV or bPIs as firstline ART in the Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet). METHODS: We included ART-naïve, HIV-positive adults on EFV or bPIs as firstline ART in CCASAnet between 2000 and 2016. We investigated the time from starting until ending firstline ART according to changes of third component for any reason, including toxicity and treatment failure, death, and/or loss to follow-up. Use of a third-line regimen was a secondary outcome. Kaplan-Meier estimators of composite end points were generated. Crude cumulative incidence of events and adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were estimated accounting for competing risk events. RESULTS: We included 14 519 patients: 12 898 (89%) started EFV and 1621 (11%) bPIs. The adjusted median years on firstline ART were 4.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.4-4.7) on EFV and 3.8 (95% CI, 3.8-4.0) on bPI (P < .001). Cumulative incidence of firstline ART ending at 10 years of follow-up was 32% (95% CI, 31-33) on EFV and 44% (95% CI, 39-48) on bPI (aHR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.78-0.97). The cumulative incidence rates of third-line initiation in the bPI-based group were 6% (95% CI, 2.4-9.6) and 2% (95% CI, 1.4-2.2) among the EFV-based group (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Durability of firstline ART was longer with EFV than with bPIs. EFV-based regimens may continue to be the preferred firstline regimen for our region in the near future due to their high efficacy, relatively low toxicity (especially at lower doses), existence of generic formulations, and affordability for national programs.

Is substance use associated with HIV cascade outcomes in Latin America?

BACKGROUND: The HIV care cascade has improved in Latin America over the last decade. However, the influence of alcohol and noninjected drug use (NIDU) on cascade outcomes is mostly unknown. This study estimated the association of alcohol and NIDU with retention in care, loss to follow up (LTFU), and virologic failure (VF). METHODS: Individuals ≥18 years attending routine HIV clinic visits and completing the Rapid Screening Tool (RST; evaluating NIDU and ART adherence in 7-day recall period) during 2012-13 were followed up to 2015 in the Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated for the association of alcohol consumption and NIDU with retention in care by logistic regression; adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were estimated for the associations with LTFU and VF by Cox regression. RESULTS: Among 3604 individuals, the proportions retained in care for one year were 84%, 79%, 72%, and 69% for patients reporting non-use, alcohol use, NIDU, and both alcohol and NIDU, respectively. For the same patient groups, the proportions LTFU over 18 months were 6%, 8%, 12%, and 13%, respectively. There were 1901 patients (53%) with HIV RNA results; VF proportions were similar between users and nonusers (ranging from 14-16%). After controlling for age, sex, study site, HIV transmission mode, time on ART, AIDS status, and CD4 count, neither alcohol use (aOR = 1.1, CI = 0.9-1.4; aHR = 1.0, CI = 0.8-1.3) nor NIDU (aOR = 1.3, CI = 0.9-1.8; aHR = 1.4, CI = 0.9-2.1) were significantly associated with retention or VF, respectively. However, both alcohol use (aHR = 1.2, CI = 1.02-1.4) and NIDU (aHR = 1.3, CI = 1.00-1.8) were associated with increased LTFU. CONCLUSION: Alcohol use and NIDU in a 7-day recall period increased the risk of being LTFU during the next 18 months, highlighting the need for routine screening and targeted interventions to keep these individuals in care and on ART.

Virologic failure and mortality in older ART initiators in a multisite Latin American and Caribbean Cohort.

INTRODUCTION: The "greying" of the HIV epidemic necessitates a better understanding of the healthcare needs of older HIV-positive adults. As these individuals age, it is unclear whether comorbidities and their associated therapies or the ageing process itself alter the response to antiretroviral therapy (ART). In this study, HIV treatment outcomes and corresponding risk factors were compared between older ART initiators and those who were younger using data from the Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet). METHODS: HIV-positive adults (≥18 years) initiating ART at nine sites in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico and Peru were included. Patients were classified as older (≥50 years) or younger (<50 years) based on age at ART initiation. ART effectiveness was measured using three outcomes: death, virologic failure and ART treatment modification. Cox regression models for each outcome compared risk between older and younger patients, adjusting for other covariates. RESULTS: Among 26,311 patients initiating ART between 1996 and 2016, 3389 (13%) were ≥50 years. The majority of patients in both ≥50 and <50 age groups received a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimen (89% vs. 87%), did not have AIDS at baseline (63% vs. 62%), and were male (59% vs. 58%). Older patients had a higher risk of death (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.64; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.48 to 1.83) and a lower risk of virologic failure (aHR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.63 to 0.84). There was no difference in risk of ART modification (aHR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.94 to 1.06). Risk factors for death, virologic failure and treatment modification were similar for each group. CONCLUSIONS: Older age at ART initiation was associated with increased mortality and decreased risk of virologic failure in our cohort of more than 26,000 ART initiators in Latin America and the Caribbean. To the best of our knowledge this is the first study from the region to evaluate ART outcomes in this growing and important population. Given the complexity of issues related to ageing with HIV, a greater understanding is needed in order to properly respond to this shifting epidemic.

Early Retention in Care Neither Mediates Nor Modifies the Effect of Sex and Sexual Mode of HIV Acquisition on HIV Survival in the Americas.

Early retention in care, sex, and sexual mode of HIV acquisition has been associated with mortality risk among persons living with HIV (PLWH). We assessed whether early retention in care mediates or modifies the association between mortality and sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition among PLWH on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the Americas. ART-naïve, adult PLWH (≥18 years) enrolling at Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet) and Vanderbilt Comprehensive Care Clinic sites 2000-2015, starting ART, and with ≥1 visit after ART-start were included. Early retention in care was defined as ≥2 HIV care visits/labs ≥90 days apart in the first year of ART. Cox models assessed the association between early retention in care, sex, and sexual mode of HIV acquisition [i.e., women, heterosexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM)], and mortality. Associations were estimated separately by site and pooled. Among 11,721 included PLWH (median follow-up, 4.3 years; interquartile range, 2.0-7.6), 647 died (rate = 10.9/1000 person-years) and 1985 were lost to follow-up (rate = 33.6/1000 person-years). After adjustment for confounders, early retention in care was associated with lower mortality during subsequent years (pooled hazard ratio = 0.47; 95% confidence interval = 0.39-0.57). MSM had lower and heterosexual men had comparable mortality risk to women; risks were similar when adjusting for early retention in care. Additionally, no evidence of an interaction between early retention in care and sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition on mortality was observed (p > 0.05). Early retention in care substantially reduced mortality but does not mediate or modify the association between sex and sexual mode of HIV acquisition and mortality in our population.

Survival after cancer diagnosis in a cohort of HIV-positive individuals in Latin America.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate trends and predictors of survival after cancer diagnosis in persons living with HIV in the Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology cohort. METHODS: Demographic, cancer, and HIV-related data from HIV-positive adults diagnosed with cancer ≤ 1 year before or any time after HIV diagnosis from January 1, 2000-June 30, 2015 were retrospectively collected. Cancer cases were classified as AIDS-defining cancers (ADC) and non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADC). The association of mortality with cancer- and HIV-related factors was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards models stratified by clinic site and cancer type. RESULTS: Among 15,869 patients, 783 had an eligible cancer diagnosis; 82% were male and median age at cancer diagnosis was 39 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 32-47). Patients were from Brazil (36.5%), Argentina (19.9%), Chile (19.7%), Mexico (19.3%), and Honduras (4.6%). A total of 564 ADC and 219 NADC were diagnosed. Patients with NADC had similar survival probabilities as those with ADC at one year (81% vs. 79%) but lower survival at five years (60% vs. 69%). In the adjusted analysis, risk of mortality increased with detectable viral load (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.63, p = 0.02), age (aHR = 1.02 per year, p = 0.002) and time between HIV and cancer diagnoses (aHR = 1.03 per year, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: ADC remain the most frequent cancers in the region. Overall mortality was related to detectable viral load and age. Longer-term survival was lower after diagnosis of NADC than for ADC, which may be due to factors unrelated to HIV.

A decade of HAART in Latin America: Long term outcomes among the first wave of HIV patients to receive combination therapy.

BACKGROUND: In Latin America, the first wave of HIV-infected patients initiated highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) 10 or more years ago. Characterizing their treatment experience and corresponding outcomes across a decade of HAART may yield insights relevant to the ongoing care of such patients and those initiating HAART more recently in similar clinical settings. METHODS: This retrospective study included adults initiating HAART before 2004 at 8 sites in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, and Mexico. Patient status (in care, dead, or lost to follow-up [LTFU]) was assessed at 6-month intervals for 10 years, along with CD4 count and HIV-1 viral load (VL) for patients in care. RESULTS: 4,975 patients (66% male) started HAART prior to 2004; 45% were not antiretroviral-naïve. At 1, 5, and 10 years, rates of mortality were 4.2%, 9.0%, and 13.6% respectively. LTFU rates for the same periods were 2.4%, 10.9%, and 24.2%. Among patients remaining in care at 10 years, 84.4% were estimated to have VL≤400 copies/mL (Haiti excluded) and median baseline CD4 increased from 158 to 525 cells/mm3. Only 11.4% of all patients remained on their first regimen, 12.6% were on their second, 11.5% were on their third, and 23.0% were on their fourth or subsequent regimen. Outcomes were generally better for patients who were not antiretroviral-naïve, except for viral suppression. Heterogeneity among sites was substantial. CONCLUSIONS: Despite advanced disease and predominant use of older antiretrovirals, a large percentage of early HAART initiators in this Latin American cohort were alive and in care with sustained virologic suppression and progressive immune recovery after 10 years.