Low human papillomavirus vaccine uptake among women engaged in HIV care in Ontario, Canada.

Women living with HIV are at higher risk for human papillomavirus (HPV)-related dysplasia and cancers and thus are prioritized for HPV vaccination. We measured HPV vaccine uptake among women engaged in HIV care in Ontario, Canada, and identified socio-demographic, behavioural, and clinical characteristics associated with HPV vaccination. During annual interviews from 2017 to 2020, women participating in a multi-site, clinical HIV cohort responded to a cross-sectional survey on HPV vaccine knowledge and receipt. We used logistic regression to derive age-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for factors associated with self-reported vaccine initiation (≥1 dose) or series completion (3 doses). Among 591 women (median age = 48 years; interquartile range = 40-56 years), 13.2% (95%CI = 10.5-15.9%) had received ≥1 dose. Of those vaccinated, 64.6% had received 3 doses. Vaccine initiation (≥1 dose) was significantly higher among women aged 20-29 years at 31.0% but fell to 13.9% in those aged 30-49 years and < 10% in those aged ≥50 years. After age adjustment, vaccine initiation was significantly associated with being employed (vs. unemployed but seeking work), income $40,000-$59,999 (vs. <$20,000), being married/common-law (vs. single), living with children, immigrating to Canada >5 years ago (vs. immigrating ≤5 years ago), never smoking (vs. currently smoking), and being in HIV care longer (per 10 years). Similar factors were identified for series completion (3 doses). HPV vaccine uptake remains low among women living with HIV in our cohort despite regular engagement in care. Recommendations for improving uptake include education of healthcare providers, targeted community outreach, and public funding of HPV vaccination.

A randomized control trial of high-dose micronutrient-antioxidant supplementation in healthy persons with untreated HIV infection.

BACKGROUND: Although micronutrient and antioxidant supplementation are widely used by persons with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a therapeutic role beyond recommended daily allowances (RDA) remains unproven. An oral high-dose micronutrient and antioxidant supplement (Treatment) was compared to an RDA supplement (Control) for time to progressive immunodeficiency or initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in people living with HIV (PLWH). METHODS: This study was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial. PLWH were recruited from Canadian HIV Trials Network sites, and followed quarterly for two years. Eligible participants were asymptomatic, antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naïve, HIV-seropositive adults with a CD4 T lymphocyte count (CD4 count) between 375-750 cells/µL. Participants were randomly allocated 1:1 to receive Treatment or Control supplements. The primary outcome was a composite of time-to-first of confirmed CD4 count below 350 cells/µL, initiation of ART, AIDS-defining illness or death. Primary analysis was by intention-to-treat. Secondary outcomes included CD4 count trajectory from baseline to ART initiation or two years. A Data and Safety Monitoring Board reviewed the study for safety, recruitment and protocol adherence every six months. RESULTS: Of 171 enrolled participants: 66 (38.6%) experienced a primary outcome: 27 reached a CD4 count below 350 cells/µL, and 57 started ART. There was no significant difference in time-to-first outcome between groups (Hazard Ratio = 1.05; 95%CI: 0.65, 1.70), or in time to any component outcome. Using intent-to-treat censoring, mean annualized rates of CD4 count decline were -42.703 cells/µL and -79.763 cells/µL for Treatment and Control groups, with no statistical difference in the mean change between groups (-37.06 cells/µL/52 weeks, 95%CI: (-93.59, 19.47); p = 0.1993). Accrual was stopped at 171 of the 212 intended participants after an interim analysis for futility, although participant follow-up was completed. CONCLUSIONS: In ART-naïve PLWH, high-dose antioxidant, micronutrient supplementation compared to RDA supplementation had no significant effect on disease progression or ART initiation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00798772.

Routinized Syphilis Screening Among Men Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Stepped Wedge Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: We implemented an opt-out clinic-based intervention pairing syphilis tests with routine human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) viral load testing. The primary objective was to determine the degree to which this intervention increased the detection of early syphilis. METHODS: The Enhanced Syphilis Screening Among HIV-Positive Men (ESSAHM) Trial was a stepped wedge cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 4 urban HIV clinics in Ontario, Canada, from 2015 to 2017. The population was HIV-positive adult males. The intervention was standing orders for syphilis serological testing with viral loads, and control was usual practice. We obtained test results via linkage with the centralized provincial laboratory and defined cases using a standardized clinical worksheet and medical record review. We employed a generalized linear mixed model with a logit link to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the intervention. RESULTS: A total of 3895 men were followed over 7471 person-years. The mean number of syphilis tests increased from 0.53 to 2.02 tests per person per year. There were 217 new diagnoses of syphilis (control, 81; intervention, 136), for which 147 (68%) were cases of early syphilis (control, 61 [75%]; intervention, 86 [63%]). The annualized proportion with newly detected early syphilis increased from 0.009 to 0.032 with implementation of the intervention; the corresponding time-adjusted OR was 1.25 (95% CI, .71-2.20). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of standing orders for syphilis testing with HIV viral loads was feasible and increased testing, yet produced less-than-expected increases in case detection compared to past uncontrolled pre-post trials. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT02019043.

Patient perspectives on the implementation of routinised syphilis screening with HIV viral load testing: Qualitative process evaluation of the Enhanced Syphilis Screening Among HIV-positive Men trial.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis infections have been on the rise, affecting men living with HIV in urban centres disproportionately. Since individuals in HIV care undergo routine blood testing, HIV clinics provide practical opportunities to conduct regular and frequent syphilis testing. Following the implementation of a routine syphilis testing intervention in HIV outpatient clinics, we conducted a qualitative process evaluation of patient experiences to measure patient acceptability, barriers to implementation, and facilitators of successful uptake. METHODS: Upon completion of the trial, which took place at four HIV outpatient clinics in Toronto and Ottawa, Canada, we recruited male patients attending these clinics from November 2017 to April 2018. Interviews were conducted on-site and were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. All participants provided written informed consent. Interview data were analyzed using grounded theory, assessing qualitative modulators of effective uptake of routinised syphilis testing. RESULTS: A total of 21 male patients were interviewed. Overall, interviewees found the clinical intervention acceptable, endorsing the practice of routinising syphilis testing alongside regular viral load bloodwork. Some men preferred, based on their self-assessment of syphilis risk, to opt out of testing; we considered this as a potential barrier to uptake of population-wide routinised syphilis testing. Interviewees also identified multiple facilitators of successful uptake, including the de-stigmatising of STI testing as a consequence of the universal nature of routinised testing. Participants recommended a routinised syphilis screening intervention to give patients peace of mind surrounding their sexual health. Participants identified HIV care clinics as comfortable and efficient locations to offer testing. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, most men were in support of implementing routinised syphilis testing as part of standard HIV care. From the patient perspective, HIV care clinics are convenient places to be tested for syphilis, and the routine approach was viewed to have a de-stigmatisng effect on syphilis testing. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02019043; registered December 23, 2013.

Asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment is a risk for symptomatic decline over a 3-year study period.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether persons with asymptomatic neurocognitive impairment (ANI) were more likely to show progression to mild neurocognitive disorder or HIV-associated dementia than those who were neuropsychologically normal (NP-N). DESIGN: Longitudinal observational cohort study. METHODS: Study sample included 720 HIV-1 seropositive persons (317 with ANI and 403 NP-N) receiving care in Toronto, Canada [83% were on antiretroviral treatment; 71% had undetectable (<50 copies/ml) plasma HIVRNA]. Neuropsychological assessments were conducted at 12 months intervals for a median follow-up time of 34 months. Neuropsychological data were corrected for age, education, sex, and race/ethnicity, and corrected for practice effect at follow-ups. Progression to mild neurocognitive disorder and HIV-associated dementia at each time point was determined using the Global Deficit Score and presence of cognitive symptoms. RESULTS: Over the follow-up period, 170 individuals (24%) progressed to symptomatic HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Persons with ANI were more likely to progress to symptomatic HAND than persons with NP-N after adjusting for baseline and time-varying confounders (adjusted hazards ratio: 1.88; 95% confidence interval: 1.37-2.60; P < 0.001). Female sex, depression, and cigarette smoking were associated with higher risk of progression to symptomatic HAND, but traditional HIV markers and antiretroviral treatment were not. CONCLUSION: ANI is associated with a two-fold increased risk of progression to symptomatic HAND in a cohort with universal healthcare access. This represents the largest replication of comparable US results. Reproducibility of these findings indicate that routine monitoring of persons with ANI and exploration of clinical interventions to prevent or delay progression to symptomatic HAND are imperative. SEARCH TERMS: HIV, HAND, HIV-associated dementia, cohort study, replicability, reproducibility.

New genetic predictors for abacavir tolerance in HLA-B*57:01 positive individuals.

Abacavir hypersensitivity syndrome (ABC HSS) is strongly associated with carriage of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*57:01, which has a 100% negative predictive value for the development of ABC HSS. However, 45% of individuals who carry HLA-B*57:01 can tolerate ABC. We investigated immune and non-immune related genes in ABC HSS (n = 95) and ABC tolerant (n = 43) HLA-B*57:01 + patients to determine other factors required for the development of ABC HSS. Assignment of phenotype showed that ABC HSS subjects were significantly less likely than tolerants to carry only ERAP1 hypoactive trimming allotypes (p = 0.02). An altered self-peptide repertoire model by which abacavir activates T cells is in keeping with observation that endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) allotypes that favour efficient peptide trimming are more common in ABC HSS patients compared to patients who tolerate ABC. Independently, non-specific immune activation via soluble cluster of differentiation antigen 14 (sCD14) may also influence susceptibility to ABC HSS.

Association of Immunosuppression and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Viremia With Anal Cancer Risk in Persons Living With HIV in the United States and Canada.

BACKGROUND: People living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PLWH) have a markedly elevated anal cancer risk, largely due to loss of immunoregulatory control of oncogenic human papillomavirus infection. To better understand anal cancer development and prevention, we determined whether recent, past, cumulative, or nadir/peak CD4+ T-cell count (CD4) and/or HIV-1 RNA level (HIV RNA) best predict anal cancer risk. METHODS: We studied 102 777 PLWH during 1996-2014 from 21 cohorts participating in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design. Using demographics-adjusted, cohort-stratified Cox models, we assessed associations between anal cancer risk and various time-updated CD4 and HIV RNA measures, including cumulative and nadir/peak measures during prespecified moving time windows. We compared models using the Akaike information criterion. RESULTS: Cumulative and nadir/peak CD4 or HIV RNA measures from approximately 8.5 to 4.5 years in the past were generally better predictors for anal cancer risk than their corresponding more recent measures. However, the best model included CD4 nadir (ie, the lowest CD4) from approximately 8.5 years to 6 months in the past (hazard ratio [HR] for <50 vs ≥500 cells/µL, 13.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.5-51.0) and proportion of time CD4 <200 cells/µL from approximately 8.5 to 4.5 years in the past (a cumulative measure; HR for 100% vs 0%, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.5-6.6). CONCLUSIONS: Our results are consistent with anal cancer promotion by severe, prolonged HIV-induced immunosuppression. Nadir and cumulative CD4 may represent useful markers for identifying PLWH at higher anal cancer risk.

Contributions of traditional and HIV-related risk factors on non-AIDS-defining cancer, myocardial infarction, and end-stage liver and renal diseases in adults with HIV in the USA and Canada: a collaboration of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Adults with HIV have an increased burden of non-AIDS-defining cancers, myocardial infarction, end-stage liver disease, and end-stage renal disease. The objective of this study was to estimate the population attributable fractions (PAFs) of preventable or modifiable HIV-related and traditional risk factors for non-AIDS-defining cancers, myocardial infarction, end-stage liver disease, and end-stage renal disease outcomes. METHODS: We included participants receiving care in academic and community-based outpatient HIV clinical cohorts in the USA and Canada from Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2014, who contributed to the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design and who had validated non-AIDS-defining cancers, myocardial infarction, end-stage liver disease, or end-stage renal disease outcomes. Traditional risk factors were tobacco smoking, hypertension, elevated total cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, renal impairment (stage 4 chronic kidney disease), and hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus infections. HIV-related risk factors were low CD4 count (<200 cells per µL), detectable plasma HIV RNA (>400 copies per mL), and history of a clinical AIDS diagnosis. PAFs and 95% CIs were estimated to quantify the proportion of outcomes that could be avoided if the risk factor was prevented. FINDINGS: In each of the study populations for the four outcomes (1405 of 61 500 had non-AIDS-defining cancer, 347 of 29 515 had myocardial infarctions, 387 of 35 044 had end-stage liver disease events, and 255 of 35 620 had end-stage renal disease events), about 17% were older than 50 years at study entry, about 50% were non-white, and about 80% were men. Preventing smoking would avoid 24% (95% CI 13-35) of these cancers and 37% (7-66) of the myocardial infarctions. Preventing elevated total cholesterol and hypertension would avoid the greatest proportion of myocardial infarctions: 44% (30-58) for cholesterol and 42% (28-56) for hypertension. For liver disease, the PAF was greatest for hepatitis C infection (33%; 95% CI 17-48). For renal disease, the PAF was greatest for hypertension (39%; 26-51) followed by elevated total cholesterol (22%; 13-31), detectable HIV RNA (19; 9-31), and low CD4 cell count (13%; 4-21). INTERPRETATION: The substantial proportion of non-AIDS-defining cancers, myocardial infarction, end-stage liver disease, and end-stage renal disease outcomes that could be prevented with interventions on traditional risk factors elevates the importance of screening for these risk factors, improving the effectiveness of prevention (or modification) of these risk factors, and creating sustainable care models to implement such interventions during the decades of life of adults living with HIV who are receiving care. FUNDING: National Institutes of Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the US Health Resources and Services Administration, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, and the Government of Alberta.

The impact of drug coverage on viral suppression among people living with HIV in Ontario, Canada.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of drug coverage on viral suppression (sVL) in Ontario, Canada, where there is no universal coverage of prescription drugs, including antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS: Ontarians without employment coverage may be eligible for varying degrees of coverage through government-sponsored programs. Remaining individuals pay all expenses entirely out of pocket. Among participants on ART enrolled in the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study (OCS) who were interviewed in 2008-2013 with known or imputable drug coverage, we estimated the prevalence with sVL (< 200 copies/mL) as of their last viral load each year. We calculated prevalence ratios (PR) according to time-updated socio-economic and behavioural factors using multivariable generalized estimating equations with a log-link function. Multiple imputation was used to assess the sensitivity of these findings to different assumed missing data models. RESULTS: One thousand two hundred forty-seven participants were included (3463 person-years). Compared to study participants with employer coverage, individuals covered through the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) were less likely to be suppressed (PR, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96, 0.93-0.98). After multivariable adjustment, ODB remained independently associated with less success in achieving sVL (adjusted PR, 95% CI 0.98, 0.95-0.99). These findings were robust to different assumptions about the missing data. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that drug coverage can affect viral suppression in our setting. Further research is needed to identify the mechanisms by which coverage interacts with individual patient factors to affect viral suppression. Mechanisms to improve access and coverage for ART are needed.

Cancer-Attributable Mortality Among People With Treated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection in North America.

BACKGROUND: Cancer remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWHIV) on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART). Estimates of cancer-attributable mortality can inform public health efforts. METHODS: We evaluated 46956 PWHIV receiving ART in North American HIV cohorts (1995-2009). Using information on incident cancers and deaths, we calculated population-attributable fractions (PAFs), estimating the proportion of deaths due to cancer. Calculations were based on proportional hazards models adjusted for age, sex, race, HIV risk group, calendar year, cohort, CD4 count, and viral load. RESULTS: There were 1997 incident cancers and 8956 deaths during 267145 person-years of follow-up, and 11.9% of decedents had a prior cancer. An estimated 9.8% of deaths were attributable to cancer (cancer-attributable mortality rate 327 per 100000 person-years). PAFs were 2.6% for AIDS-defining cancers (ADCs, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 2.0% of deaths) and 7.1% for non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs: lung cancer, 2.3%; liver cancer, 0.9%). PAFs for NADCs were higher in males and increased strongly with age, reaching 12.5% in PWHIV aged 55+ years. Mortality rates attributable to ADCs and NADCs were highest for PWHIV with CD4 counts <100 cells/mm3. PAFs for NADCs increased during 1995-2009, reaching 10.1% in 2006-2009. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately 10% of deaths in PWHIV prescribed ART during 1995-2009 were attributable to cancer, but this fraction increased over time. A large proportion of cancer-attributable deaths were associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, lung cancer, and liver cancer. Deaths due to NADCs will likely grow in importance as AIDS mortality declines and PWHIV age.

The Use of Multistate Models to Examine Associations of Stress and Adherence With Transitions Among HIV Care States Observed in a Clinical HIV Cohort.

BACKGROUND: The "cascade of care" is a framework for quantifying the trajectory of people with HIV along the continuum of HIV care. We extended this framework to recognize that individuals may transition back and forth between states of care and to identify factors associated with movement among states of care over time, with particular focus on stress, depression, and adherence. METHODS: The Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study is a multisite HIV clinical cohort. We analyzed data from participants who had initiated antiretroviral therapy, achieved virologic suppression, completed ≥1 study questionnaire including psychosocial data, and had ≥1 viral load (VL) result within 2 years of a questionnaire. Follow-up time from the first suppressed VL was divided into 6-month intervals and classified into 1 of 3 states for HIV care retention: (1) suppressed VL (VL <50 copies/mL), (2) unsuppressed VL (VL >50 copies/mL), and (3) unobserved. Multistate models were used to determine the association of transitioning between states and time-updated demographic and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: In total, 1842 participants were included. After multivariable adjustment, poor adherence [hazard ratio (HR) 1.88, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19 to 2.98) and stress (HR = 1.38; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.83) were associated with transitions from suppressed to unsuppressed VL. Similarly, low adherence (HR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.14 to 2.04) and stress (HR = 1.25; 95%: 1.03, 1.51) were associated with transitions from suppressed to unobserved states. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of stress and low adherence are associated with transitions to less favorable states of care. Interventions to manage stress and facilitate adherence may improve engagement in HIV care.

Increased mortality among Indigenous persons in a multisite cohort of people living with HIV in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: Compare all-cause mortality between Indigenous participants and participants of other ethnicities living with HIV initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) in an interprovincial multi-site cohort. METHODS: The Canadian Observational Cohort is a collaboration of 8 cohorts of treatment-naïve persons with HIV initiating cART after January 1, 2000. Participants were followed from the cART initiation date until death or last viral load (VL) test date on or before December 31, 2012. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the effect of ethnicity on time until death after adjusting for age, gender, injection drug use, being a man who has sex with men, hepatitis C, province of origin, baseline VL and CD4 count, year of cART initiation and class of antiretroviral medication. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 7080 participants (497 Indigenous, 2471 Caucasian, 787 African/Caribbean/Black (ACB), 629 other, and 2696 unknown ethnicity). Most Indigenous persons were from British Columbia (BC) (83%), with smaller numbers from Ontario (13%) and Québec (4%). During the study period, 714 (10%) participants died. The five-year survival probability was lower for Indigenous persons (0.77) than for Caucasian (0.94), ACB (0.98), other ethnicities (0.96) and unknown ethnicities (0.85) (p < 0.0001). In an adjusted proportional hazard model for which missing data were imputed, Indigenous persons were more likely to die than Caucasian participants (hazard ratio = 2.69, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The mortality rate for Indigenous persons was higher than for other ethnicities and is largely reflective of the BC population. Addressing treatment challenges and identifying HIV- and non-HIV-related causes for mortality among Indigenous persons is required to optimize their clinical management.

Exploring the Factors Considered by People Living with HIV and Their Partners during Preconception.

Data are lacking on factors that may impact conception-related decision-making among individuals living with HIV. This study's aim was to shed light on these considerations. Participants were invited to complete a survey on preconception considerations. A rank-ordered logit model was fit to estimate the relative importance of listed consideration factors; the interaction of HIV status and the factors was assessed. Fifty-nine participants living with HIV and 18 partners (11 HIV-negative participants and 7 living with HIV) were included. Risk of vertical and horizontal HIV transmission and the effect of antiretroviral therapy on the fetus were the top considerations. However, individuals living with HIV prioritized vertical transmission, whereas HIV-negative participants prioritized horizontal transmission. Other factors of importance were probability of conception, stress of trying to conceive, cost associated with fertility clinics, and stigma associated with certain conception methods. This study builds our understanding of the preconception considerations for people living with HIV.

Gastrointestinal Symptom Distress is Associated With Worse Mental and Physical Health-Related Quality of Life.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of self-reported gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and distress is high, but few studies have quantified their impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of patients with HIV in care in Ontario, Canada (2007-2014). General linear mixed models were used to assess the impact of GI symptoms (diarrhea/soft stool, nausea/vomiting, bloating/painful abdomen, loss of appetite, weight loss/wasting) and distress (range: 0-4) on physical and mental HRQoL summary scores (range: 0-100) measured by the Medical Outcomes Survey SF-36. RESULTS: A total of 1787 participants completed one or more questionnaires {median 3 [interquartile range (IQR): 1-4]}. At baseline, 59.0% were men who had sex with men, 53.7% white, median age 45 (IQR: 38-52), median CD4 count 457 (IQR: 315-622), and 71.0% had undetectable HIV viremia. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) mental and physical HRQoL scores were 49.2 (8.6) and 45.3 (13.0), respectively. In adjusted models, compared with those reporting no symptoms, all GI symptom distress scores from 2 ("have symptom, bothers me a little") to 4 ("have symptom, bothers a lot") were associated with lower mental HRQoL. Loss of appetite distress scores ≥ 1; scores ≥ 2 for diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, and bloating; and a score ≥ 3 for weight loss were independently associated with lower physical HRQoL scores (P < 0.0001). Increasing GI symptom distress is associated with impaired mental and physical HRQoL (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Increasing GI symptom distress is associated with impaired mental and physical HRQoL. Identifying, treating, and preventing GI symptoms may reduce overall symptom burden and improve HRQoL for patients with HIV.

Burden and risk factors for gastrointestinal symptom distress in HIV patients in the modern antiretroviral era.

In the modern antiretroviral (ARV) era, there is limited knowledge about the prevalence and risk factors for HIV patient-reported gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms (diarrhoea/soft stool, nausea/vomiting, bloating/painful abdomen, loss of appetite, and weight loss/wasting) and distress. We prospectively analysed data (2007-2014) on distressing GI symptoms from the Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study, which follows people attending HIV clinics. Using generalized estimating equations with a logit link, we estimated the associations of psychosocial, demographic, behavioural, and clinical factors with each GI symptoms compared to asymptomatic and non-bothersome symptoms. Among 1532 included participants, 80.4% were male, mean age was 45 years, and 64.6% reported being men who have sex with men. Most were Caucasian (56.3%), a median time since HIV diagnosis of 9.8 years (interquartile range (IQR): 4.1-16.9), and 83.1% were on ARV. More than two-thirds (68.7% (95% confidence intervals (CI): 63.1% to 69.2%)) reported one or more symptoms with a median of 1.2 (IQR: 0-1.7). The proportion remained stable over time since HIV diagnosis and ARV initiation. Risk factors varied for multivariable models. A strong association with Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale scores of ≥23 was found for all symptoms. Adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) were 1.72 (1.39-2.12), 2.95 (2.33-3.72), 2.20 (1.81-2.68), 4.97 (3.99-6.19), and 2.98 (2.52-3.82) for diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting, bloating, loss of appetite, and weight loss, respectively. With the exception of bloating, odds were significantly lower for those on ARV containing integrase inhibitors and greater for patients reporting current cannabis use. GI symptoms in the modern ARV era are highly prevalent and may arise as a common pathway of distress in response to psychosocial vulnerabilities, regardless of the stage of diagnosis. These findings support the need for integrated approaches to address psychological and physical distress in HIV disease.

The role of people living with HIV as patient instructors - reducing stigma and improving interest around HIV care among medical students.

People living with HIV/AIDS (PHAs) are increasingly recognized as experts in HIV and their own health. We developed a simulated clinical encounter (SCE) in which medical students provided HIV pre- and post-test counselling and point-of-care HIV testing for PHAs as patient instructors (PHA-PIs) under clinical preceptor supervision. The study assessed the acceptability of this teaching tool with a focus on assessing impact on HIV-related stigma among medical students. University of Toronto pre-clerkship medical students participated in a series of SCEs facilitated by 16 PHA-PIs and 22 clinical preceptors. Pre- and post-SCE students completed the validated Health Care Provider HIV/AIDS Stigma Scale (HPASS). HPASS measures overall stigma, as well as three domains within HIV stigma: stereotyping, discrimination, and prejudice. Higher scores represented higher levels of stigma. An additional questionnaire measured comfort in providing HIV-related care. Mean scores and results of paired t-tests are presented. Post-SCE, students (n = 62) demonstrated decreased overall stigma (68.74 vs. 61.81, p < .001) as well as decreased stigma within each domain. Post-SCE, students (n = 67) reported increased comfort in providing HIV-related care (10.24 vs. 18.06, p < .001). Involving PHA-PIs reduced HIV-related stigma among medical students and increased comfort in providing HIV-related care.

A comparison of virological suppression and rebound between Indigenous and non-Indigenous persons initiating combination antiretroviral therapy in a multisite cohort of individuals living with HIV in Canada.

BACKGROUND: This study compared time to virological suppression and rebound between Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals living with HIV in Canada initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). METHODS: Data were from the Canadian Observational Cohort collaboration; eight studies of treatment-naive persons with HIV initiating cART after 1/1/2000. Fine and Gray models were used to estimate the effect of ethnicity on time to virological suppression (two consecutive viral loads [VLs] <50 copies/ml at least 3 months apart) after adjusting for the competing risk of death and time until virological rebound (two consecutive VLs >200 copies/ml at least 3 months apart) following suppression. RESULTS: Among 7,080 participants were 497 Indigenous persons of whom 413 (83%) were from British Columbia. The cumulative incidence of suppression 1 year after cART initiation was 54% for Indigenous persons, 77% for Caucasian and 80% for African, Caribbean or Black (ACB) persons. The cumulative incidence of rebound 1 year after suppression was 13% for Indigenous persons, 6% for Caucasian and 7% for ACB persons. Indigenous persons were less likely to achieve suppression than Caucasian participants (aHR=0.58, 95% CI 0.50, 0.68), but not more likely to experience rebound (aHR=1.03, 95% CI 0.84, 1.27) after adjusting for age, gender, injection drug use, men having sex with men status, province of residence, baseline VL and CD4+ T-cell count, antiretroviral class and year of cART initiation. CONCLUSIONS: Lower suppression rates among Indigenous persons suggest a need for targeted interventions to improve HIV health outcomes during the first year of treatment when suppression is usually achieved.

Social determinants of health and retention in HIV care in a clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada.

Continuous HIV care supports antiretroviral therapy initiation and adherence, and prolongs survival. We investigated the association of social determinants of health (SDH) and subsequent retention in HIV care in a clinical cohort in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study is a multi-site cohort of patients at 10 HIV clinics. Data were collected from medical charts, interviews, and via record linkage with the provincial public health laboratory for viral load tests. For participants interviewed in 2009, we used three-category multinomial logistic regression to identify predictors of retention in 2010-2012, defined as (1) continuous care (≥2 viral loads ≥90 days in all years; reference category); (2) discontinuous care (only 1 viral load/year in ≥1 year); and (3) a gap in care (≥1 year in 2010-2012 with no viral load). In total, 1838 participants were included. In 2010-2012, 71.7% had continuous care, 20.9% had discontinuous care, and 7.5% had a gap in care. Discontinuous care in 2009 was predictive (p < .0001) of future retention. SDH associated with discontinuous care were Indigenous ethnicity, being born in Canada, being employed, reporting hazardous drinking, and non-injection drug use. Being a heterosexual male was associated with having a gap in care, and being single and younger were associated with discontinuous care and a gap in care. Various SDH were associated with retention. Care discontinuity was highly predictive of future gaps. Targeted strategic interventions that better engage those at risk of suboptimal retention merit exploration. ABBREVIATIONS: AOR: adjusted odds ratio; ART: antiretroviral therapy; AUDIT: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test; CES-D: Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale; CIs: confidence intervals; HIV: human immunodeficiency virus; IQR: interquartile range; MSM: men who have sex with men; NA-ACCORD: North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design; OCS: Ontario HIV Treatment Network Cohort Study; OHTN: Ontario HIV Treatment Network; OR: odds ratio; PHOL: Public Health Ontario Laboratories; REB: Research Ethics Board; SDH: social determinants of health; US: United States.

Incidence of AIDS-Defining Opportunistic Infections in a Multicohort Analysis of HIV-infected Persons in the United States and Canada, 2000-2010.

BACKGROUND: There are few recent data on the rates of AIDS-defining opportunistic infections (OIs) among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients in care in the United States and Canada. METHODS: We studied HIV-infected participants in 16 cohorts in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) during 2000-2010. After excluding 16 737 (21%) with any AIDS-defining clinical events documented before NA-ACCORD enrollment, we analyzed incident OIs among the remaining 63 541 persons, most of whom received antiretroviral therapy during the observation. We calculated incidence rates per 100 person-years of observation (hereafter, "person-years") with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the first occurrence of any OI and select individual OIs during 2000-2003, 2004-2007, and 2008-2010. RESULTS: A total of 63 541 persons contributed 261 573 person-years, of whom 5836 (9%) developed at least 1 OI. The incidence rate of any first OI decreased over the 3 observation periods, with 3.0 cases, 2.4 cases, and 1.5 cases per 100 person-years of observation during 2000-2003, 2004-2007, and 2008-2010, respectively (Ptrend<.001); the rates of most individual OIs decreased as well. During 2008-2010, the leading OIs included Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia, esophageal candidiasis, and disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex or Mycobacterium kansasii infection. CONCLUSIONS: For HIV-infected persons in care during 2000-2010, rates of first OI were relatively low and generally declined over this time.

A picture is worth a thousand words: maps of HIV indicators to inform research, programs, and policy from NA-ACCORD and CCASAnet clinical cohorts.

INTRODUCTION: Maps are powerful tools for visualization of differences in health indicators by geographical region, but multi-country maps of HIV indicators do not exist, perhaps due to lack of consistent data across countries. Our objective was to create maps of four HIV indicators in North, Central, and South American countries. METHODS: Using data from the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD) and the Caribbean, Central, and South America network for HIV epidemiology (CCASAnet), we mapped median CD4 at presentation for HIV clinical care, proportion retained in HIV primary care, proportion prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART), and the proportion with suppressed plasma HIV viral load (VL) from 2010 to 2012 for North, Central, and South America. The 15 Canadian and US clinical cohorts and 7 clinical cohorts in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru represented approximately 2-7% of persons known to be living with HIV in these countries. RESULTS: Study populations were selected for each indicator: median CD4 at presentation for care was estimated among 14,811 adults; retention was estimated among 87,979 adults; ART use was estimated among 84,757 adults; and suppressed VL was estimated among 51,118 adults. Only three US states and the District of Columbia had a median CD4 at presentation >350 cells/mm(3). Haiti, Mexico, and several states had >85% retention in care; lower (50-74%) retention in care was observed in the US West, South, and Mid-Atlantic, and in Argentina, Brazil, and Peru. ART use was highest (90%) in Mexico. The percentages of patients with suppressed VL in the US South and Northeast were lower than in most of Central and South America. CONCLUSIONS: These maps provide visualization of gaps in the quality of HIV care and allow for comparison between and within countries as well as monitoring policy and programme goals within geographical boundaries.