Mortality Among Children Aged <5 Years Living with HIV Who Are Receiving Antiretroviral Treatment - U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, 28 Supported Countries and Regions, October 2020-September 2022.

Globally, children aged <5 years, including those living with HIV who are not receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART), experience disproportionately high mortality. Global mortality among children living with HIV aged <5 years receiving ART is not well described. This report compares mortality and related clinical measures among infants aged <1 year and children aged 1-4 years living with HIV with those among older persons aged 5-14, 15-49, and ≥50 years living with HIV receiving ART services at all clinical sites supported by the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. During October 2020-September 2022, an average of 11,980 infants aged <1 year and 105,510 children aged 1-4 years were receiving ART each quarter; among these infants and children receiving ART, 586 (4.9%) and 2,684 (2.5%), respectively, were reported to have died annually. These proportions of infants and children who died ranged from four to nine times higher in infants aged <1 year, and two to five times higher in children aged 1-4 years, than the proportions of older persons aged ≥5 years receiving ART. Compared with persons aged ≥5 years living with HIV, the proportions of children aged <5 years living with HIV who experienced interruptions in treatment were also higher, and the proportions who had a documented HIV viral load result or a suppressed viral load were lower. Prioritizing and optimizing HIV and general health services for children aged <5 years living with HIV receiving ART, including those recommended in the WHO STOP AIDS Package, might help address these disproportionately poorer outcomes.

Monitoring Emerging Human Immunodeficiency Virus Drug Resistance in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Era of Dolutegravir.

Dolutegravir-based regimens are now standard of care for human immunodeficiency virus treatment for millions of people around sub-Saharan Africa. To ensure its continued efficacy, monitoring of emerging drug resistance that inform a treatment strategy among those failing is crucial. In this report, we outline the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to leverage viral load infrastructure to implement effective drug resistance surveillance in the countries it supports.

Changing trends in the microvascular reconstruction and oral rehabilitation following maxillary cancer.

PURPOSE: The maxillectomy defect is complex and the best means to achieve optimal reconstruction, and dental rehabilitation is a source of debate. The refinements in zygomatic implant techniques have altered the means and speed by which rehabilitation can be achieved and has also influenced the choice regarding ideal flap reconstruction. The aim of this study is to report on how the method of reconstruction and oral rehabilitation of the maxilla has changed since 1994 in our Institution, and to reflect on case mix and survival. METHODS: Consecutive head and neck oncology cases involving maxillary resections over a 27-year period between January 1994 and November 2020 were identified from hospital records and previous studies. Case note review focussed on clinical characteristics, reconstruction, prosthetic rehabilitation, and survival. RESULTS: There were 186 patients and the tumour sites were: alveolus for 56% (104), hard palate for 19% (35), maxillary sinus for 18% (34) and nasal for 7% (13). 52% (97) were Brown class 2 defects. Forty-five patients were managed by obturation and 78% (142/183) had free tissue transfer. The main flaps used were radial (52), anterolateral thigh (27), DCIA (22), scapula (13) and fibula (11). There were significant changes over time regarding reconstruction type, use of primary implants, type of dental restoration, and length of hospital stay. Overall survival after 24 months was 64% (SE 4%) and after 60 months was 42% (SE 4%). CONCLUSION: These data reflect a shift in the reconstruction of the maxillary defect afforded by the utilisation of zygomatic implants.

Drug Resistance Mutations Among South African Children Living With HIV on WHO-recommended ART Regimens.

BACKGROUND: Children living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (CLHIV) receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in resource-limited settings are susceptible to high rates of acquired HIV drug resistance (HIVDR), but few studies include children initiating age-appropriate World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended first-line regimens. We report data from a cohort of ART-naive South African children who initiated first-line ART. METHODS: ART-eligible CLHIV aged 0-12 years were enrolled from 2012 to 2014 at 5 public South African facilities and were followed for up to 24 months. Enrolled CLHIV received standard-of-care WHO-recommended first-line ART. At the final study visit, a dried blood spot sample was obtained for viral load and genotypic resistance testing. RESULTS: Among 72 successfully genotyped CLHIV, 49 (68.1%) received ABC/3TC/LPV/r, and 23 (31.9%) received ABC/3TC/EFV. All but 2 children on ABC/3TC/LPV/r were <3 years, and all CLHIV on ABC/3TC/EFV were ≥3 years. Overall, 80.6% (58/72) had at least one drug resistance mutation (DRM). DRMs to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) were found among 65% and 51% of all CLHIV, respectively, with no statistical difference by ART regimen. More CLHIV on ABC/3TC/EFV, 47.8% (11/23), were found to have 0 or only 1 effective antiretroviral drug remaining in their current regimen compared to 8.2% (4/49) on ABC/3TC/LPV/r. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of NNRTI and NRTI DRMs among CLHIV receiving ABC/3TC/LPV/r suggests a lasting impact of failed mother-to-child transmission interventions on DRMs. However, drug susceptibility analysis reveals that CLHIV with detectable viremia on ABC/3TC/LPV/r are more likely to have maintained at least 2 effective agents on their current HIV regimen than those on ABC/3TC/EFV.

Zygomatic implant-based rehabilitation for patients with maxillary and mid-facial oncology defects: A review.

OBJECTIVES: This literature review reports the current evidence for the use of zygomatic implants in head and neck oncology patients for the prosthetic rehabilitation of defects of the mid-face and maxilla. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched using strict search terms. Two independent reviewers reviewed the articles and applied inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Literature search revealed 437 articles, and following application of the inclusion criteria, 32 articles were included for analysis. Overall survival rates of 77%-100% were reported with few complications, although only four centres presented data on 20 or more patients. Primary implant placement at time of resective surgery has been shown to be an effective means of accelerating rehabilitation along with early loading protocols. The role of radiotherapy in implant failure has not been fully elucidated, and it is clear that zygomatic implants can be successfully used in the irradiated patient. Providing support for maxillary obturators was the most common use reported with both splinted and unsplinted implants. CONCLUSIONS: Zygomatic implants provide remote anchorage for a variety of oral and facial prostheses that contribute to the improved function and quality of life for patients being treated for maxillary and mid-facial tumours.

HIV Care Continuum among Postpartum Women Living with HIV in Atlanta.

Introduction: While increased healthcare engagement and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence occurs during pregnancy, women living with HIV (WLWH) are often lost to follow-up after delivery. We sought to evaluate postpartum retention in care and viral suppression and to identify associated factors among WLWH in a large public hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. Methods: Data from the time of entry into prenatal care until 24 months postpartum were collected by chart review from WLWH who delivered with ≥20 weeks gestational age from 2011 to 2016. Primary outcomes were retention in HIV care (two HIV care visits or viral load measurements >90 days apart) and viral suppression (<200 copies/mL) at 12 and 24 months postpartum. Obstetric and contraception data were also collected. Results: Among 207 women, 80% attended an HIV primary care visit in a mean 124 days after delivery. At 12 and 24 months, respectively, 47% and 34% of women were retained in care and 41% and 30% of women were virally suppressed. Attending an HIV care visit within 90 days postpartum was associated with retention in care at 12 months (aOR 3.66, 95%CI 1.72-7.77) and 24 months (aOR 4.71, 95%CI 2.00-11.10) postpartum. Receiving ART at pregnancy diagnosis (aOR 2.29, 95%CI 1.11-4.74), viral suppression at delivery (aOR 3.44, 95%CI 1.39-8.50), and attending an HIV care visit within 90 days postpartum (aOR 2.40, 95%CI 1.12-5.16) were associated with 12-month viral suppression, and older age (aOR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01-1.18) was associated with 24-month viral suppression. Conclusions: Long-term retention in HIV care and viral suppression are low in this population of postpartum WLWH. Prompt transition to HIV care in the postpartum period was the strongest predictor of optimal HIV outcomes. Efforts supporting women during the postpartum transition from obstetric to HIV primary care may improve long-term HIV outcomes in women.

Long term engagement in HIV care among postpartum women with perinatal HIV infection in the United States.

Despite growing literature on pregnancy in women with perinatally-acquired HIV infection (PHIV), little is known regarding HIV and reproductive health outcomes postpartum. We describe pregnancy, reproductive, and HIV care outcomes for 2 years postpartum among pregnant women with PHIV who delivered in a large urban health system in Atlanta, Georgia, USA from 2011-2016. We reviewed medical records of women with PHIV to estimate retention in HIV care (two HIV care visits or viral load measurements >90 days apart) and viral suppression (<200 copies/mL) at 12 and 24 months postpartum. Among 22 pregnant women with PHIV, 13 (59%) had a CD4 count of less than 300 cells/mm3 at the time of antenatal care entry; most (n = 13, 59%) women achieved viral suppression at time of delivery. Three quarters of women attended a postpartum HIV primary care visit, within an average of 193 (range 17-727) days. Only 4 (20%) women were retained and 3 (15%) virally suppressed at 12 postpartum, and 2 (12%) were retained and none virally suppressed at 24 months. Despite the unique challenges they face, multidisciplinary efforts are needed to engage women with PHIV during pregnancy and facilitate the transition to sustained HIV primary care in the postpartum period.

Rehabilitating a severely worn dentition with removable prosthodontics.

In the next part of this series on tooth wear management, we discuss the indications and clinical stages for the provision of removable prostheses for the treatment of severely worn and depleted dentitions. The general design features of a complex prosthesis are described for reorganised occlusal schemes and maintenance guidelines are explained. In addition, the clinical stages for three different situations are described: removable-only approaches, and combined fixed and removable in the same arch and separate arches. The value of providing removable prostheses in worn dentitions allows the immediate rehabilitation of severely worn teeth taking a non-invasive and retrievable approach when the remaining dentition is of poor quality or structure and/or there are missing teeth.

HIV Viral Load Scale-up Among Children and Adolescents: Trends in Viral Load Suppression, Sample Type and Processing in 7 PEPFAR Countries, 2015-2018.

HIV-positive children and adolescents face gaps in viral load (VL) testing. To understand trends in pediatric/adolescent VL testing, 7 countries collected data from Laboratory Information Management Systems. Results showed increasing proportion of VL tests done through dried blood spot (DBS) and decreased sample rejection rates for DBS compared with plasma, supporting use of DBS VL when skilled phlebotomy is unavailable.

Pharmacist integration into the medical home: qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the acceptance and attitudes of family medicine physicians, clinical and nonclinical office staff, pharmacists, and patients during pharmacist integration into a medical home. DESIGN: Qualitative study. SETTING: Pittsburgh, PA, area from August 2009 to June 2010. PARTICIPANTS: Physicians, staff, pharmacists, and patients at four single-specialty family medicine office practices functioning as medical homes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Attitudes, acceptance, barriers, and problems identified by participants. RESULTS: A total of 84 interviews were conducted: 21 interviews with family medicine physicians, 26 with patient care staff, 9 with nonclinical staff, 13 with patients, 6 with pharmacists, and 8 with office managers. Five main themes emerged from each group regarding the integration of a pharmacist, including positive overall feeling; clinical, educational, and time-saving benefits to the various groups; challenges understanding the role of the pharmacist; improved workflow and integration resulting from pharmacist flexibility and motivation; and suggestions to increase the pharmacists' time in each office. Pharmacists felt that they were accepted within 6 months of the integration process and that time management was a challenge. CONCLUSION: Participants felt that inclusion of a pharmacist into their practice improves the quality of patient care, provides a valuable resource for all providers and staff, and empowers patients. The initial concerns of the clinical and nonclinical staff disappeared within the first months of pharmacist integration. These results provide guidance to clinicians and insight into strategies for building a pharmacist-integrated medical home team.

Improved Perinatal and Postpartum Human Immunodeficiency Virus Outcomes After Use of a Perinatal Care Coordination Team.

In a high-volume clinic in the Southeastern United States, pregnant women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) had improved HIV outcomes up to 6 months after delivery following the introduction of a multidisciplinary perinatal care coordination team.

"Flipped classrooms" in training in maxillofacial surgery: preparation before the traditional didactic lecture?

While virtual learning environments (VLE) can be used in medical education as stand-alone educational interventions, they can also be used in preparation for traditional "face-to-face" training sessions as part of a "flipped classroom" model. We sought to evaluate the introduction of this model in a single module on maxillofacial radiology from a course on trauma skills. Course delegates were randomised into two groups: one was given access to an e-learning resource (test group) and the other attended a traditional didactic lecture (control group). Knowledge and confidence were assessed before and after the course with a 20-question single-best-answer paper and a 10-situation 100mm visual analogue scale (VAS) paper, respectively. All participants were then given free access to the VLE for 30days and were invited to take part in an e-survey. Neither group showed improvements in the single-best-answer scores, but both groups showed comparable improvements in VAS (control: median (range) values improved from 40.8 (17.7-82.5) mm to 62.8 (35.3-88.7) mm, p=0.001; test group: from 47.7 (10.9-58.1) mm to 60.5 (32.4-75.6) mm, p=0.005). Half of the respondents stated that they preferred the "flipped classroom" approach, and 22/22 stated that they would be "likely" or "very likely" to use an e-learning resource with expanded content. The "flipped classroom" approach was well received and there were comparable improvements in confidence. As maxillofacial radiology lends itself to online instruction with its reliance on the recognition of patterns, and problem-based approach to learning, a piloted e-learning resource could be developed in this area.

Transition of youth living with HIV from pediatric to adult-oriented healthcare: a review of the literature.

Due to advances in antiretroviral therapy, most HIV-infected children and youth now survive into adulthood. Many experts and professional societies have expressed concern about potential disruptions to care when youth living with HIV transition from pediatric to adult-oriented medical care. However, original research focused on this transition process is rare. The existing literature can be organized into the following categories: pre-transition assessments of anticipated barriers and concerns; studies describing provider practices during the transition period; and post-transition retrospective analyses after transition to adult care. Most studies had small sample sizes and focused on vertically infected youth. Further work is needed to document clinical outcomes after transition and to evaluate transition protocols that are in place at some institutions.

A case study examination of the impact of lawsuits on website accessibility.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of lawsuits on the accessibility of company websites. METHOD: Convenience samples of websites for America Online (AOL), Southwest Airlines, Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), Priceline.com, and Claire's were evaluated for years surrounding their respective lawsuits. The results of each website were compared to a random control group of websites and to a reference website (of a similarly sized company that has not been sued and is in the same industry). Where possible, two archived instances of each website were collected per year. Accessibility was measured using the Web Accessibility Barrier (WAB) metric to evaluate the homepage and pages at level 1. Analysis of variance was computed on the common periods between each pairing of sued and reference websites. RESULTS: The case studies demonstrate mixed evidence that lawsuits work. In the cases of MARTA, Southwest and Priceline, there is supporting evidence that lawsuits have been successful. In the cases of AOL and Claire's, the evidence is weaker. CONCLUSION: This case study examination shows mixed evidence that lawsuits work to force companies to modify their websites to be more accessible to people with disabilities: three cases show evidence for the success and two show weaker supporting evidence.