Eligibility for differentiated models of HIV treatment service delivery: an estimate from Malawi and Zambia.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the proportion of HIV-positive clients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) who meet stability criteria for differentiated service delivery (DSD) models. We report the proportion of ART clients meeting stability criteria as part of screening for a randomized trial of multimonth dispensing in Malawi and Zambia. METHODS: For a DSD trial now underway, we screened HIV-positive clients aged at least 18 years presenting for HIV treatment in 30 adult ART clinics in Malawi and Zambia to determine eligibility for DSD. Stability was defined as on first-line ART (efavirenz/tenofovir/lamivudine) for at least 6 months, no ART side effects, no toxicity or infectious complications, no noncommunicable diseases being treated in ART clinic, no lapses in ART adherence in the prior 6 months (>30 days without taking ART), and if female, not pregnant or breastfeeding. RESULTS: In total, 3465 adult ART clients were approached between 10 May 2017 and 30 April 2018 (Malawi: 1680; Zambia: 1785). Of the 2938 who answered screening questions (Malawi: 1527; Zambia: 1411), 2173 (73.5%) met criteria for DSD eligibility (Malawi: 72.8%; Zambia: 74.3%). The most common reasons for ineligibility were being on ART less than 6 months (9.6%) and a regimen other than standard first-line (7.9%). CONCLUSION: Approximately three-quarters of all adult clients presenting at ART clinics in Malawi and Zambia were eligible for DSD using a typical definition of stability. High uptake of DSD models by eligible clients would have a major impact on the infrastructure and the allocation of HIV treatment resources.

Normative biometry of the fetal brain using magnetic resonance imaging.

The fetal brain shows accelerated growth in the latter half of gestation, and these changes can be captured by 2D and 3D biometry measurements. The aim of this study was to quantify brain growth in normal fetuses using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and to produce reference biometry data and a freely available centile calculator ( https://www.developingbrain.co.uk/fetalcentiles/ ). A total of 127 MRI examinations (1.5 T) of fetuses with a normal brain appearance (21-38 gestational weeks) were included in this study. 2D and 3D biometric parameters were measured from slice-to-volume reconstructed images, including 3D measurements of supratentorial brain tissue, lateral ventricles, cortex, cerebellum and extra-cerebral CSF and 2D measurements of brain biparietal diameter and fronto-occipital length, skull biparietal diameter and occipitofrontal diameter, head circumference, transverse cerebellar diameter, extra-cerebral CSF, ventricular atrial diameter, and vermis height, width, and area. Centiles were constructed for each measurement. All participants were invited for developmental follow-up. All 2D and 3D measurements, except for atrial diameter, showed a significant positive correlation with gestational age. There was a sex effect on left and total lateral ventricular volumes and the degree of ventricular asymmetry. The 5th, 50th, and 95th centiles and a centile calculator were produced. Developmental follow-up was available for 73.1% of cases [mean chronological age 27.4 (±10.2) months]. We present normative reference charts for fetal brain MRI biometry at 21-38 gestational weeks. Developing growth trajectories will aid in the better understanding of normal fetal brain growth and subsequently of deviations from typical development in high-risk pregnancies or following premature delivery.