Effects of Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy on Progression Along the HIV Care Continuum in Transgender Women.

BACKGROUND: Progression along the HIV care continuum has been a key focus for improving outcomes for people with HIV (PWH). Transgender women with HIV (TGWWH) have not made the same progress as their cisgender counterparts. METHODS: All PWH identifying as transgender women receiving care at our clinic from 1/1/2015 to 12/31/2019 were identified from the electronic health records (EHRs) using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Demographics, laboratory data, prescription of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), and visit history were abstracted from the EHR. Retention in care and viral suppression were defined using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definitions. The proportions of TGWWH who were consistently retained in care or virally suppressed over time were calculated using a binary response generalized mixed model including random effects and correlated errors. RESULTS: Of the 76 PWH identified by ICD codes, 2 were excluded for identifying as cisgender and 15 for insufficient records, leaving 59 TGWWH included for analysis. Patients were on average 35 years old and Black (86%), with a median CD4 count of 464 cells/µL. There were 13 patients on GAHT at study entry and 31 receiving GAHT at any point during the study period. Fifty-five percent were virally suppressed at study entry and 86% at GAHT initiation. The proportion of TGWWH who were consistently virally suppressed over time was greater among those receiving GAHT compared with those who were not (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Rates of viral suppression were significantly greater among TGWWH receiving GAHT when compared with those who were not. More research to evaluate the reasons behind this effect is needed.

Vitamin D and calcium abnormalities in the HIV-infected population.

The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among HIV-infected persons is substantial and comparable to the general population. The factors associated with vitamin D deficiency are similar for both populations but additional factors (ie, use of certain antiretroviral agents) also contribute to vitamin D deficiency among HIV-infected persons. The adverse outcomes associated with vitamin D deficiency considerably overlap with non-AIDS defining illnesses (NADIs) that are increasingly becoming widespread in the aging HIV-infected population. However, there is scant evidence to support any causal inference. Further studies are warranted as efforts to identify and address modifiable risk factors contributing to NADIs continue.

Improving cervical cancer screening rates in an urban HIV clinic.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected women are at increased risk of invasive cervical cancer; however, screening rates remain low. The objectives of this study were to analyze a quality improvement intervention to increase cervical cancer screening rates in an urban academic HIV clinic and to identify factors associated with inadequate screening. Barriers to screening were identified by a multidisciplinary quality improvement committee at the Washington University Infectious Diseases clinic. Several strategies were developed to address these barriers. The years pre- and post-implementation were analyzed to examine the clinical impact of the intervention. A total of 422 women were seen in both the pre-implementation and post-implementation periods. In the pre-implementation period, 222 women (53%) underwent cervical cancer screening in the form of Papanicolaou (Pap) testing. In the post-implementation period, 318 women (75.3%) underwent cervical cancer screening (p < 0.01). Factors associated with lack of screening included fewer visits attended (pre: 4.2 ± 1.5; post: 3.4 ± 1.4; p < 0.01). A multidisciplinary quality improvement intervention was successful in overcoming barriers and increasing cervical cancer screening rates in an urban academic HIV clinic.

Identifying risk factors for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders using the international HIV dementia scale.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND) persist despite great advancements in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). The gold standard for diagnosing cognitive impairment consists of a time-consuming neuropsychological battery of tests given by a trained neuropsychologist, however in the outpatient HIV clinic this is not feasible. The International HIV Dementia Scale (IHDS) was developed to help identify individuals with cognitive impairment in the outpatient setting. The IHDS is moderately sensitive for detecting more symptomatic forms of HAND but sensitivity has been shown to be poor in mild impairment. The IHDS has not been evaluated in developed countries in large cohort populations. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study of only HIV+ individuals in an urban clinic and evaluated the prevalence of HAND and associated risk factors for cognitive impairment using the IHDS. A total of 507 HIV+ individuals participated in the study of which the majority were male (65 %) and African American (68 %); and 41 % had cognitive impairment. On multivariate analysis, African American race (p = 2.21), older age (p = 1.03), high school education or less (p = 2.03) and depression (p = 1.05) were associated with cognitive impairment. The high prevalence of HAND in this group suggests that more severe forms of HAND persist despite cART. Identified risk factors were non-HIV-related and suggest that environmental and sociodemographic factors have a significant impact on cognitive functioning and should be given more attention. The IHDS should be further evaluated in large cohort HIV+ and HIV- populations in the United States, as there remains a significant need to identify an effective brief screening tool for cognitive impairment.

Pseudotumor of the tracheal-laryngeal junction with unusual morphologic features caused by Rhodococcus equi infection.

Infectious pseudotumors are unusual proliferations of histiocytes in response to certain microbial organisms. Occasionally this process may involve large airways, producing a mass lesion that may cause respiratory obstruction. Infectious pseudotumors can be confused with malignancy in their radiologic appearance and clinical presentation. We present a case of an aggressive endotracheal pseudotumor associated with Rhodococcus equi infection in a patient with advanced HIV disease. Microscopically, the lesion was composed of sheets of epithelioid histiocytes with large, strongly eosinophilic intra-cytoplasmic granules and features of malakoplakia. In this report, we review the literature of these unusual lesions and compare them to cases of conventional malakoplakia involving the large airways. We also explore the pathogenetic mechanisms that may contribute to the distinctive histologic appearance of Rhodococcus-associated pseudotumors.