Pregnancy outcomes in young mothers with perinatally and behaviorally acquired HIV infections in Rio de Janeiro.

BACKGROUND: Perinatally HIV-infected children are surviving into adulthood, and getting pregnant. There is a scarcity of information on health and pregnancy outcomes in these women. AIM: To evaluate characteristics related to HIV disease and pregnancy outcomes in perinatally infected women, and to compare these women with a group of youth with behaviorally acquired HIV-infection, at a reference hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS: A cohort study. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between perinatally (PHIV) and behaviorally HIV-infected (BHIV) pregnant youth with the primary aim to study pregnancy outcomes in the PHIV group and compare with outcomes to BHIV group. RESULTS: Thirty-two pregnancies occurred in PHIV group, and 595 in BHIV group. A total of seven (22%) PHIV women and 64 (11%) BHIV women had a premature delivery (p=0.04), however, when adjusting for younger age at pregnancy, and antiretroviral therapy initiation in 1st trimester of pregnancy (OR=18.66, 95%CI=5.52-63.14), the difference was no longer significant. No cases of mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) were observed in the PHIV group while there was a 2% MTCT rate in BHIV group. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy among PHIV was as safe as among BHIV. The differences between those groups were probably related to treatment and prolonged care in the first group.

Pregnancy outcomes in young mothers with perinatally and behaviorally acquired HIV infections in Rio de Janeiro

ABSTRACT Background: Perinatally HIV-infected children are surviving into adulthood, and getting pregnant. There is a scarcity of information on health and pregnancy outcomes in these women. Aim: To evaluate characteristics related to HIV disease and pregnancy outcomes in perinatally infected women, and to compare these women with a group of youth with behaviorally acquired HIV-infection, at a reference hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Methods: A cohort study. Epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory data were compared between perinatally (PHIV) and behaviorally HIV-infected (BHIV) pregnant youth with the primary aim to study pregnancy outcomes in the PHIV group and compare with outcomes to BHIV group. Results: Thirty-two pregnancies occurred in PHIV group, and 595 in BHIV group. A total of seven (22%) PHIV women and 64 (11%) BHIV women had a premature delivery (p = 0.04), however, when adjusting for younger age at pregnancy, and antiretroviral therapy initiation in 1st trimester of pregnancy (OR = 18.66, 95%CI = 5.52-63.14), the difference was no longer significant. No cases of mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) were observed in the PHIV group while there was a 2% MTCT rate in BHIV group. Conclusion: Pregnancy among PHIV was as safe as among BHIV. The differences between those groups were probably related to treatment and prolonged care in the first group.

HIV-Infected Subjects With Poor CD4 T-Cell Recovery Despite Effective Therapy Express High Levels of OX40 and α4ß7 on CD4 T-Cells Prior Therapy Initiation.

BACKGROUND: HIV-infected subjects with suboptimal CD4 restoration despite suppressive combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) (immunodiscordant subjects) have been classically characterized after a variable period of time under cART. Recently, we have reported that an increased frequency of proliferating CD4 T-cells in these subjects is already present before the cART onset. The potential contribution of peripheral compensatory homeostatic proliferation (HP) is yet unknown. We aimed to analyze the expression of HP-related cellular markers on CD4 T-cells of immunodiscordant subjects before cART. METHODS: We analyzed the expression of OX40 and α4ß7 on peripheral CD4 T-cells from immunodiscordant and control subjects (n = 21 each group) before cART initiation, and also on available follow-up samples (after 24 month of suppressive cART). Additionally, we tested the expression of these markers in an in vitro system for the study of human HP processes. RESULTS: Immunodiscordant subjects showed increased levels of OX40 and α4ß7 on CD4 T-cells before cART initiation. While the cART tended to reduce these levels, immunodiscordant subjects still maintained comparatively higher levels of OX40 and α4ß7 after 24 months under suppressive cART. These HP-related markers were upregulated in vitro during the human HP, especially during the fast HP. CONCLUSION: Our results are compatible with exacerbated HP processes in immunodiscordant subjects, already before the cART onset.

Association between a Suppressive Combined Antiretroviral Therapy Containing Maraviroc and the Hepatitis B Virus Vaccine Response.

The response to the HBV vaccine in HIV-infected patients is deficient. Our aim was to analyze whether a suppressive combined antiretroviral treatment (cART) containing maraviroc (MVC-cART) was associated with a better response to HBV vaccine. Fifty-seven patients on suppressor cART were administered the HBV vaccine. The final response, the early response, and the maintenance of the response were assessed. An anti-HBs titer of >10 mIU/ml was considered a positive response. A subgroup of subjects was simultaneously vaccinated against hepatitis A virus (HAV). Lineal regression analyses were performed to determine demographic, clinical, and immunological factors associated with the anti-HBs titer. Vaccine response was achieved in 90% of the subjects. After 1 year, 81% maintained protective titers. Only simultaneous HAV vaccination was independently associated with the magnitude of the response in anti-HBs titers, with a P value of 0.045 and a regression coefficient (B) [95% confident interval (CI)] of 236 [5 to 468]. In subjects ≤50 years old (n = 42), MVC-cART was independently associated with the magnitude of the response (P = 0.009; B [95% CI], 297 [79 to 516]) together with previous vaccination and simultaneous HAV vaccination. High rates of HBV vaccine response can be achieved by revaccination, simultaneous HAV vaccination, and administration of cARTs including MVC. MVC may be considered for future vaccination protocols in patients on suppressive cART.

Heterosexual risk of HIV transmission per sexual act under combined antiretroviral therapy: systematic review and bayesian modeling.

BACKGROUND: Although essential for patient counseling and quality of life of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals, the risk of HIV transmission during 1 unprotected sex act with an HIV-infected person under combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) remains unknown. METHODS: We reviewed systematically the literature for studies on HIV transmission among heterosexual HIV-serodiscordant couples, where the infected partner was on cART, with regular virological monitoring, reporting on condom use and sexual activity. We used Bayesian statistics to combine data from selected studies, to investigate the per-act risk of HIV transmission through unprotected sex with an HIV-infected person on cART for >6 months. RESULTS: At most, 1 HIV transmission, over an estimated 113 480 sex acts, of which 17% were not condom protected, was reported within 1672 HIV-serodiscordant couples where the index partner had been treated for >6 months. Data were insufficient to determine whether the reported transmission occurred before or after 6 months of cART. We estimated the upper-bound per-act risk of HIV transmission at either 8.7 or 13:100 000, depending on whether the transmission occurred before or after 6 months of cART. These estimates applied whether or not index partners were virally suppressed. Estimating an upper-bound risk <1:100 000 would require observing no HIV transmission while collecting >12 times the available amount of data. CONCLUSIONS: Available data do not support zero risk of HIV transmission under cART. The per-act risk of HIV transmission through unprotected sex with HIV-infected individuals on cART in comprehensive care for >6 months (whether or not virally suppressed) is <13:100 000. Estimating a 10-fold lower upper-bound risk may be unfeasible due to high condom use among HIV-serodiscordant couples in most research studies.