Prednisone for the Prevention of Paradoxical Tuberculosis-Associated IRIS.

BACKGROUND: Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients who have tuberculosis reduces mortality among patients with low CD4 counts, but it increases the risk of paradoxical tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). METHODS: We conducted this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess whether prophylactic prednisone can safely reduce the incidence of paradoxical tuberculosis-associated IRIS in patients at high risk for the syndrome. We enrolled HIV-infected patients who were initiating ART (and had not previously received ART), had started tuberculosis treatment within 30 days before initiating ART, and had a CD4 count of 100 cells or fewer per microliter. Patients received either prednisone (at a dose of 40 mg per day for 14 days, then 20 mg per day for 14 days) or placebo. The primary end point was the development of tuberculosis-associated IRIS within 12 weeks after initiating ART, as adjudicated by an independent committee. RESULTS: Among the 240 patients who were enrolled, the median age was 36 (interquartile range, 30 to 42), 60% were men, and 73% had microbiologically confirmed tuberculosis; the median CD4 count was 49 cells per microliter (interquartile range, 24 to 86), and the median HIV type 1 RNA viral load was 5.5 log10 copies per milliliter (interquartile range, 5.2 to 5.9). A total of 120 patients were assigned to each group, and 18 patients were lost to follow-up or withdrew. Tuberculosis-associated IRIS was diagnosed in 39 patients (32.5%) in the prednisone group and in 56 (46.7%) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51 to 0.96; P=0.03). Open-label glucocorticoids were prescribed to treat tuberculosis-associated IRIS in 16 patients (13.3%) in the prednisone group and in 34 (28.3%) in the placebo group (relative risk, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.27 to 0.81). There were five deaths in the prednisone group and four in the placebo group (P=1.00). Severe infections (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome-defining illnesses or invasive bacterial infections) occurred in 11 patients in the prednisone group and in 18 patients in the placebo group (P=0.23). One case of Kaposi's sarcoma occurred in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Prednisone treatment during the first 4 weeks after the initiation of ART for HIV infection resulted in a lower incidence of tuberculosis-associated IRIS than placebo, without evidence of an increased risk of severe infections or cancers. (Funded by the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership and others; PredART ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01924286 .).

Diagnostic Accuracy of the INSHI Consensus Case Definition for the Diagnosis of Paradoxical Tuberculosis-IRIS.

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of paradoxical tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS) relies on characteristic clinical features synthesized as the International Network for the Study of HIV-associated IRIS (INSHI) case definition. There is no confirmatory laboratory test. SETTING: Site B HIV-TB clinic in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, South Africa. METHODS: Using data of participants with HIV-associated tuberculosis starting antiretroviral treatment from a prospective trial evaluating prednisone for TB-IRIS prevention, we applied latent class analysis to model a gold standard for TB-IRIS. The model-predicted probability of TB-IRIS for each participant was used to assess the performance of the INSHI case definition and compare its diagnostic accuracy with several adapted case definitions. RESULTS: Data for this analysis were complete for 217 participants; 41% developed TB-IRIS. Our latent class model included the following parameters: respiratory symptoms; night sweats; INSHI major criteria 1, 2, and 4; maximum C-reactive protein >90 mg/L; maximum heart rate >120/min; maximum temperature >37.7°C; and preantiretroviral therapy CD4 count <50 cells/µL. The model estimated a TB-IRIS incidence of 43% and had optimal goodness of fit (χ2 = 337, P = 1.0). The INSHI case definition displayed a sensitivity of 0.77 and a specificity of 0.86. Replacing all the minor INSHI criteria with objectives measures (C-reactive protein elevation, fever, and/or tachycardia) resulted in a definition with better diagnostic accuracy, with a sensitivity of 0.89 and a specificity of 0.88. CONCLUSION: The INSHI case definition identifies TB-IRIS with reasonable accuracy. Amending the case definition by replacing INSHI minor criteria with objective variables improved sensitivity without loss of specificity.

Preventing Paradoxical Tuberculosis-Associated Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome in High-Risk Patients: Protocol of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Prednisone (PredART Trial).

BACKGROUND: Early antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in patients diagnosed with HIV-associated tuberculosis (TB) reduces mortality among those with the lowest CD4 counts. At the same time, both early ART and a low CD4 count heighten the risk of paradoxical TB-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS). TB is common in patients starting ART in sub-Saharan Africa. Safe interventions that reduce the incidence or severity of TB-IRIS are needed. Prednisone has been shown to reduce symptoms and markers of inflammation when used to treat TB-IRIS. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether prophylactic prednisone in patients at high risk for paradoxical TB-IRIS initiating ART reduces the incidence of TB-IRIS. METHODS: We are conducting a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of prophylactic prednisone (40 mg/day for 2 weeks, followed by 20 mg/day for 2 weeks) initiated at the same time as ART in patients at high risk for TB-IRIS (starting ART within 30 days of TB treatment and CD4 count ≤100/µL). The primary endpoint is development of TB-IRIS, defined using an international consensus case definition. Secondary endpoints include time to TB-IRIS event, severity of TB-IRIS, quality of life, mortality, hospitalization, other infections and malignancies, and adverse events including corticosteroid adverse effects. RESULTS: Enrollment for the trial began in August 2013. All 240 participants have been enrolled, and safety follow-up will be completed in March 2017. CONCLUSION: No preventive strategies for TB-IRIS currently exist. If results of this trial demonstrate the efficacy and safety of prednisone, this will provide clinicians with an evidence-based preventive strategy in patients at high risk for paradoxical TB-IRIS when initiating ART.