Dataset Information

Representation of women and pregnant women in HIV research: a limited systematic review.

ABSTRACT:

Background

HIV-related outcomes may be affected by biological sex and by pregnancy. Including women in general and pregnant women in particular in HIV-related research is important for generalizability of findings.

Objective

To characterize representation of pregnant and non-pregnant women in HIV-related research conducted in general populations.

Data sources

All HIV-related articles published in fifteen journals from January to March of 2011. We selected the top five journals by 2010 impact factor, in internal medicine, infectious diseases, and HIV/AIDS.

Study eligibility criteria

HIV-related studies reporting original research on questions applicable to both men and women of reproductive age were considered; studies were excluded if they did not include individual-level patient data.

Study appraisal and synthesis methods

Articles were doubly reviewed and abstracted; discrepancies were resolved through consensus. We recorded proportion of female study participants, whether pregnant women were included or excluded, and other key factors.

Results

In total, 2014 articles were published during this period. After screening, 259 articles were included as original HIV-related research reporting individual-level data; of these, 226 were determined to be articles relevant to both men and women of reproductive age. In these articles, women were adequately represented within geographic region. The vast majority of published articles, 183/226 (81%), did not mention pregnancy (or related issues); still fewer included pregnant women (n=33), reported numbers of pregnant women (n=19), or analyzed using pregnancy status (n=9).

Limitations

Data were missing for some key variables, including pregnancy. The time period over which published works were evaluated was relatively short.

Conclusions and implications of key findings

The under-reporting and inattention to pregnancy in the HIV literature may reduce policy-makers' ability to set evidence-based policy around HIV/AIDS care for pregnant women and women of child-bearing age.

SUBMITTER: Westreich D

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3751870 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Representation of women and pregnant women in HIV research: a limited systematic review.

Westreich Daniel D Rosenberg Molly M Schwartz Sheree S Swamy Geeta G

PloS one 20130823 8

<h4>Background</h4>HIV-related outcomes may be affected by biological sex and by pregnancy. Including women in general and pregnant women in particular in HIV-related research is important for generalizability of findings.<h4>Objective</h4>To characterize representation of pregnant and non-pregnant women in HIV-related research conducted in general populations.<h4>Data sources</h4>All HIV-related articles published in fifteen journals from January to March of 2011. We selected the top five journ ...[more]

PMID: 24009750

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Project description:BackgroundMalaria in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients is an ever-increasing global burden for human health. The present meta-analysis summarizes published literature on the prevalence of malaria infection in HIV-positive children, pregnant women and adults.MethodsThis study followed the PRISMA guideline. The PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Scopus and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant entries published between 1 January 1983 and 1 March 2020. All peer-reviewed original papers evaluating the prevalence of malaria among HIV-positive patients were included. Incoherence and heterogeneity between studies were quantified by the I2 index and Cochran's Q test. Publication and population biases were assessed with funnel plots, and Egger's regression asymmetry test.ResultsA total of 106 studies were included in this systematic review. The average prevalence of malaria among HIV-positive children, HIV-positive pregnant women and HIV-positive adults was 39.4% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 26.6-52.9), 32.3% (95% CI = 26.3-38.6) and 27.3% (95% CI = 20.1-35.1), respectively. In adult patients with HIV, CD4+ (cluster of differentiation 4) < 200 cells/µl and age < 40 years were associated with a significant increase in the odds of malaria infection (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.2-1.7 and OR = 1.1, 95% CI = 1-1.3, respectively). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) and being male were associated with a significant decrease in the chance of malaria infection in HIV-positive adults (OR = 0.8, 95% CI = 0.7-0.9 and OR = 0.2, 95% CI = 0.2-0.3, respectively). In pregnant women with HIV, CD4+ count < 200 cells/µl was related to a higher risk for malaria infection (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.1-1.9).ConclusionsThis systematic review demonstrates that malaria infection is concerningly common among HIV-positive children, pregnant women and adults. Among HIV-positive adults, ART medication and being male were associated with a substantial decrease in infection with malaria. For pregnant women, CD4+ count of < 200 cells/µl was a considerable risk factor for malaria infection.

Project description:ObjectiveTo assess the impact of various antiretroviral/antiviral regimens in pregnant women living with HIV or hepatitis B virus (HBV).DesignWe performed random effects meta-analysis for HIV-related outcomes and network meta-analysis for HBV outcomes, and used the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework to assess quality separately for each outcome.Data sourcesEmbase and Medline to February 2017.Eligibility criteriaFor maternal outcomes, we considered randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing tenofovir-based regimens with those with alternative nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs). For child outcomes, we included RCTs and comparative observational studies of tenofovir-based regimens versus alternative NRTIs regimens or, for HBV, placebo.ResultsTen studies (seven RCTs) met the inclusion criteria for maternal and child outcomes, and an additional 33 studies (12 RCTs) met the inclusion criteria for HBV-specific outcomes. The most common comparison was tenofovir and emtricitabine versus zidovudine and lamivudine. There was no apparent difference between tenofovir-based regimens and alternatives in maternal outcomes, including serious laboratory adverse events (low certainty) and serious clinical adverse events (moderate certainty). There was no difference between NRTIs in vertical transmission of HIV: 1 more per 1000, 8 fewer to 10 more, low certainty; or vertical transmission of HBV: 7 fewer per 1000, 10 fewer to 38 more, moderate certainty. We found moderate certainty evidence that tenofovir/emtricitabine increases the risk of stillbirths and early neonatal mortality (51 more per 1000, 11 more to 150 more) and the risk of early premature delivery at <34 weeks (42 more per 1000, 2 more to 127 more).ConclusionsTenofovir/emtricitabine is likely to increase stillbirth/early neonatal death and early premature delivery compared with zidovudine/lamivudine, but certainty is low when they are not coprescribed with lopinavir/ritonavir. Other outcomes are likely similar between antiretrovirals.Trial registration numberPROSPERO CRD42017054392.

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Dataset Information

Representation of women and pregnant women in HIV research: a limited systematic review.

Background

Objective

Data sources

Study eligibility criteria

Study appraisal and synthesis methods

Results

Limitations

Conclusions and implications of key findings

Publications

Representation of women and pregnant women in HIV research: a limited systematic review.

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