Project description:ObjectivesIn 2018, Brazilian guidelines changed to recommend tuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy for all people with HIV and a CD4 cell count 350 cells/?l or less, but only for those with a positive tuberculin skin test (TST) if CD4 cell count is than 350 cells/?l. We determined the potential effectiveness of CD4-based guidelines for TB testing and preventive therapy.DesignSecondary analysis of the stepped-wedge, cluster-randomized THRio trial for isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT).MethodsWe analyzed data from 4114 newly registered patients with HIV in 29 clinics followed until TB diagnosis, death, or administrative censoring. We compared incidence rates of TB and TB/death between CD4, TST, IPT, and antiretroviral therapy categories.ResultsInitial CD4 cell count was 350 cells/?l or less in 2138 (52%) and more than 350 cells/?l in 1976 (48%) patients. TST was performed for 2922 (71%), of whom 657 (16%) were TST-positive [278 (13%) CD4???350 vs. 379 (19%) CD4?>?350]. A total of 619 (15%) received IPT and 2806 (68%) received antiretroviral therapy. For patients with CD4 cell count 350 cells/?l or less who did not receive IPT, the incidence rate of TB was 1.79/100 person-years (pys) and TB/death was 3.89/100?pys. For patients with CD4 cell count more than 350 who did not receive IPT, the incidence rates of TB and TB/death were 0.57/100 and 1.49/100?pys for TST-negatives, and 1.05/100 and 1.64/100?pys for TST-unknowns.ConclusionTB incidence was high among all patients who did not receive IPT, including those with CD4 cell count more than 350 cells/?l and negative or unknown TST results. TB preventive therapy should be provided to all people living with HIV in medium burden settings, regardless of CD4 cell count and TST status.
Project description:BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy (TPT) is an essential component of care for people living with HIV (PLHIV). We compared efficacy, safety, completion, and drug-resistant TB risk for currently recommended TPT regimens through a systematic review and network meta-analysis (NMA) of randomized trials.Methods and findingsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from inception through June 9, 2020 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing 2 or more TPT regimens (or placebo/no treatment) in PLHIV. Two independent reviewers evaluated eligibility, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. We grouped TPT strategies as follows: placebo/no treatment, 6 to 12 months of isoniazid, 24 to 72 months of isoniazid, and rifamycin-containing regimens. A frequentist NMA (using graph theory) was carried out for the outcomes of development of TB disease, all-cause mortality, and grade 3 or worse hepatotoxicity. For other outcomes, graphical descriptions or traditional pairwise meta-analyses were carried out as appropriate. The potential role of confounding variables for TB disease and all-cause mortality was assessed through stratified analyses. A total of 6,466 unique studies were screened, and 157 full texts were assessed for eligibility. Of these, 20 studies (reporting 16 randomized trials) were included. The median sample size was 616 (interquartile range [IQR], 317 to 1,892). Eight were conducted in Africa, 3 in Europe, 3 in the Americas, and 2 included sites in multiple continents. According to the NMA, 6 to 12 months of isoniazid were no more efficacious in preventing microbiologically confirmed TB than rifamycin-containing regimens (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.0, 95% CI 0.8 to 1.4, p = 0.8); however, 6 to 12 months of isoniazid were associated with a higher incidence of all-cause mortality (IRR 1.6, 95% CI 1.2 to 2.0, p = 0.02) and a higher risk of grade 3 or higher hepatotoxicity (risk difference [RD] 8.9, 95% CI 2.8 to 14.9, p = 0.004). Finally, shorter regimens were associated with higher completion rates relative to longer regimens, and we did not find statistically significant differences in the risk of drug-resistant TB between regimens. Study limitations include potential confounding due to differences in posttreatment follow-up time and TB incidence in the study setting on the estimates of incidence of TB or all-cause mortality, as well as an underrepresentation of pregnant women and children.ConclusionsRifamycin-containing regimens appear safer and at least as effective as isoniazid regimens in preventing TB and death and should be considered part of routine care in PLHIV. Knowledge gaps remain as to which specific rifamycin-containing regimen provides the optimal balance of efficacy, completion, and safety.
Project description:In sub-Saharan Africa, where the emergence of HIV has caused dramatic increases in tuberculosis (TB) case notifications, new strategies for TB control are necessary. Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for HIV-TB coinfected individuals reduces the reactivation of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infections and is being evaluated as a potential community-wide strategy for improving TB control. We developed a mathematical model of TB/HIV coepidemics to examine the impact of community-wide implementation of IPT for TB-HIV coinfected individuals on the dynamics of drug-sensitive and -resistant TB epidemics. We found that community-wide IPT will reduce the incidence of TB in the short-term but may also speed the emergence of drug-resistant TB. We conclude that community-wide IPT in areas of emerging HIV and drug-resistant TB should be coupled with diagnostic and treatment policies designed to identify and effectively treat the increasing proportion of patients with drug-resistant TB.
Project description:Young HIV-exposed children are at high risk for TB infection. We performed QuantiFERON-TB Gold among HIV-exposed children in South Africa at enrolment and 1-year follow-up. The incidence of TB infection was high for HIV+ (11 cases per 100 child-years) and HIV-exposed uninfected children (15 cases per 100 child-years). QuantiFERON-TB Gold may identify HIV-exposed children at risk for TB disease progression.
Project description:BackgroundIPT with or without concomitant administration of ART is a proven intervention to prevent tuberculosis among PLHIV. However, there are few data on the routine implementation of this intervention and its effectiveness in settings with limited resources.ObjectivesTo measure the level of uptake and effectiveness of IPT in reducing tuberculosis incidence in a cohort of PLHIV enrolled into HIV care between 2007 and 2010 in five hospitals in southern Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective cohort analysis of electronic patient database was done. The independent effects of no intervention, "IPT-only," "IPT-before-ART," "IPT-and-ART started simultaneously," "ART-only," and "IPT-after-ART" on TB incidence were measured. Cox-proportional hazards regression was used to assess association of treatment categories with TB incidence.ResultsOf 7,097 patients, 867 were excluded because they were transferred-in; a further 823 (12%) were excluded from the study because they were either identified to have TB through screening (292 patients) or were on TB treatment (531). Among the remaining 5,407 patients observed, IPT had been initiated for 39% of eligible patients. Children, male sex, advanced disease, and those in Pre-ART were less likely to be initiated on IPT. The overall TB incidence was 2.6 per 100 person-years. As compared to those with no intervention, use of "IPT-only" (aHR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.19-0.66) and "ART-only" (aHR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.24-0.43) were associated with significant reduction in TB incidence rate. Combining ART and IPT had a more profound effect. Starting IPT-before-ART (aHR = 0.18, 95% CI = 0.08-0.42) or simultaneously with ART (aHR = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.10-0.42) provided further reduction of TB at ? 80%.ConclusionsIPT was found to be effective in reducing TB incidence, independently and with concomitant ART, under programme conditions in resource-limited settings. The level of IPT provision and effectiveness in reducing TB was encouraging in the study setting. Scaling up and strengthening IPT service in addition to ART can have beneficial effect in reducing TB burden among PLHIV in settings with high TB/HIV burden.
Project description:Trials of isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) for people living with HIV in southern Africa have shown high rates of tuberculosis disease immediately after cessation of therapy. This could be due to the lack of cure following preventive therapy or reinfection with rapid progression to disease. Using a model fitted to trial data, we estimate the degree to which preventive therapies cure latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in HIV-infected individuals in high-tuberculosis-burden settings. We identified randomized controlled trials that compared IPT to placebo or alternative regimen in HIV-positive, tuberculin skin test positive individuals. A mathematical model describing tuberculosis transmission in a closed cohort of HIV-positive, M. tuberculosis infected, antiretroviral therapy naive individuals following completion of preventive therapy (or placebo) was fitted to posttherapy tuberculosis rates to estimate the annual risk of M. tuberculosis reinfection and the proportion of individuals whose latent infection was cured after therapy. Three trials met our inclusion criteria. Estimated annual risks of reinfection ranged between 3.7 and 4.9%. Our results suggest 6 mo of isoniazid cured in a small proportion [estimated proportion cured = 0% (interquartile range 0-30.9%)]. The proportion cured for 3-mo regimens containing rifampicin or rifapentine was 19-100%. IPT alone does not cure existing infections in the majority of HIV-infected individuals. In high-incidence settings, continuous IPT should be integrated with HIV care. Where the risk of reinfection is lower, preventive therapy with more curative drugs should be preferred for HIV-positive individuals to achieve durable patient benefit.
Project description:BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) preventive therapy is recommended for all people living with HIV (PLHIV). Despite the elevated risk of TB amongst PLHIV, most of those eligible for preventive therapy would never develop TB. Tests which can identify individuals at greatest risk of disease would allow more efficient targeting of preventive therapy.MethodsWe used mathematical modelling to estimate the potential impact of using a blood transcriptomic biomarker (RISK11) to target preventive therapy amongst PLHIV. We compared universal treatment to RISK11 targeted treatment and explored the effect of repeat screening of the population with RISK11.ResultsAnnual RISK11 screening, with preventive therapy provided to those testing positive, could avert 26% (95% CI 13-34) more cases over 10 years compared to one round of universal treatment. For the cost per case averted to be lower than universal treatment, the maximum cost of the RISK11 test was approximately 10% of the cost of preventive therapy. The benefit of RISK11 screening may be greatest amongst PLHIV on ART (compared to ART naïve individuals) due to the increased specificity of the test in this group.ConclusionsBiomarker targeted preventive therapy may be more effective than universal treatment amongst PLHIV in high incidence settings but would require repeat screening.
Project description:BackgroundHuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the strongest known risk factor for tuberculosis (TB) through its impairment of T-cell immunity. Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) is recommended for people living with HIV (PLHIV) by the World Health Organization, as it significantly reduces the risk of developing TB disease. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of modeling studies to summarize projected costs, risks, benefits, and impacts of TPT use among PLHIV on TB-related outcomes.Methods and findingsWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science from inception until December 31, 2020. Two reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts; extracted data; and assessed quality. Extracted data were summarized using descriptive analysis. We performed quantile regression and random effects meta-analysis to describe trends in cost, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness outcomes across studies and identified key determinants of these outcomes. Our search identified 6,615 titles; 61 full texts were included in the final review. Of the 61 included studies, 31 reported both cost and effectiveness outcomes. A total of 41 were set in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), while 12 were set in high-income countries (HICs); 2 were set in both. Most studies considered isoniazid (INH)-based regimens 6 to 2 months long (n = 45), or longer than 12 months (n = 11). Model parameters and assumptions varied widely between studies. Despite this, all studies found that providing TPT to PLHIV was predicted to be effective at averting TB disease. No TPT regimen was substantially more effective at averting TB disease than any other. The cost of providing TPT and subsequent downstream costs (e.g. post-TPT health systems costs) were estimated to be less than $1,500 (2020 USD) per person in 85% of studies that reported cost outcomes (n = 36), regardless of study setting. All cost-effectiveness analyses concluded that providing TPT to PLHIV was potentially cost-effective compared to not providing TPT. In quantitative analyses, country income classification, consideration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) use, and TPT regimen use significantly impacted cost-effectiveness. Studies evaluating TPT in HICs suggested that TPT may be more effective at preventing TB disease than studies evaluating TPT in LMICs; pooled incremental net monetary benefit, given a willingness-to-pay threshold of country-level per capita gross domestic product (GDP), was $271 in LMICs (95% confidence interval [CI] -$81 to $622, p = 0.12) and was $2,568 in HICs (-$32,115 to $37,251, p = 0.52). Similarly, TPT appeared to be more effective at averting TB disease in HICs; pooled percent reduction in active TB incidence was 20% (13% to 27%, p < 0.001) in LMICs and 37% (-34% to 100%, p = 0.13) in HICs. Key limitations of this review included the heterogeneity of input parameters and assumptions from included studies, which limited pooling of effect estimates, inconsistent reporting of model parameters, which limited sample sizes of quantitative analyses, and database bias toward English publications.ConclusionsThe body of literature related to modeling TPT among PLHIV is large and heterogeneous, making comparisons across studies difficult. Despite this variability, all studies in all settings concluded that providing TPT to PLHIV is potentially effective and cost-effective for preventing TB disease.
Project description:BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is the leading preventable cause of death in persons living with HIV (PLHIV), accounting for over a quarter of all HIV-associated deaths in 2012. Isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) has the potential to decrease TB-related cases and deaths in PLHIV; however, implementation of this has been slow in many high HIV- and TB-burden settings.MethodologyWe performed an assessment of the evidence for the use of IPT in adults living with HIV based on a review of the literature published from 1995 to 2013. Eligible articles included data on mortality, morbidity, or retention in care related to the provision of IPT to adults with HIV in low- or middle-income countries. Cost-effectiveness information was also abstracted.ResultsWe identified 41 articles involving over 45,000 PLHIV. While there was little evidence to demonstrate that IPT reduced mortality in PLHIV, there was substantial evidence that IPT reduced TB incidence. While these findings were consistent irrespective of CD4 or antiretroviral therapy status, studies frequently demonstrated a greater benefit among patients with a positive TB skin test (TST). Duration of effectiveness and benefits of prolonged therapy varied across settings.ConclusionsThis analysis supports World Health Organization recommendations for the provision of IPT to PLHIV to reduce TB-associated morbidity and serves to highlight the need to strengthen IPT implementation. While there appears to be a greater benefit of IPT among PLHIV who are TST positive, IPT should be provided to all PLHIV without presumptive TB when TST is not available.