Maria das Graças Braga Ceccato

Non-adherence among patients initiating antiretroviral therapy: a challenge for health professionals in Brazil.

Objective:To assess the incidence, magnitude and factors associated with the first episode of non-adherence for 12 months after the first antiretroviral prescription. Design:A prospective study of HIV-infected patients receiving their first antiretroviral prescription in public referral centers, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Baseline assessment occurred at the moment of the first prescription and follow-up visits at the first, fourth and seventh month, from May 2001 to May 2003. Methods:Non-adherence was self-reported and defined as the intake of less than 95% of the prescribed doses for 3 days before the follow-up interviews. Cumulative and person-time incidence were estimated and Coxs proportional model was used to assess the relative hazard (RH) of non-adherence with 95% confidence interval for both univariate and multivariate analysis. Results:Among 306 patients, the cumulative incidence of non-adherence was 36.9% (incidence rate 0.21/100 person-days). Multivariate analysis (P < 0.05) showed that unemployment (RH = 2.17), alcohol use (RH = 2.27), self-report of three or more adverse reactions (RH = 1.64), number of pills per day (RH = 2.04), switch in antiretroviral regimen (RH = 2.72), and a longer time between the HIV test result and the first antiretroviral prescription (RH = 2.27) were associated with an increased risk of non-adherence, whereas the use of more than one health service indicated a negative association (RH = 0.54). Conclusion:The current analysis has pointed out the importance of clinical and health service characteristics as potential indicators of non-adherence after initiating therapy. Early assessment and intervention strategies should be priorities in these AIDS public referral centres. Feasible and reliable indicators for the routine monitoring of adherence should be incorporated in clinical practice.

Characteristics of tuberculosis in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil: 2002-2009

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the profile of tuberculosis cases reported between 2002 and 2009 in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, according to sociodemographic, clinical, and laboratory characteristics, as well as to comorbidities and mortality. METHODS: This was a descriptive, epidemiological study based on data obtained from the Brazilian Case Registry Database and the Brazilian Mortality Database for the 2002-2009 period. RESULTS: There were 47,285 reported cases of tuberculosis, corresponding to a mean incidence of 22.3/100,000 population. The individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis were predominantly in the 20- to 49-year age bracket and male (62.4% and 67.0%, respectively). Individuals with a low level of education accounted for 18.5% of the cases. New cases, cases of recurrence, and cases of retreatment accounted for 83.7%, 5.7%, 5.7%, respectively. The rates of cure and treatment noncompliance were 66.2% and 11.2%, respectively; multidrug-resistant tuberculosis was identified in 0.2% of the cases; and the mortality rate was 12.9%. The directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS) strategy was applied in 21.8% of the cases. Sputum smear microscopy and culture were performed in only 73.9% and 12.9% of the cases, respectively. Chest X-rays were performed in 90.5% of the cases. Pulmonary tuberculosis was the predominant form (in 83.9%). Comorbidity with alcoholism, HIV infection, and diabetes mellitus were identified in 17.2%, 8.3%, and 3.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: During the study period, the numbers of new cases, cases of treatment noncompliance, and deaths were high, comorbidities were common, and there was a failure to perform adequately basic tests for the diagnosis of tuberculosis. Multidisciplinary approaches, expanded use of the DOTS strategy, better knowledge of the distribution of tuberculosis, and improvements in the databases are needed in order to achieve better control of the disease in the state of Minas Gerais.

Safety of Immunosuppressive Drugs Used as Maintenance Therapy in Kidney Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

To evaluate the safety of regimens containing calcineurin inhibitors (CNI), proliferation signal inhibitors (TOR-I) and antimetabolites, we conducted a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and observational studies. A total of 4,960 citations were identified in our electronic search and 14 additional articles were identified through hand searching. Forty-eight articles (11,432 participants) from 42 studies (38 RCTs and four cohorts) met the inclusion criteria. Meta-analysis results revealed the following: (i) tacrolimus was associated with an increased risk for diabetes and lower risk of dyslipidemia, compared to cyclosporine; (ii) mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) was associated with increased risk for total infections, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting, compared with azathioprine; (iii) sirolimus was associated with higher risk of anemia, diabetes, dyslipidemia, lymphoceles and withdrawal compared to tacrolimus or cyclosporine, and cyclosporine was associated with an increased risk of CMV infection; (iv) the combination of CNI with antimetabolites was associated with more adverse events than CNI alone; (v) TOR-I was related to more adverse events than MMF. The data observed in this meta-analysis are similar to those describe by others authors; thus, the choice of treatment must be made by the clinical staff based on specific patient characteristics.

Individual and Treatment Setting Predictors of HIV/AIDS Knowledge Among Psychiatric Patients and Their Implications In a National Multisite Study in Brazil

The objective of this study is to measure HIV/AIDS knowledge among patients with mental illness in Brazil and to examine individual and treatment setting predictors of knowledge. We conducted a cross-sectional national multicenter study among 2,475 patients in 26 randomly selected mental health institutions throughout Brazil. We used Item Response Theory to standardize knowledge scores and multilevel multiple linear regression to determine the effect of individual and treatment setting characteristics on standardized knowledge score. Schizophrenia was the main diagnosis (48%) of participants. Mean knowledge score was 6.78 (range 1–10). Treatment setting characteristics were not associated with knowledge scores. Higher HIV/AIDS knowledge scores were significantly associated with a history of sexually transmitted disease (STD), previous HIV testing and consistent condom use; lower HIV/AIDS knowledge scores were significantly associated with specific sociodemographic, psychiatric, and HIV risk-perception factors. Psychiatric patients in Brazil lag behind the general population with knowledge scores comparable to those of nearly a decade ago. The mental health system in Brazil and elsewhere must consider strategies beyond dispensing information, for preventing HIV/AIDS transmission in the psychiatric population.

Análisis coste-efectividad de la adhesión inicial a la terapia antirretroviral entre individuos infectados por el VIH en Belo Horizonte, Brasil

Fundamento: En Brasil, los antirretrovirales (ARV) se distribuyen a los portadores de VIH de forma gratuita por el Sistema Unico de Salud. La adhesion al tratamiento es una de las principales variables en la cual los servicios de salud pueden intervenir para aumentar la efectividad de la medicacion. El objetivo del estudio es evaluar la relacion coste-efectividad de la adhesion inicial a la terapia ARV e identificar factores que influencien los costes y la evolucion global del paciente. Metodos: Estudio prospectivo con individuos infectados por el VIH reclutados, despues de la primera prescripcion de ARV, en dos servicios publicos de referencia para el tratamiento del VIH/Sida en Brasil. La no-adhesion fue definida como la utilizacion 200 cels/mm3 y ser adherente al tratamiento ARV. Conclusiones: Los resultados observados sostienen la terapia ARV como una intervencion coste-efectiva. Sin embargo, la baja adhesion aumenta los riesgos de fallo terapeutico y de progresion de la enfermedad, que resultan en un impacto negativo sobre la relacion coste-efectividad de la terapia ARV.

Association between medication regimen complexity and pharmacotherapy adherence: a systematic review.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to systematically review evidence regarding the association between regimen complexity and adherence.MethodsArticles were searched in MEDLINE, LILACS, Cochrane, CINAHL, PsycINFO and references of included studies. Search terms included medication regimen complexity, medication adherence and their synonyms. Randomized clinical trials, cross-sectional, cohort or case-control studies published until March 2016 in English, Portuguese or Spanish were eligible if quantitatively examined the association between complexity and adherence in patients of any age and sex, under any type of medication therapy. Complexity was defined according to the strategy used to assess it in the individual studies. All types of instruments used to assess complexity and adherence were considered. Data extraction was performed using an electronic spreadsheet. Quality assessment was conducted independently using standard scales. The data were qualitatively synthesized.ResultsFifty-four studies were included: 37 cross-sectional and 17 cohorts. Most were conducted in outpatient setting. Most frequently, studies were carried out with HIV-infected individuals or patients with chronic conditions. The most frequent methods used to assess complexity and adherence were complexity index (19) and self-report (27), respectively. Complexity was associated with adherence in 35 studies. Most of them (28) identified that participants with more complex regimens were less likely to adhere to pharmacotherapy; seven studies found a direct correlation. The others found inconclusive results or no association between complexity and adherence. The studies had low to moderate-methodological quality.ConclusionAlthough there was variability regarding the association between complexity and adherence, most studies showed that an increased regimen complexity reduces medication adherence.

Gender differences in non-adherence among Brazilian patients initiating antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a study to identify gender differences in factors associated with the first episode of non-adherence in the 12 months following the first antiretroviral prescription. METHODS: A concurrent prospective study of patients initiating antiretroviral therapy in Brazil was conducted from 2001-2002. The self-reported measurement of adherence was defined as an intake of less than 95% of the prescribed number of doses. Only the first occurrence of non-adherence was considered in this analysis. All analyses were stratified by gender. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the risk of non-adherence, and the time to non-adherence was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of non-adherence was 34.6% (29.7% and 43.9% among men and women, respectively; p = 0.010). Marital status (being married or in stable union; p = 0.022), alcohol use in the month prior to the baseline interview (p = 0.046), and current tobacco use (p = 0.005) increased the risk of non-adherence among female participants only, whereas a self-reported difficulty with the antiretroviral treatment was associated with non-adherence in men only. For both men and women, we found that a longer time between the HIV test and first antiretroviral therapy prescription (p = 0.028) also presented an increased risk of non-adherence. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort study, the incidence of non-adherence was 1.5 times greater among women compared to men. Our results reinforce the need to develop interventions that account for gender differences in public referral centers. Additionally, we emphasize that, to achieve and maintain appropriate adherence levels, it is important to understand the barriers to seeking and utilizing health care services.

Prevalence of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in prisoners

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the prevalence of and the factors associated with latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in prisoners in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional cohort study conducted in two prisons in Minas Gerais. Tuberculin skin tests were performed in the individuals who agreed to participate in the study. Results: A total of 1,120 individuals were selected for inclusion in this study. The prevalence of LTBI was 25.2%. In the multivariate analysis, LTBI was associated with self-reported contact with active tuberculosis patients within prisons (adjusted OR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.05-2.18) and use of inhaled drugs (adjusted OR = 1.48; 95% CI: 1.03-2.13). Respiratory symptoms were identified in 131 (11.7%) of the participants. Serological testing for HIV was performed in 940 (83.9%) of the participants, and the result was positive in 5 (0.5%). Two cases of active tuberculosis were identified during the study period. Conclusions: Within the prisons under study, the prevalence of LTBI was high. In addition, LTBI was associated with self-reported contact with active tuberculosis patients and with the use of inhaled drugs. Our findings demonstrate that it is necessary to improve the conditions in prisons, as well as to introduce strategies, such as chest X-ray screening, in order to detect tuberculosis cases and, consequently, reduce M. tuberculosis infection within the prison system.

Gender in the allocation of organs in kidney transplants: meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE To analyze whether gender influence survival results of kidney transplant grafts and patients. METHODS Systematic review with meta-analysis of cohort studies available on Medline (PubMed), LILACS, CENTRAL, and Embase databases, including manual searching and in the grey literature. The selection of studies and the collection of data were conducted twice by independent reviewers, and disagreements were settled by a third reviewer. Graft and patient survival rates were evaluated as effectiveness measurements. Meta-analysis was conducted with the Review Manager® 5.2 software, through the application of a random effects model. Recipient, donor, and donor-recipient gender comparisons were evaluated. RESULTS : Twenty-nine studies involving 765,753 patients were included. Regarding graft survival, those from male donors were observed to have longer survival rates as compared to the ones from female donors, only regarding a 10-year follow-up period. Comparison between recipient genders was not found to have significant differences on any evaluated follow-up periods. In the evaluation between donor-recipient genders, male donor-male recipient transplants were favored in a statistically significant way. No statistically significant differences were observed in regards to patient survival for gender comparisons in all follow-up periods evaluated. CONCLUSIONS The quantitative analysis of the studies suggests that donor or recipient genders, when evaluated isolatedly, do not influence patient or graft survival rates. However, the combination between donor-recipient genders may be a determining factor for graft survival.

HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men: applying the item response theory

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the level of HIV/AIDS knowledge among men who have sex with men in Brazil using the latent trait model estimated by Item Response Theory. METHODS Multicenter, cross-sectional study, carried out in ten Brazilian cities between 2008 and 2009. Adult men who have sex with men were recruited (n = 3,746) through Respondent Driven Sampling. HIV/AIDS knowledge was ascertained through ten statements by face-to-face interview and latent scores were obtained through two-parameter logistic modeling (difficulty and discrimination) using Item Response Theory. Differential item functioning was used to examine each item characteristic curve by age and schooling. RESULTS Overall, the HIV/AIDS knowledge scores using Item Response Theory did not exceed 6.0 (scale 0-10), with mean and median values of 5.0 (SD = 0.9) and 5.3, respectively, with 40.7% of the sample with knowledge levels below the average. Some beliefs still exist in this population regarding the transmission of the virus by insect bites, by using public restrooms, and by sharing utensils during meals. With regard to the difficulty and discrimination parameters, eight items were located below the mean of the scale and were considered very easy, and four items presented very low discrimination parameter (< 0.34). The absence of difficult items contributed to the inaccuracy of the measurement of knowledge among those with median level and above. CONCLUSIONS Item Response Theory analysis, which focuses on the individual properties of each item, allows measures to be obtained that do not vary or depend on the questionnaire, which provides better ascertainment and accuracy of knowledge scores. Valid and reliable scales are essential for monitoring HIV/AIDS knowledge among the men who have sex with men population over time and in different geographic regions, and this psychometric model brings this advantage.