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Background: We described reasons for switching to second-line antiretroviral treatment (ART) and time to switch in HIV-infected children failing first-line ART in West Africa., Methods: We included all children aged 15 years or less, starting ART (at least three drugs) in the paediatric IeDEA clinical centres in five West-African countries. We estimated the incidence of switch (at least one a drug class change) within 24 months of ART and associated factors were identified in a multinomial logistic regression. Among children with clinical-immunological failure, we estimated the 24-month probability of switching to a second-line and associated factors, using competing risks. Children who switched to second-line ART following the withdrawal of nelfinavir in 2007 were excluded., Results: Overall, 2820 children initiated ART at a median age of 5 years; 144 (5%) were on nelfinavir. At 24-month post-ART initiation, 188 (7%) had switched to second-line. The most frequent reasons were drug stock outs (20%), toxicity (18%), treatment failure (16%) and poor adherence (8%). Over the 24-month follow-up period, 322 (12%) children failed first-line ART after a median time of 7 months. Of these children, 21 (7%) switched to second-line after a median time of 21 weeks in failure. This was associated with older age [subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) 1.21, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.10-1.33] and longer time on ART (sHR 1.16, 95% CI 1.07-1.25)., Conclusion: Switches for clinical failure were rare and switches after an immunological failure were insufficient. These gaps reveal that it is crucial to advocate for both sustainable access to first-line and alternative regimens to provide adequate roll-out of paediatric ART programmes.

Background: The IeDEA West Africa Pediatric Working Group (pWADA) was established in January 2007 to study the care and treatment of HIV-infected children in this region. We describe here the characteristics at antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation and study the 12-month mortality and loss-to-program of HIV-infected children followed in ART programs in West Africa., Methods: Standardized data from HIV-infected children followed-up in ART programs were included. Nine clinical centers from six countries contributed to the dataset (Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Mali and Senegal). Inclusion criteria were the followings: age 0-15 years and initiated triple antiretroviral drug regimens. Baseline time was the date of ART initiation. WHO criteria was used to define severe immunosuppression based on CD4 count by age or CD4 percent < 15%. We estimated the 12-month Kaplan-Meier probabilities of mortality and loss-to-program (death or loss to follow-up > 6 months) after ART initiation and factors associated with these two outcomes., Results: Between June 2000 and December 2007, 2170 children were included. Characteristics at ART initiation were the following: median age of 5 years (Interquartile range (IQR: 2-9) and median CD4 percentage of 13% (IQR: 7-19). The most frequent drug regimen consisted of two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and one non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (62%). During the first 12 months, 169 (7.8%) children died and 461(21.2%) were lost-to-program. Overall, in HIV-infected children on ART, the 12-month probability of death was 8.3% (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 7.2-9.6%), and of loss-to-program was 23.1% (95% CI: 21.3-25.0%). Both mortality and loss-to program were associated with advanced clinical stage, CD4 percentage < 15% at ART initiation and year (> 2005) of ART initiation., Conclusion: Innovative and sustainable approaches are needed to better document causes of death and increase retention in HIV pediatric clinics in West Africa.