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This study aimed to investigate the effect of WeChat-based education and rehabilitation program (WERP) on anxiety, depression, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), major adverse cardiac/cerebrovascular events (MACCE)-free survival, and loss to follow-up rate in unprotected left main coronary artery disease (ULMCAD) patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). In this randomized controlled study, 140 ULMCAD patients who underwent CABG were randomly assigned to WERP group (n=70) or control care (CC) group (n=70). During the 12-month intervention period, anxiety and depression (using hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS)) and HRQoL (using 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12)) were assessed longitudinally. During the total 36-month follow-up period (12-month intervention and 24-month non-intervention periods), MACCE and loss to follow-up were recorded. During the intervention period, HADS-anxiety score at month 9 (M9) (P=0.047) and month 12 (M12) (P=0.034), anxiety rate at M12 (P=0.028), and HADS-D score at M12 (P=0.048) were all reduced in WERP group compared with CC group. As for HRQoL, SF-12 physical component summary score at M9 (P=0.020) and M12 (P=0.010) and SF-12 mental component summary score at M9 (P=0.040) and M12 (P=0.028) were all increased in WERP group compared with CC group. During the total follow-up period, WERP group displayed a trend of longer MACCE-free survival than that in CC group but without statistical significance (P=0.195). Additionally, loss to follow-up rate was attenuated in WERP group compared with CC group (P=0.033). WERP serves as an effective approach in optimizing mental health care and promoting life quality in ULMCAD patients after CABG.

Despite having universal access to tuberculosis (TB) treatment, loss to follow-up (LFU) rates remain high in Georgia, 6% among drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) patients (2017 cohort) and 19% among drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patients diagnosed in 2016. A cohort study was conducted to analyze secondary data from the Georgian National Tuberculosis Surveillance Database. Study population included adult (≥18 y.o.) patients with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB who were enrolled in Georgian National TB program during 2015-2017. The outcome of interest was loss to follow-up, defined as treatment interruption for more than 2 consecutive months. Patients were stratified by treatment profile (first-line drugs or second-line drugs) and survival analysis was performed within the stratified groups. A total of 7860 treatment episodes were identified during 2015-2017 which corresponded to 6696 bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB treatment episodes of whom 795 (12%) were LFU. After adjustment, final multivariate analysis showed that male sex (aHR 1.5, 95%CI 1.2-2.0), being diagnosed in Tbilisi (aHR 1.3, 95%CI 1.1-1.6), unemployment at the time of diagnosis (aHR 1.7, 95%Ci 1.2-2.3) and previous history of TB treatment were independent risk factors for LFU (aHR 2.3, 95%CI 1.9-2.8) among patients on first-line drugs. Among patients on second-line drugs being male (aHR 2.0, 95%CI 1.2-3.2), past TB treatment with second-line drugs (aHR 2.2, 95%CI 1.5-3.2) were significantly associated with LFU. LFU rate was high among patients on first-line drugs and second line drugs (10% and 22% respectively). Patients with past TB treatment history should further research to identify factors that lead to treatment interruption in this group. Other factors associated with LFU (being internally displaced person (IDP), being unemployed, and having imprisonment history) were in some level indication of a poor social-economic status, and strengthening approaches for TB care based on patients’ need could be considered in light of this finding.

Background: It is common practice for HIV programmes to routinely trace patients who are late for a scheduled clinic visit to ensure continued care engagement. In South Africa, patients who are late for a scheduled visit are identified from clinic registers, and called by telephone up to three times by designated clinic staff, with home visits conducted for those who are unreachable by phone. It is important to understand outcomes among late patients in order to have accurate mortality data, identify defaulters to attempt to re-engage them into care, and have accurate estimates of patients still in care for planning purposes. Objective: We conducted a study to assess whether tracing of HIV patients in clinics in rural north-eastern South Africa was implemented in line with national policies. Methods: Thirty-three person-day of observations took place during multiple visits to eight facilities between October 2017 and January 2018 during which clinic tracing processes were captured. The facility level implementation processes were compared to the intended tracing process and gaps and challenges were identified. Results: Challenges to implementing effective tracing procedures fell into three broad categories: i) facility-level barriers, ii) issues relating to data, documentation and record-keeping, and iii) challenges relating to the roles and responsibilities of the different actors in the tracing cascade. We recommend improving linkages between clinics, improving record-keeping systems, and regular training of community health workers involved in tracing activities. Improved links between clinics would reduce the chance of patients being lost between clinics. Record-keeping systems could be improved through motivating health workers to take ownership of their data and training them on the importance of complete data. Finally, training of community health workers may improve sustained motivation, and improve their ability to respond appropriately to their clients’ needs. Conclusions: Substantial investment in data infrastructure and healthcare staff training is needed to improve routine tracing.

ObjectiveTo assess whether CD8 T-cell activation predicts risk of AIDS and non-AIDS morbidity during suppressive antiretroviral treatment (ART).DesignPost-hoc analyses of ART-naive participants in prospective ART studies. Participants with HIV-RNA levels 200 copies/ml or less and CD8 T-cell activation data (%CD38HLA-DR) at year-1 of ART were selected to determine years 2-5 incidence of AIDS and non-AIDS events.MethodsWe censored data at time of ART interruption or virologic failure. Inverse probability of censoring-weighted logistic regression was used to correct for informative censoring.ResultsWe included 1025 participants; 82% were men, median age 38 years, pre-ART CD4 cell count 255 cells/μl, and year-1-activated CD8 T cells 24%. Of these, 752 had 5 years of follow-up; 379 remained on ART and had no confirmed plasma HIV-RNA more than 200 copies/ml. The overall probability of an AIDS or non-AIDS event in years 2-5 was estimated at 13% [95% confidence interval (CI) 10-15%] had everyone remained on suppressive ART. Higher year-1-activated CD8 T-cell percentage increased the probability of subsequent events [odds ratio 1.22 per 10% higher (95% CI 1.04-1.44)]; this effect was not significant after adjusting for age. Among those age 50 years at least (n=108 at year 1), the probability of an event in years 2-5 was 37% and the effect of CD8 T-cell activation was more apparent (odds ratio=1.42, P=0.02 unadjusted and adjusted for age).ConclusionCD8 T-cell activation is prognostic of clinical events during suppressive ART, although this association is confounded by age. The consequences of HIV-associated immune activation may be more important in patients 50 years and older.

BackgroundDelays and failures in initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among treatment eligible patients may compromise the effectiveness of HIV care in Africa. An accurate understanding, however, of the pace and completeness of ART initiation and mortality during the waiting period is obscured by frequent losses to follow-up.MethodsWe evaluated newly ART-eligible HIV-infected adults from 2007 to 2011 in a prototypical clinic in Mbarara, Uganda. A random sample of patients lost to follow-up was tracked in the community to determine vital status and ART initiation after leaving the original clinic. Outcomes among the tracked patients were incorporated using probability weights, and a competing risks approach was used in analyses.ResultsAmong 2633 ART-eligible patients, 490 were lost to follow-up, of whom a random sample of 132 was tracked and 111 (84.0%) had outcomes ascertained. After incorporating the outcomes among the lost, the cumulative incidence of ART initiation at 30, 90, and 365 days after eligibility was 16.0% [95% confidence interval (CI): 14.2 to 17.7], 64.5% (95% CI: 60.9 to 68.1), and 81.7% (95% CI: 77.7 to 85.6). Death before ART was 7.7% at 1 year. Male sex, higher CD4 count, and no education were associated with delayed ART initiation. Lower CD4 level, malnourishment, and travel time to clinic were associated with mortality.ConclusionsUsing a sampling-based approach to account for losses to follow-up revealed that both the speed and the completeness of ART initiation were suboptimal in a prototypical large clinic in Uganda. Improving the kinetics of ART initiation in Africa is needed to make ART more in real-world populations.

Background: Researchers developing prediction models are faced with numerous design choices that may impact model performance. One key decision is how to include patients who are lost to follow-up. In this paper we perform a large-scale empirical evaluation investigating the impact of this decision. In addition, we aim to provide guidelines for how to deal with loss to follow-up.Methods: We generate a partially synthetic dataset with complete follow-up and simulate loss to follow-up based either on random selection or on selection based on comorbidity. In addition to our synthetic data study we investigate 21 real-world data prediction problems. We compare four simple strategies for developing models when using a cohort design that encounters loss to follow-up. Three strategies employ a binary classifier with data that: (1) include all patients (including those lost to follow-up), (2) exclude all patients lost to follow-up or (3) only exclude patients lost to follow-up who do not have the outcome before being lost to follow-up. The fourth strategy uses a survival model with data that include all patients. We empirically evaluate the discrimination and calibration performance.Results: The partially synthetic data study results show that excluding patients who are lost to follow-up can introduce bias when loss to follow-up is common and does not occur at random. However, when loss to follow-up was completely at random, the choice of addressing it had negligible impact on model discrimination performance. Our empirical real-world data results showed that the four design choices investigated to deal with loss to follow-up resulted in comparable performance when the time-at-risk was 1-year but demonstrated differential bias when we looked into 3-year time-at-risk. Removing patients who are lost to follow-up before experiencing the outcome but keeping patients who are lost to follow-up after the outcome can bias a model and should be avoided.Conclusion: Based on this study we therefore recommend (1) developing models using data that includes patients that are lost to follow-up and (2) evaluate the discrimination and calibration of models twice: on a test set including patients lost to follow-up and a test set excluding patients lost to follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mortality assessment in cohorts with high numbers of persons lost to follow-up (LTFU) is challenging in settings with limited civil registration systems. We aimed to assess mortality in a clinical cohort (the Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort (KIULARCO)) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons in rural Tanzania, accounting for unseen deaths among participants LTFU. We included adults enrolled in 2005–2015 and traced a nonrandom sample of those LTFU. We estimated mortality using Kaplan-Meier methods 1) with routinely captured data (method A), 2) crudely incorporating tracing data (method B), 3) weighting using tracing data to crudely correct for unobserved deaths among participants LTFU (method C), and 4) weighting using tracing data accounting for participant characteristics (method D). We investigated associated factors using proportional hazards models. Among 7,460 adults, 646 (9%) died, 883 (12%) transferred to other clinics, and 2,911 (39%) were LTFU. Of 2,010 (69%) traced participants, 325 (16%) were found: 131 (40%) had died and 130 (40%) had transferred. Five-year mortality estimates derived using the 4 methods were 13.1% (A), 16.2% (B), 36.8% (C), and 35.1% (D), respectively. Higher mortality was associated with male sex, referral as a hospital inpatient, living close to the index clinic, lower body mass index, more advanced World Health Organization HIV clinical stage, lower CD4 cell count, and less time since initiation of antiretroviral therapy. Adjusting for unseen deaths among participants LTFU approximately doubled the 5-year mortality estimates. Our approach is applicable to other cohort studies adopting targeted tracing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: According to the World Health Organization, more than seventeen million people were accessing ART in 2015 globally. Adherence to effective ART reduced the risk of transmitting the virus to uninfected persons. The government and other stakeholders' focus was high to reduce the rate of loss to follow-up in HIV programs among patients who are already on ART follow-up, but its incidence rate increases from time to time. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among the records enrolled from 1 January 2013 to 30 December 2017 at Public hospitals in Southern Ethiopia. Data were entered into Epi info V 7 and exported to STATA V 14 for analysis. The Kaplan–Meier survival curve together with a log rank test was used to estimate the survival time of the ART attending patients. Variables which had p-value < 0.05 in multivariable analysis using the cox proportional hazard model were declared as statistically significant. Results: The incidence rate of loss to follow-up from ART services among adults attending ART was 6.48 (95% CI:5.67,7.29) per 1000 person months. The cumulative survival probability at the end of the 10th, 20th, 40th and 60th follow-up month was 0.89 (95% CI:0.87,0.91), 0.82 (95% CI:0.79,0.85), 0.78 (95% CI:0.75,0.81) and 0.74 (95% CI:0.70,0.77), respectively. Distance > 5 kilometers (AHR:3.71; 95% CI:2.32,5.95), not having registered phone number (AHR:2.52; 95% CI:1.76,3.60), not initiating Isoniazid (AHR:2.15; 95% CI:1.50,3.08), body mass index < 18.50kg/m2 (AHR:1.87; 95% CI: 1.18; 2.97) and not having primary caregiver (AHR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.84, 3.66) were statistically significant predictors of loss to follow-up. Conclusion: The time until loss to follow-up was high in the first 20 months of the initiation of the ART and it declines after 20 months; longer distance between home and hospital, not having registered phone number, not initiating INH, lower body mass index and not having primary caregiver were the independent predictors of loss to follow-up from ART services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Currently, a high number of mother–infant cohorts do not complete the full cascade of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) services in Ethiopia. This study examined the level of HIV-exposed infants discharged negative and rate of loss to follow-up (LTFU) in a mother–infant cohort in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in selected public health facilities of Addis Ababa. Data were abstracted from infant and mother registration cards and mother–infant cohort follow-up charts. The proportion of HIV-exposed infants discharged negative was examined. LTFU was then analyzed and a Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to estimate Cumulative probability of LTFU among the different groups. Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine significant factors associated with LTFU. Results: Three hundred fifty six mother–infant pairs were included in this study. The LTFU rate at the end of follow-up period was of 13.2% (95% CI= 9.83– 17.6%) and an overall HIV transmission rate of 0.61% was observed. Younger women (AHR=0.90, 95% CI = 0.83– 0.97) and those who were newly diagnosed at the time of entry to PMTCT (AHR=0.35, 95% CI = 0.18– 0.68) were less likely to complete PMTCT. Conclusion: High retention to PMTCT services and low mother-to-child HIV transmission rate was observed. To successfully achieve the PMTCT program outcomes, more emphasis should be given to younger women and to those newly enrolled in the PMTCT program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Inadequate testing (IT) and follow-up in infants with perinatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) exposure are challenging. We sought to identify maternal clinical and demographic risk factors that are associated with inadequate testing (IT) and follow-up of perinatally HCV-exposed infants. METHODS: In a retrospective cohort study spanning a period of 23 years, medical records of HCV-infected women and their perinatally exposed infants were reviewed for maternal characteristics that could be associated with their infants' IT and loss to follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 27% (108/407) of HCV-exposed infants were adequately tested (AT) for HCV perinatal transmission. Among AT infants, HCV transmission rate was 11% (12/108). History of maternal intravenous drug use (IVDU) was significantly higher in IT vs. AT infants [88% (193/218) vs. 76% (70/92); p = 0.005]. The percentage of mothers on methadone maintenance treatment during pregnancy was higher in AT vs. IT infants [53% (35/66) vs. 34% (65/186); p = 0.010]. The percentage of mothers with HCV medical care was higher among AT than IT infants [54% (56/102) vs. 41% (106/255); p = 0.022]. CONCLUSIONS: Infants born to HCV-infected mothers have suboptimal testing, possibly leading to an underestimation of the rate of HCV vertical transmission. Infants of mothers receiving HCV medical care and methadone treatment have improved testing. Infants of HCV-positive mothers with history of IVDU have lower rates of testing. Screening HCV-infected pregnant women for history of IVDU and linking them to drug treatment programs, and HCV medical care may improve testing and follow-up in their infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients report varied barriers to HIV care across multiple domains, but specific barrier patterns may be driven by underlying, but unobserved, behavioral profiles. Methods: We traced a probability sample of patients lost to follow-up (>90 days late) as of July 31, 2015 from 64 clinics in Zambia. Among those found alive, we ascertained patient-reported reasons for care disruptions. We performed latent class analysis to identify patient subgroups with similar patterns of reasons reported and assessed the association between class membership and care status (ie, disengaged versus silently transferred to a new site). Results: Among 547 patients, we identified 5 profiles of care disruptions: (1) "Livelihood and Mobility" (30.6% of the population) reported work/school obligations and mobility/travel as reasons for care disruptions; (2) "Clinic Accessibility" (28.9%) reported challenges with attending clinic; (3) "Mobility and Family" (21.9%) reported family obligations, mobility/travel, and transport-related reasons; (4) "Doubting Need for HIV care" (10.2%) reported uncertainty around HIV status or need for clinical care, and (5) "Multidimensional Barriers to Care" (8.3%) reported numerous (mean 5.6) reasons across multiple domains. Patient profiles were significantly associated with care status. The "Doubting Need for HIV Care" class were mostly disengaged (97.9%), followed by the "Multidimensional Barriers to Care" (62.8%), "Clinic Accessibility" (62.4%), "Livelihood and Mobility" (43.6%), and "Mobility and Family" (23.5%) classes. Conclusion: There are distinct HIV care disruption profiles that are strongly associated with patients' current engagement status. Interventions targeting these unique profiles may enable more effective and tailored strategies for improving HIV treatment outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite having universal access to tuberculosis (TB) treatment, loss to follow-up (LFU) rates remain high in Georgia, 6% among drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) patients (2017 cohort) and 19% among drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) patients diagnosed in 2016. A cohort study was conducted to analyze secondary data from the Georgian National Tuberculosis Surveillance Database. Study population included adult (≥18 years) patients with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB who were enrolled in Georgian National TB program during 2015-2017. The outcome of interest was loss to follow-up, defined as treatment interruption for more than 2 consecutive months. Patients were stratified by treatment profile (first-line drugs or second-line drugs) and survival analysis was performed within the stratified groups. A total of 7860 treatment episodes were identified during 2015-2017 which corresponded to 6696 bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB treatment episodes of whom 795 (12%) were LFU. After adjustment, final multivariate analysis showed that male sex (aHR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-2.0), being diagnosed in Tbilisi (aHR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.6), unemployment at the time of diagnosis (aHR 1.7, 95%CI 1.2-2.3) and previous history of TB treatment were independent risk factors for LFU (aHR 2.3, 95% CI 1.9-2.8) among patients on first-line drugs. Among patients on second-line drugs being male (aHR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.2), past TB treatment with second-line drugs (aHR 2.2, 95% CI 1.5-3.2) were significantly associated with LFU. LFU rate was high among patients on first-line drugs and second line drugs (10% and 22% respectively). Patients with past TB treatment history should further research to identify factors that lead to treatment interruption in this group. Other factors associated with LFU (being internally displaced person (IDP), being unemployed, and having imprisonment history) were in some level indication of a poor social-economic status and strengthening approaches for TB care based on patients' need could be considered in light of this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition of care refers to the continuity of health care during the movement from one healthcare setting to another as care needs change during a chronic illness. We sought to describe social, demographic, and clinical factors related to successful transition in a tertiary urban care facility in patients with CHD. Patients were identified utilising the electronic medical record. Inclusion criteria were patients with CHDs aged ≥15 years seen in the paediatric cardiology clinic between 2013 and 2014. Deceased patients were excluded. Clinical and demographic variables were collected. Patient charts were reviewed in 2015-2021 to determine if included patients were a) still in paediatric cardiology care, b) transitioned to adult cardiology/adult CHD, or were c) lost to follow-up. A total of 322 patients, 53% male (N:172), 46% female (N:149) were included. Majority had moderately complex lesions (N:132, 41%). Most patients had public insurance (N:172, 53%), followed by private insurance (N:67, 21%), while 15% of patients (N:47) were uninsured. Only 49% (N = 159) had successful transition, while 22% (N = 70) continued in care with paediatric cardiology, and 29% (N = 93) were lost to follow-up. Severity of CHD (p = 0.0002), having healthcare insurance (p < .0001), presence of a defibrillator (p = 0.0028), and frequency of paediatric cardiology visits (p = 0.0005) were significantly associated with successful transition. Most patients lost to follow-up (N:42,62%) were either uninsured or had public insurance. Lack of successful transition is multifactorial, and further efforts are needed to improve the process in patients with CHD.

Background: Birth HIV point-of-care (POC) tests curtail analytical testing issues and expedite diagnosis, potentially allowing for earlier mother-infant pair engagement and improved outcomes. Many children are lost post antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation within the first 6 months of follow-up., Objectives: We compared 6-month retention in care, HIV viral load (VL) suppression and mortality among infants diagnosed with HIV at birth, using laboratory-based versus POC HIV PCR testing., Method: From 2018 to 2019, infants exposed to HIV underwent birth HIV PCR POC testing at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital in Tshwane District. Their outcomes were compared to a historical control born between 2014 and 2016, who exclusively underwent laboratory-based HIV PCR testing. Both groups received comparable HIV care following national guidelines., Results: Fifty-seven infants were studied (POC: 27; Control: 30). The POC turnaround time was significantly shorter (POC: 15.5 h [IQR: 4.3-24.7], Control: 68.3 h [IQR 46.0-93.9]; p = < 0.0001). Both populations had the same elapsed time from HIV diagnosis to ART initiation (median: 13 days, POC: IQR 8-21 days; Control: IQR 9-36 days). Six infants were never initiated (POC: 2 [7%]; Control: 4 [13%]). At 6 months, overall care retention was 72% (41/57), higher among the Control group (Control 23/30, 77%; POC: 18/27, 67%). HIV viral suppression at 6 months was higher among the POC group (POC: 14/18, 78%; Control: 9/19, 47%, p = 0.09). No deaths were reported., Conclusion: Poor care retention at 6 months post ART initiation is concerning. Initial mother-infant visits should be effectively utilised to assess and manage potential risk factors for loss of follow-up., Contribution: This study highlights the ongoing need to find workable solutions to improve retention in care, thereby ensuring the benefits of expedited HIV diagnosis and ART initiation., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interest exists., (© 2024. The Authors.)

Background: Mid-treatment cross-border migration of patients with TB increases the risk of treatment interruption., Objective: To establish a cross-border referral process for patients with TB in Japan, and enhance their access to health facilities and treatment outcomes., Design: This prospective cohort study describes and assesses the process of foreign-born patients with TB who returned to their home countries during treatment, focusing on their access to healthcare facilities and treatment outcomes., Results: We enrolled 135 foreign-born patients with TB, and confirmed that 112 (83.0%) were referred to and accessed healthcare facilities after returning to their home countries. Of 102 patients due to complete treatment as of July 2023, 87 (85.3%) completed their treatment. We did not identify significant differences in the treatment success rate among patient characteristics, except between the patients with confirmed access to a healthcare facility and those without ( P < 0.001). We confirmed that 49/87 (56.3%) patients had completed treatment with official data., Conclusion: The access and treatment success rates of the cross-bordered patients with TB from Japan were >80%; however, we should further improve this proportion by confirming the treatment outcomes with official data., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest: none declared., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Monitoring patient's clinical attendance is a crucial means of improving retention in care and treatment programmes. Sickle cell patients' outcomes are improved by participation in comprehensive care programmes, but these benefits cannot be achieved when patients are lost from clinical care. In this study, patients are defined as loss to follow-up when they did not attend clinic for more than 9 months. Precise information on the retention rate and characteristics of those who are not following their clinic appointments is needed to enable the implementation of interventions that will be effective in increasing the retention to care.Method: This was a retrospective study involving sickle cell patients registered in the Muhimbili Sickle Cohort in Tanzania. Descriptive and survival analysis techniques both non-parametric methods (Kaplan-Meier estimator and Log-rank test) and semi-parametric method (Cox's proportional hazard model), were used. A p-value of 0.05 was considered significant to make an inference from the analysis.Results: A total of 5476 patients were registered in the cohort from 2004 to 2016. Of these, 3350 (58.13%) were actively participating in clinics, while 2126 (41.87%) were inactive, of which 1927 (35.19%) were loss to follow-up. We used data from 2004 to 2014 because between 2015 and 2016, patients were referred to other government hospitals. From the survival analysis results, pediatric (HR: 14.29,95% CI: 11.0071-18.5768, p <  0.001) and children between 5 and 17 years [HR:2.61,95% CI:2.2324-3.0705, p <  0.001] patients were more likely to be loss to follow-up than the adult (18 and above years) patients. It was found that patients with above averages for hematocrit (HR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.0076-1.0404, p = 0.0039) or mean cell volume (HR: 4.28, (95% CI: 1.0260-1.0598, p < 0.001) were more likely to be loss to follow-up than their counterparts.Conclusion: Loss to follow-up is evident in the cohort of patients in long term comprehensive care. It is, therefore, necessary to design interventions that improve patients' retention. Suggested solutions include refresher training for health care workers and those responsible for patient follow-up on techniques for retaining patients and comprehensive transition programs to prepare patients who are moving from pediatric to adult clinics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In health research interest often lies in modeling a failure time process but in many cohort studies failure status is only determined at scheduled assessment times. While the assessment times may be fixed upon study entry, individuals may become lost to follow‐up and miss visits subsequent to the time of loss to follow‐up. We consider a three‐state model to characterize a joint failure and loss to follow‐up process, and use it to investigate the impact of dependent loss to follow‐up on standard parametric, nonparametric, and semiparametric analysis. The effect of dependent loss to follow‐up is mitigated by fitting the joint model. The performance of standard methods is studied using the asymptotic theory of misspecified models, and the finite sample performance is examined for the standard and joint analyses through simulation studies. An application to data from a youth smoking prevention study is presented for illustration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glaucoma is associated with visual field loss for which elevated intraocular pressure is the primary risk factor. Proper medication adherence requires daily intake of prescribed medication for a lifetime. Non-adherence patients are at greater risk of poor outcome than adherent patients. Aim: To identify behavioural determinants contributing to loss to follow-up amongst glaucoma patients. Setting: The study was conducted in selected hospitals of South Africa. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on glaucoma patients with age ranging from 18 years and above. Quantitative methods were used to collect data from purposefully selected glaucoma patients. Structured questionnaires were distributed to collect data from patients attending glaucoma clinics. The patients should have missed an appointment review at least once during the 12-month period. Results: Amongst the 429 glaucoma patients interviewed, the majority (79%, n = 341) of the patients missed their follow-up more than once during the 12-month period. The most cited contributory barriers to poor follow-up were accessibility (26%) followed by lack of escort and financial cost at 22% and 21%, respectively. About 115 of the 429 study respondents were found to be non-adherent. The main reasons given were shortage of medication and forgetfulness at 36% and 29%, respectively. Conclusion: Accessibility and lack of escort were significant barriers to loss to follow-up. Identifying the predictors of poor follow-up can help in improving follow-up care. Therefore, patient education and support may improve adherence to glaucoma therapy.

Background Loss to follow‐up (LTFU) is common in randomized controlled trials. However, its potential impact on primary outcomes from cardiovascular randomized controlled trials is not known. Methods and Results We conducted a prospective systematic review (PROSPERO: CRD42019121959) for randomized controlled trials published in 8 leading journals over 5 years from January 2014 to December 2018. Extent, reporting, and handling of LTFU data were recorded, and the proportion of a trial's primary outcome results that lose statistical significance was calculated after making plausible assumptions for the intervention and control arms. These assumptions could drive differential treatment effects between the groups considering relative event incidence between LTFU participants and those included in the primary outcome. We identified 117 randomized controlled trials of which 91 (78%) trials reported LTFU, 23 (20%) reported no LTFU, and 3 (3%) trials did not report on whether LTFU occurred. The median percentage of study participants lost to follow‐up was 2% (interquartile range, 0.33%–5.3%). Only 10 trials (9%) had a low cluster of risk factors for impairment in trial quality. The percentage of trials losing statistical significance varied from 2% when the relative event incidence for LTFU between the randomized groups was 1 for the intervention arm and 1.5 for the control arm to 16% when the relative event incidence was 3 for the intervention arm and 1 for the control arm. Conclusions Almost 1 in 6 (16%) cardiovascular randomized trials published in leading journals may have a change in the primary outcome if plausible assumptions are made about differential event rates of participants lost to follow up. There is scope for improvement arising from LTFU in randomized trials in cardiovascular medicine. Registration URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero; Unique identifier: CRD42019121959.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent major public health challenge in South Africa. This article examines the social determinants and demographic factors associated with TB loss to follow-up through the lens of intersectionality. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the social determinants and demographic factors associated with TB patients lost to follow-up (LTFU). Setting: Mamelodi, an urban settlement in the South African District of Tshwane. Methods: AitaHealth™ is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) mobile and web application that is used by community health workers. Data from patients with TB were extracted from the 64 319 households registered on AitaHealth™ over a 3-year period. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare patients who were adherent to TB treatment and those LTFU. Results: Of the 184 351 individuals screened for TB, 788 reported that they were diagnosed with TB (an incidence of 427 cases per 100 000). Of the 704 eligible for inclusion in this analysis, 540 (77%) were on treatment and 164 (23%) were LTFU. The factors associated with LTFU were aged over 60, not having a South African identification document, migration and death in the household, and higher mean household income. Conclusion: The results of this study serve as a reminder to clinicians of the importance of the three-stage assessment (biopsychosocial) in the approach to patients with TB. Understanding the intersection of social determinants and demographic factors helps clinicians and others identify and respond to the specificity of patient, health system and non-health policy issues at play in LTFU.

Background: South Africa has the largest antiretroviral therapy (ART) programme in the world. To optimise programme outcomes, it is critical that patients are retained in care and that retention is accurately measured. Objectives: To identify all studies published in South Africa from 2011 to 2015 that used loss to follow-up (LTFU) as an indicator or outcome to describe the variation in definitions and to estimate the proportion of patients lost to care across studies. Method: All studies published between 01 January 2011 and October 2015 that included loss to follow-up or default from ART care in a South African cohort were included by use of a broad search strategy across multiple databases. To be included, the cohort had to include any patient ART data, including follow-up time, from 01 January 2010. Two authors, working independently, extracted data and assessed risk of bias from all manuscripts. Meta-analysis was performed for studies stratified by the same loss to follow-up definition. Results: Forty-eight adult, 15 paediatric and 4 pregnant cohorts were included. Median cohort size was 3737; follow-up time ranged from 9 weeks to 5 years. Meta-analysis did not reveal an important difference in LTFU estimates in adult cohorts at 1 year between loss to follow-up defined as 3 months (11.0%, n = 4; 95% CI 10.7% – 11.2%) compared with 6 months (12.0%, n = 4; 95% CI 11.8% – 12.2%). Only two cohorts reported reliable LTFU estimates at 5 years: this was 25.1% (95% CI 24.8% – 25.4%). Conclusion: South Africa should standardise a LTFU definition. This would aid in monitoring and evaluation of ART programmes, with the broader goal of improving patient outcomes.

ABSTRACT Loss to follow-up of antiretroviral therapy is when PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) do not come for antiretroviral therapy for more than 3 months. This study aimed to determine the factors of loss to follow-up antiretroviral therapy for PLWHA at Prof. Dr. W. Z. Johannes Kupang Public Hospital where PLWHA with land, water and air transportation are served. This was a case control study with 66 samples of PLWHA. The samples underwent antiretroviral therapy in Prof. Dr.W.Z. Johannes Kupang Public Hospital from 2006 to 2016. Saturated sampling technique was done for cases group and simple random sampling was done for control group. Univariate and bivariate data analysis were done in this study. The result of bivariate analysis showed that there were association between intention (p = 0.004, OR = 4.667), self efficacy (p = 0.0001, OR = 7.875), action (p = 0.0001, OR = 45.000), transportation mode (p = 0.046, OR = 0.200), and transport costs (p = 0.0001, OR 19.333) and loss to follow-up antiretroviral therapy. It could be concluded that transportation and behavior were the major problems for the loss to follow up antiretroviral therapy in the islanded area. Keywords: HIV/AIDS, antiretroviral therapy, loss to follow-up, islanded area ABSTRAK Gagal follow-up antiretroviral therapy adalah jika ODHA (Orang dengan HIV/AIDS) tidak menjalani terapi antireroviral lebih dari 3 bulan terakhir. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui faktor-faktor gagal follow-up antiretroviral therapy pada ODHA di RSUD Prof. Dr. W. Z. Johannes Kupang yang melayani para ODHA dengan moda transportasi darat, air, dan udara. Desain penelitian ini adalah case control. Sampel sebanyak 66 ODHA yang menjalani antiretroviral therapy di RSUD Prof. Dr.W.Z. Johannes Kupang sejak tahun 2006 sampai 2016. Teknik pengambilan sampel yang digunakan adalah sampel jenuh untuk kelompok kasus dan simple random sampling untuk kelompok kontrol. Analisis data menggunakan prosentase untuk univariat dan bivariat. Hasil analisis bivariat menunjukkan ada pengaruh niat (p = 0,004, OR = 4,667), self efficacy (p = 0,0001, OR = 7,875), tindakan (p = 0,0001, OR = 45,000), moda transportasi (p = 0,046, OR = 0,200), dan biaya transportasi (p = 0,0001, OR 19,333) terhadap gagal follow up terapi antiretroviral. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa masalah utama gagal follow up terapi antiretroviral di wilayah berkepulauan ini adalah transportasi dan perilaku. Kata Kunci: HIV/AIDS, terapi antiretroviral, gagal follow up, wilayah berkepulauan.

Abstract Background In Africa, a high proportion of children are at risk for developmental delay. Early interventions are known to improve outcomes, but they are not routinely available. The Rwandan Ministry of Health with Partners In Health/Inshuti Mu Buzima created the Pediatric Development Clinic (PDC) model for providing interdisciplinary developmental care for high-risk infants in rural settings. As retention for chronic care has proven challenging in many settings, this study assesses factors related to retention to care after 12 months of clinic enrollment. Methods This study describes a retrospective cohort of children enrolled for 12 months in the PDC program in Southern Kayonza district between April 2014–March 2015. We reviewed routinely collected data from electronic medical records and patient charts. We described patient characteristics and the proportion of patients retained, died, transferred out or lost to follow up (LTFU) at 12 months. We used Fisher’s exact test and multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with retention in care. Results 228 children enrolled in PDC from 1 April 2014–31 March 2015, with prematurity/low birth weight (62.2%) and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (34.5%) as the most frequent referral diagnoses. 64.5% of children were retained in care and 32.5% were LTFU after 12 months. In the unadjusted analysis, we found male sex (p = 0.189), having more children at home (p = 0.027), health facility of first visit (p = 0.006), having a PDC in the nearest health facility (p = 0.136), referral in second six months of PDC operation (p = 0.006), and social support to be associated (100%, p

Background: Sputum microscopy is still used for diagnosis of drug-sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (TB programs) aims to rapidly diagnose and treat all cases of TB. The aim of this study is to find the proportion of loss to follow up during diagnosis of pulmonary TB after the patient reached hospital (was handed over sputum cups for sputum collection) from DOTS center after referral from respective outpatient department (OPD) at a tertiary care hospital. Methodology: Record-based data from designated microscopic center at a tertiary care hospital were collected regarding the number of patients who had been given sputum cup container for sputum collection for diagnosis of pulmonary TB referred from different OPDs from January to December 2015. Results: A total of 1518 presumptive patient for pulmonary TB had visited DOTS center after referral from different OPDs in the hospital for sputum examination during the above period. The loss to follow-up during diagnosis among presumptive pulmonary TB patient was 461 (30.04%), which was higher among those below 15 years of age. At this rate of loss to follow up of presumptive TB patient to submit sputum for diagnosis, it was estimated to be about 46 smear-positive pulmonary TB cases per year which will be missed out for diagnosis during the above period (considering sputum positivity rate is 10% in the hospital). The mean gap between sputum referral to submission of two sputum samples was 2.73 days (95% confidence interval 2.52–2.84) among those of submitted sputum for diagnosis. Conclusion: Approximately one-third of presumptive patient for pulmonary TB had loss to follow-up for diagnosis of TB even after consulting a doctor at a tertiary care hospital. There is a need to address this gap in diagnosis of pulmonary TB in this region.

The Kaplan-Meier (KM) estimator of the survival function imputes event times for right-censored and lefttruncated observations, but these imputations are hidden and therefore sometimes unrecognized by applied health scientists. Using a simple example data set and the redistribution algorithm, we illustrate how imputations are made by the KM estimator. We also discuss the assumptions necessary for valid analyses of survival data. Illustrating imputations hidden by the KM estimator helps to clarify these assumptions and therefore may reduce inappropriate inferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to study the incidence rate, predictors and outcomes of HIV care interruption (HCI) in Belgium. Methods: We analysed data for adult patients with at least two HIV care records in the Belgian HIV cohort between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2016. An HCI episode was defined as 1 year without an HIV care record. The HCI incidence rate was analysed using Poisson regression, return to HIV care using a cumulative incidence function with death as a competing risk, and viral load (VL) status upon return to HIV care using logistic regression. Results: We included 16 066 patients accounting for 78 625 person‐years of follow‐up. The incidence rate of HCI was 5.3/100 person‐years [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.1–5.4/100 person‐years]. The incidence of return to HIV care after HCI was estimated at 77.5% (95% CI 75.7–79.2%). Of those who returned to care, 43.7% had a VL ≤ 200 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL, suggesting care abroad or suboptimal care (without an HIV‐related care record) in Belgium during the HCI, and 56.3% returned without controlled VL and were therefore considered as having experienced a real gap in HIV care; they represented 2.3/100 person‐years of follow‐up. Factors individually associated with HCI were no antiretroviral therapy (ART) uptake, lower age, injecting drug use, non‐Belgian nationality, male gender, not being a man who has sex with men, a shorter time since HIV diagnosis, no high blood pressure and CD4 count < 350 cells/µL. Conclusions: This study highlights the need to investigate return to care and viral status at return, to better understand HCI. Identified predictors can help health care workers to target patients at higher risk of HCI for awareness and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Among 972 individuals with HIV, the prevalence of tuberculosis (TB) was 10% and the 2-year mortality was 4.0%. • After adjusting for confounders, TB status was not associated with increased mortality. • Mortality was associated with missed antiretroviral treatment, symptomatic HIV disease, and low CD4 count. • Among TB-positive individuals, only missed treatment for HIV and TB predicted mortality. • Systematic screening for TB in HIV is associated with limited mortality. Few studies have evaluated the mortality rate in individuals with HIV initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART), undergoing screening with combined or repeated rapid tests for tuberculosis (TB). All individuals with HIV starting ART, irrespective of the presence of TB-related symptoms, received two consecutive Xpert tests plus a rapid test for the detection of mycobacterial lipoarabinomannan in urine (LAM). Mortality was evaluated by Kaplan–Meier analysis using the log-rank test in univariate analyses and Cox regression models with time-dependent covariates in multivariate analyses. Among 972 individuals screened with combined tests, 98 (10.1%) tested positive for TB with Xpert, LAM, or both. At the end of the study, 780 (80.2%) had completed 2 years of follow-up, 39 (4.0%) had died, and 153 (15.7%) were lost to follow-up. In the multivariate analyses, the factors significantly associated with mortality were missed ART (hazard ratio (HR) 7.05, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.33–21.35), symptomatic HIV disease (WHO-HIV stage >1) (HR 3.31, 95% CI 1.28–8.54), and low CD4 count (<200/mm3) (HR 2.72, 95% CI 1.21–6.13), with no significant effect of TB status. In the subgroup of the 98 TB-positive individuals, only missed ART (HR 4.12, 95% CI 1.03–16.46) and missed anti-TB treatment (HR 9.25, 95% CI 2.65–32.28) were significantly associated with mortality. A low mortality rate was observed among individuals with HIV undergoing systematic testing for TB at initiation of ART. After adjusting for confounders, mortality was significantly associated with missed ART, advanced disease, and missed anti-TB treatment. These findings reinforce the need to promote early diagnosis of HIV and the adoption of screening strategies for TB that prevent presentation with severe disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate survival estimates are needed for guiding cancer control efforts in sub-Saharan Africa, but previous studies have been hampered by unknown biases due to excessive loss to follow-up (LTFU). In the African Breast Cancer—Disparities in Outcomes Study, a prospective breast cancer cohort study, we implemented active mobile health follow-up, telephoning each woman or her next-of-kin (NOK) trimonthly on her mobile phone to update information on her vital status. Dates of every contact with women/NOK were analyzed from diagnosis in 2014–2017 to the earliest of September 1, 2018, death, or 3 years postdiagnosis. The cumulative incidence of being LTFU was calculated considering deaths as competing events. In all, 1,490 women were followed for a median of 24.2 (interquartile range (IQR), 14.2–34.5) months, corresponding to 8,529 successful contacts (77% of total contacts) with the women/NOK. Median time between successful contacts was 3.0 (IQR, 3.0–3.7) months. In all, 71 women (5.3%) were LTFU at 3 years: 0.8% in Nigeria, 2.2% in Namibia, and 5.6% in Uganda. Because of temporary discontinuity of active follow-up, 20.3% of women were LTFU after 2 years in Zambia. The median time to study notification of a death was 9.1 (IQR, 3.9–14.0) weeks. Although the present study was not a randomized controlled trial, in this cancer cohort with active mobile health follow-up, LTFU was much lower than in previous studies and enabled estimation of up-to-date and reliable cancer survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The process indicators of ending the HIV epidemic include 90% of people living with HIV receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The population of youth, however, has less access to healthcare. We assessed ART initiation and attrition outcomes of the HIV continuum from HIV diagnosis to ART initiation in youth living with HIV (YLHIV) and factors associated with ART initiation. Methods: We studied YLHIV aged 15 to 24 years who were registered on the National AIDS Program (NAP) from January 2008 to May 2019. The study period was divided into 2008 to 2013 (initiated ART by CD4‐guided criteria) and 2014 to 2018 (initiate ART at any CD4). Date of registration was used as a surrogate for the diagnosis date and defined as the baseline. The database included ART prescription and laboratory results, and the vital status was linked daily with the National Death Registry. Competing risk methods were used to assess factors associated with accessing ART, with loss to follow‐up (LTFU) and death considered as competing events. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with rapid ART initiation, defined as initiation ≤1 month after registration. Results: Overall, 51,607 youth registered on the NAP (42% between 2008 and 2013). Median age was 21 (IQR 20 to 23) years; 64% were male. Overall ART initiation was 80% in the first period and 83% in the second. The ART initiation rate was higher among YLHIV aged 15 to 19 years (86%) than 20 to 24 years (82%) (p < 0.001) in the second period. The proportion of youth starting rapid ART increased significantly from 27% to 52% between the two periods (p < 0.001). Factors associated with ART initiation were age 15 to 19 years (aSHR 1.09, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.11), female (aSHR 1.26, 95% CI 1.23 to 1.29) and registration year 2014 to 2018 (aSHR 1.73, 95% CI 1.69 to 1.76). The cumulative incidence of LTFU/death prior to ART initiation at 12 months was 3.8% (95% CI 3.6% to 4.1%) in the first period and 1.9% (95% CI 1.8% to 2.1%) in the second period. Conclusions: In the era of universal treatment of all at any CD4 level, 83% of YLHIV registered on the Thai National AIDS Program initiated ART. The majority initiated within one month of registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss to follow-up or patient attrition is common in longitudinal studies of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Lack of understanding exists between the relation of study design and patient attrition. This review aimed to identify features of study design that are associated with attrition. We extended the analysis of a previous systematic review on missing data in 195 TBI studies using the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) as an outcome measure. Studies that did not report attrition or had heterogeneous methodology were excluded, leaving 148 studies. Logistic regression found seven of the 14 design features studied to be associated with patient attrition. Four features were associated with an increase in attrition: greater follow-up frequency (odds ratio [OR]: 1.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.0–1.3), single rather than multi-center design (OR: 1.6, 95% CI: 1.2–2.2), enrollment of exclusively mild TBI patients (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6–4.9), and collection of the GOS by post or telephone without face-to-face contact (OR: 1.6, 95% CI:1.1–2.4). Conversely, two features were associated with a reduction in attrition: recruitment in an acute care setting defined as the ward or intensive care unit (OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.47–0.72) and a greater duration of time between injury and follow-up (OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.88–0.99). This review highlights design features that are associated with attrition and could be considered when planning for patient retention. Further work is needed to establish the mechanisms between the observed associations and potential remedies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estimates of retention in antiretroviral treatment (ART) programmes may be biased if patients who transfer to healthcare clinics are misclassified as lost to follow-up (LTFU) at their original clinic. In a large cohort, we estimated retention in care accounting for patient transfers using medical records.Methods: Using linked electronic medical records, we followed adults living with HIV (PLWH) in Cape Town, South Africa from ART initiation (2012-2016) through database closure at 36 months or 30 June 2016, whichever came first. Retention was defined as alive and with a healthcare visit in the 180 days between database closure and administrative censoring on 31 December 2016. Participants who died or did not have a healthcare visit in > 180 days were censored at their last healthcare visit. We estimated the cumulative incidence of retention using Kaplan-Meier methods considering (i) only records from a participant's ART initiation clinic (not accounting for transfers) and (ii) all records (accounting for transfers), over time and by gender. We estimated risk differences and bootstrapped 95% confidence intervals to quantify misclassification in retention estimates due to patient transfers.Results: We included 3406 PLWH initiating ART. Retention through 36 months on ART rose from 45.4% (95% CI 43.6%, 47.2%) to 54.3% (95% CI 52.4%, 56.1%) after accounting for patient transfers. Overall, 8.9% (95% CI 8.1%, 9.7%) of participants were misclassified as LTFU due to patient transfers.Conclusions: Patient transfers can appreciably bias estimates of retention in HIV care. Electronic medical records can help quantify patient transfers and improve retention estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aims: In clinical trials, participant retention is critical to reduce bias and maintain statistical power for hypothesis testing. Within a multi-center clinical trial of diabetic retinopathy, we investigated whether regular phone calls to participants from the coordinating center improved long-term participant retention. Methods: Among 305 adults in the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Retina Network Protocol S randomized trial, 152 participants were randomly assigned to receive phone calls at baseline, 6 months, and annually through 3 years (annual contact group) while 153 participants were assigned to receive a phone call at baseline only (baseline contact group). All participants could be contacted if visits were missed. The main outcomes were visit completion, excluding deaths, at 2 years (the primary outcome time point) and at 5 years (the final time point). Results: At baseline, 77% (117 of 152) of participants in the annual contact group and 76% (116 of 153) in the baseline contact group were successfully contacted. Among participants in the annual contact group active at each annual visit (i.e. not dropped from the study or deceased), 85% (125 of 147), 79% (108 of 136), and 88% (110 of 125) were contacted successfully by telephone around the time of the 1-, 2-, and 3-year visits, respectively. In the annual and baseline contact groups, completion rates for the 2-year primary outcome visit were 88% (129 of 147) versus 87% (125 of 144), respectively, with a risk ratio of 1.01 (95% confidence interval: 0.93–1.10, p =.81). At 5 years, the final study visit, participant completion rates were 67% (96 of 144) versus 66% (88 of 133) with a risk ratio of 1.01 (95% confidence interval = 0.85–1.19, p =.93). At 2 years, the completion rate of participants successfully contacted at baseline was 89% (202 of 226) versus 80% (52 of 65) among those not contacted successfully (risk ratio = 1.12, 95% confidence interval = 0.98–1.27, p =.09); at 5 years, the completion percentages by baseline contact success were 69% (148 of 213) versus 56% (36 of 64; risk ratio = 1.24, 95% confidence interval = 0.98–1.56, p =.08). Conclusion: Regular phone calls from the coordinating center to participants during follow-up in this randomized clinical trial did not improve long-term participant retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The scale-up of HIV treatment programs has resulted in a reduction in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, retention of patients in these programs remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and mortality outcomes is therefore important to inform targeted program interventions.Methods: A retrospective multi-cohort analysis of 23,890 adult patients on ART over 36 months of follow-up in Kenya was done. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to assess for factors associated with LTFU and mortality at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow-up.Results: Majority, 67.7%, were female. At 36 months, 27.2% were LTFU and 13.5% had died. Factors associated with mortality at 36 months included older age (51 years and above) using 20-35 years as reference [(adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.86, p < 0.001], being male (aOR, 1.59, 95% CI 1.39-1.83, p < 0.001), divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.86, 95% CI 1.56-2.22, p < 0.001), having a body mass index (BMI) score of less than 18.5 kg/m2 using 18.5-24.9 kg/m2 as reference (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.52-2.11, p < 0.001), and, World Health Organization stage III and IV using stage I as the reference (aOR, 1.94, 95% CI 1.43-2.63 and aOR, 4.24, 95% CI 3.06-5.87, p < 0.001 respectively). Factors associated with LTFU at 36 months included being young between 20 and 35 years (aOR, 1.49, 95% CI 1.40-1.59, p < 0.001) using 36-50 years as reference, being male (aOR, 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.27, p < 0.001), and being single or divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.34, 95% CI 1.23-1.45 and aOR, 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.36, p < 0.001 respectively). Patients with baseline BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m2 using normal BMI as reference (aOR, 1.68, 95% CI 1.39-2.02, p < 0.001) were also likely to be LTFU.Conclusions: Factors associated with LTFU and mortality were generally similar over time. Implementation of programs in similar settings should be tailored to gender, age profiles, nutritional, and, marital status of patients to address LTFU. In addition, programs should focus on the care of older patients to reduce the risk of mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effectiveness of direct‐acting antiviral (DAA) therapies could be influenced by patient characteristics such as comorbid conditions, which could lead to premature treatment discontinuation and/or irregular medical follow‐ups. Here, we evaluate loss to follow‐up and treatment effectiveness of sofosbuvir/ledipasvir ± ribavirin (SOF/LDV ± RBV), ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir + dasabuvir ± ribavirin (OBV/PTV/r + DSV ± RBV) for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 (GT1) and sofosbuvir + ribavirin (SOF + RBV) for genotype 3 (GT3) in British Columbia Canada: The British Columbia Hepatitis Testers Cohort includes data on individuals tested for HCV since 1992, integrated with medical visit, hospitalization and prescription drug data. HCV‐positive individuals who initiated DAA regimens, irrespective of treatment completion, for GT1 and GT3 until 31 December, 2017 were included. Factors associated with sustained virological response (SVR) and loss to follow‐up were assessed by using multivariable logistic regression models. In total 4477 individuals initiated DAAs. The most common prescribed DAA was SOF/LDV ± RBV with SVR of 95%. The highest SVR of 99.5% was observed among OBV/PTV/r + DSV‐treated patients. Overall, 453 (10.1%) individuals were lost to follow‐up. Higher loss to follow‐up was observed among GT1 patients treated with OBV (17.8%) and GT3 patients (15.7%). The loss to follow‐up rate was significantly higher among individuals aged <60 years, those with a history of injection drug use (IDU), on opioid substitution therapy and with cirrhosis. Our findings indicate that loss to follow‐up exceeds viral failure in HCV DAA therapy and its rate varies significantly by genotype and treatment regimen. Depending on the aetiology of lost to follow‐up, personalized case management for those with medical complications and supporting services among IDU are needed to achieve the full benefits of effective treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Improving efforts toward elimination of mother-tochild transmission of HIV requires timely early infant diagnosis (EID) among all HIV-exposed infants, but the occurrence of timely EID and infant survival may be underascertained in routine, facilitybound program data. Methods: From March 2015 to May 2015, we traced a random sample of HIV-positive mother and HIV-exposed infant pairs lost to follow-up for EID in facility registers in Zimbabwe. We incorporated updated information into weighted survival analyses to estimate incidence of EID and death. Reasons for no EID were surveyed from caregivers. Results: Among 2651 HIV-positive women attending antenatal care, 1823 (68.8%) infants had no documented EID by 3 months of age. Among a random sample of 643 (35.3%) HIV-exposed infants lost to follow-up for EID, vital status was ascertained among 371 (57.7%) and updated care status obtained from 256 (39.8%) mothers traced. Among all HIV-infected mother--HIV-exposed infant pairs, weighted estimates found cumulative incidence of infant death by 90 days of 3.9% (95% confidence interval: 3.4% to 4.4%). Cumulative incidence of timely EID with death as a competing risk was 60%. The most frequently cited reasons for failure to uptake EID were "my child died" and "I didn't know I should have my child tested." Conclusions: Our findings indicate uptake of timely EID among HIV-exposed infants is underestimated in routine health information systems. High, early mortality among HIV-exposed infants underscores the need to more effectively identify HIV-positive mother--HIV exposed infant pairs at high risk of adverse outcomes and loss to follow-up for enhanced interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients' loss to follow-up (LTFU) from tuberculosis treatment and care is a growing worry in Ethiopia. But, available information is inadequate in assessing the time to tuberculosis patient loss to follow-up difference between health centers and a general hospital in Ethiopia. We aimed to assess time to LTFU difference between health centers and a general hospital in rural Ethiopia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from September 2008 to August 2015 and collected data from September 1 to October 02, 2016. A total of 1341 TB patients with known treatment outcomes were included into the study. Log rank test was used to compare the difference in time to TB patient loss to follow-up between health centers and a general hospital, whereas Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess factors associated with time to loss to follow-up in both settings. Results: We reviewed a total of 1341 patient records, and the overall follow-up time was 3074.7 and 3974 person months of observation (PMOs) for TB patients followed at health centers and a general hospital, respectively. The incidence of loss to follow-up rate was 27.3 per 1000 PMOs and 9.6 per 1000 PMOs, at health centers and a general hospital, respectively. From the overall loss to follow-ups that occurred, 55 (65.5%) and 33 (86.8%) of LTFUs occurred during the intensive phase and grew to 78 (92.9%) and 38 (100%) at health center and a general hospital, respectively, at the end of 6-month observation period. Older age (AOR = 1.7, 95%CI, 1.2–2.5, P < 0.001), being a rural resident (AHR = 2.7, 95%CI, 1.6–4.6), HIV reactive (AHR = 2.2, 95%CI, 1.5–3.2), following treatment and care in health center (AHR = 3.38, 95%CI, 2.06–5.53), and living at more than 10 km away from the health facility (AHR = 3.4, 95%CI, 2.1–5.7) were predictors for time to loss to follow-up among TB patients on treatment and care. Conclusion: Time to TB patient loss to follow-up between health centers and a general hospital was significant. Loss to follow-up was high in patients with older age, rural residence, sero positive for HIV, living further from the health facilities, and following treatment and care at health centers. Strengthening the DOTs program with special emphasis on health centers is highly recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of avoidable deaths. Economic migrants represent a vulnerable population due to their exposure to medical and social risk factors. These factors expose them to higher risks for TB incidence and poor treatment outcomes.Methods: This cross-sectional study evaluated WHO-defined TB treatment outcomes among economic migrants in an urban district of Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. We measured the association of a patient's government-defined residency status with treatment success and loss to follow-up categories at baseline and performed a comparative interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the impact of community-based adherence support on treatment outcomes. Key measures of interest of the ITS were the differences in step change (β6) and post-intervention trend (β7).Results: Short-term, inter-province migrants experienced lower treatment success (aRR = 0.95 [95% CI: 0.92-0.99], p = 0.010) and higher loss to follow-up (aOR = 1.98 [95% CI: 1.44-2.72], p < 0.001) than permanent residents. Intra-province migrants were similarly more likely to be lost to follow-up (aOR = 1.86 [95% CI: 1.03-3.36], p = 0.041). There was evidence that patients > 55 years of age (aRR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.89-0.96], p < 0.001), relapse patients (aRR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.84-0.94], p < 0.001), and retreatment patients (aRR = 0.62 [95% CI: 0.52-0.75], p < 0.001) had lower treatment success rates. TB/HIV co-infection was also associated with lower treatment success (aRR = 0.77 [95% CI: 0.73-0.82], p < 0.001) and higher loss to follow-up (aOR = 2.18 [95% CI: 1.55-3.06], p < 0.001). The provision of treatment adherence support increased treatment success (IRR(β6) = 1.07 [95% CI: 1.00, 1.15], p = 0.041) and reduced loss to follow-up (IRR(β6) = 0.17 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.69], p = 0.013) in the intervention districts. Loss to follow-up continued to decline throughout the post-implementation period (IRR(β7) = 0.90 [95% CI: 0.83, 0.98], p = 0.019).Conclusions: Economic migrants, particularly those crossing provincial borders, have higher risk of poor treatment outcomes and should be prioritized for tailored adherence support. In light of accelerating urbanization in many regions of Asia, implementation trials are needed to inform evidence-based design of strategies for this vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Loss to follow-up in observational studies may skew results and hamper study reliability. We evaluated the importance of loss to follow-up in the Swedish spine register.Patients: Patients operated in the lumbar spine and scheduled for a postal questionnaire follow-up during part of 2016 were identified. Out of the 351 patients, 203 had responded. After multiple attempts, 115 of the 148 non-responders were reached; 68 returned the complete questionnaire; and 47 answered a brief questionnaire by phone. Analyses were made with the Chi-square test, analysis of covariance or logistic regression. Some analyses were adjusted.Results: At baseline, the non-responders were younger than the responders (55 vs 61 years, p < 0.001) and had higher Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (54 vs 48, p = 0.003), lower SF-36 physical component summary score (PCS) (36 vs 40, p = 0.011) and lower EQ-5D (0.17 vs 0.27, p = 0.018). Mean back pain, leg pain, ODI, EQ-5D, SF-36 mental component summary score (MCS) improved significantly in both groups (all p < 0.001). SF-36 PCS did not improve in the non-responder group (p = 0.063). Non-responders perceived less improvement in back pain (global assessment back 60% vs 72%, p = 0.002). At follow-up, there were no differences in patient-reported outcome measures between the groups (all p ≥ 0.06), with the exception of a lower SF-36 MCS among the non-responders (p = 0.015).Interpretation: After surgery for lumbar spine degenerative disorders, non-responders achieve similar outcome as responders in the Swedish spine register, with the exception of a lower mental health and less perceived improvement in back pain. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: India has adopted active case finding (ACF) as an additional strategy to find its missing tuberculosis (TB) cases since 2017. Treatment outcomes of patients identified through ACF may be similar or different from those detected through routine passive case finding (PCF); currently, there are limited studies on this in India. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess differences in treatment outcomes of patients detected through ACF and PCF under the national TB program. Study Design: A study was conducted in six TB units of Haridwar district where ACF campaigns were conducted in 2017–2018. Methods: Data from patients detected by ACF (n = 72) and PCF (n = 184) were extracted from program records. Results: Of 72 patients detected by ACF, only 54 (75%) were initiated on treatment. A high proportion of initial loss to follow-up (25% vs. 0%) and delay in treatment initiation (4 days vs. 0 days) was observed in ACF patients as compared to PCF. The proportion of unsuccessful treatment outcome was 33% (n = 18) among ACF patients compared to 14% (n = 25) among PCF patients (adjusted relative risk: 2.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.7–4.0). Conclusion: High initial loss to follow-up, delay in treatment initiation, and poor treatment outcome among ACF patients are a major concern. The study results call for active follow-up after diagnosis and close monitoring during treatment for patients detected by ACF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is common practice for HIV programmes to routinely trace patients who are late for a scheduled clinic visit to ensure continued care engagement. In South Africa, patients who are late for a scheduled visit are identified from clinic registers, and called by telephone up to three times by designated clinic staff, with home visits conducted for those who are unreachable by phone. It is important to understand outcomes among late patients in order to have accurate mortality data, identify defaulters to attempt to re-engage them into care, and have accurate estimates of patients still in care for planning purposes. Objective: We conducted a study to assess whether tracing of HIV patients in clinics in rural north-eastern South Africa was implemented in line with national policies. Methods: Thirty-three person-day of observations took place during multiple visits to eight facilities between October 2017 and January 2018 during which clinic tracing processes were captured. The facility level implementation processes were compared to the intended tracing process and gaps and challenges were identified. Results: Challenges to implementing effective tracing procedures fell into three broad categories: i) facility-level barriers, ii) issues relating to data, documentation and record-keeping, and iii) challenges relating to the roles and responsibilities of the different actors in the tracing cascade. We recommend improving linkages between clinics, improving record-keeping systems, and regular training of community health workers involved in tracing activities. Improved links between clinics would reduce the chance of patients being lost between clinics. Record-keeping systems could be improved through motivating health workers to take ownership of their data and training them on the importance of complete data. Finally, training of community health workers may improve sustained motivation, and improve their ability to respond appropriately to their clients’ needs. Conclusions: Substantial investment in data infrastructure and healthcare staff training is needed to improve routine tracing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glaucoma is associated with visual field loss for which elevated intraocular pressure is the primary risk factor. Proper medication adherence requires daily intake of prescribed medication for a lifetime. Non-adherence patients are at greater risk of poor outcome than adherent patients. Aim: To identify behavioural determinants contributing to loss to follow-up amongst glaucoma patients. Setting: The study was conducted in selected hospitals of South Africa. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on glaucoma patients with age ranging from 18 years and above. Quantitative methods were used to collect data from purposefully selected glaucoma patients. Structured questionnaires were distributed to collect data from patients attending glaucoma clinics. The patients should have missed an appointment review at least once during the 12-month period. Results: Amongst the 429 glaucoma patients interviewed, the majority (79%, n = 341) of the patients missed their follow-up more than once during the 12-month period. The most cited contributory barriers to poor follow-up were accessibility (26%) followed by lack of escort and financial cost at 22% and 21%, respectively. About 115 of the 429 study respondents were found to be non-adherent. The main reasons given were shortage of medication and forgetfulness at 36% and 29%, respectively. Conclusion: Accessibility and lack of escort were significant barriers to loss to follow-up. Identifying the predictors of poor follow-up can help in improving follow-up care. Therefore, patient education and support may improve adherence to glaucoma therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent major public health challenge in South Africa. This article examines the social determinants and demographic factors associated with TB loss to follow-up through the lens of intersectionality. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe and interpret the social determinants and demographic factors associated with TB patients lost to follow-up (LTFU). Setting: Mamelodi, an urban settlement in the South African District of Tshwane. Methods: AitaHealth™ is an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) mobile and web application that is used by community health workers. Data from patients with TB were extracted from the 64 319 households registered on AitaHealth™ over a 3-year period. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to compare patients who were adherent to TB treatment and those LTFU. Results: Of the 184 351 individuals screened for TB, 788 reported that they were diagnosed with TB (an incidence of 427 cases per 100 000). Of the 704 eligible for inclusion in this analysis, 540 (77%) were on treatment and 164 (23%) were LTFU. The factors associated with LTFU were aged over 60, not having a South African identification document, migration and death in the household, and higher mean household income. Conclusion: The results of this study serve as a reminder to clinicians of the importance of the three-stage assessment (biopsychosocial) in the approach to patients with TB. Understanding the intersection of social determinants and demographic factors helps clinicians and others identify and respond to the specificity of patient, health system and non-health policy issues at play in LTFU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background The follow-up rate, a standard index of the completeness of follow-up, is important for assessing the validity of a cohort study. A common method for estimating the follow-up rate, the “Percentage Method”, defined as the fraction of all enrollees who developed the event of interest or had complete follow-up, can severely underestimate the degree of follow-up. Alternatively, the median follow-up time does not indicate the completeness of follow-up, and the reverse Kaplan-Meier based method and Clark’s Completeness Index (CCI) also have limitations. Methods We propose a new definition for the follow-up rate, the Person-Time Follow-up Rate (PTFR), which is the observed person-time divided by total person-time assuming no dropouts. The PTFR cannot be calculated directly since the event times for dropouts are not observed. Therefore, two estimation methods are proposed: a formal person-time method (FPT) in which the expected total follow-up time is calculated using the event rate estimated from the observed data, and a simplified person-time method (SPT) that avoids estimation of the event rate by assigning full follow-up time to all events. Simulations were conducted to measure the accuracy of each method, and each method was applied to a prostate cancer recurrence study dataset. Results Simulation results showed that the FPT has the highest accuracy overall. In most situations, the computationally simpler SPT and CCI methods are only slightly biased. When applied to a retrospective cohort study of cancer recurrence, the FPT, CCI and SPT showed substantially greater 5-year follow-up than the Percentage Method (92%, 92% and 93% vs 68%). Conclusions The Person-time methods correct a systematic error in the standard Percentage Method for calculating follow-up rates. The easy to use SPT and CCI methods can be used in tandem to obtain an accurate and tight interval for PTFR. However, the FPT is recommended when event rates and dropout rates are high.

Abstract Background Loss to follow-up (LTFU) in clinical trials is an important source of bias that can affect statistical power and generalisability of findings. The aim of this paper is to assess factors associated with LTFU in the MObile Technology for Improved Family Planning (MOTIF) trial in Cambodia and compare how the result might have varied using different analytical methods. Methods Follow-up in the MOTIF trial was 86% at 4 months and 66% at 12 months. For the primary analysis, we undertook a complete case analysis, similar to the approach used in similar trials of interventions delivered by mobile phone to increase contraception use. We conducted an exploratory analysis and found that factors associated with LTFU were young age, lower socio-economic status, not planning to use post-abortion contraception, availability of phone credit and not providing additional contact numbers. We then undertook two analyses to estimate the effect of the intervention on the primary outcome at 4 and 12 months for comparison with the complete case analysis. First, we undertook multiple imputation, and second we conducted an analysis treating all participants’ LTFU as non-users of contraception. Results Using multiple imputation, we found that the risk ratio was slightly increased at 4 months and slightly decreased at 12 months compared with the complete case analysis. When counting all participants’ LTFU as non-users of contraception, we observed that, compared with the complete case analysis, the risk ratio was slightly decreased at 4 months and slightly increased at 12 months. Despite the changes in the risk ratio, use of the different analytical methods did not result in an effect using the complete case analysis becoming statistically significant or vice versa. Conclusion Future studies assessing contraception use might anticipate increased attrition amongst younger participants, those of lower socio-economic status or those who do not provide additional contact details. Attrition could be reduced by collecting as many contact details as possible, by providing incentives and possibly by enhanced counselling to groups at higher risk of LTFU on recruitment. Multiple imputation should be considered in addition to complete case analysis if LTFU not missing at random is expected or observed. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01823861 . Registered on 30 March 2013.

Background: Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIVA) are an expanding population vulnerable to loss to follow-up (LTFU). Understanding the epidemiology and factors for LTFU is complicated by varying LTFU definitions. Setting: Asian regional cohort incorporating 16 pediatric HIV services across 6 countries. Methods: Data from PHIVA (aged 10-19 years) who received combination antiretroviral therapy 2007-2016 were used to analyze LTFU through (1) an International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) method that determined LTFU as >90 days late for an estimated next scheduled appointment without returning to care and (2) the absence of patient-level data for >365 days before the last data transfer from clinic sites. Descriptive analyses and competing-risk survival and regression analyses were used to evaluate LTFU epidemiology and associated factors when analyzed using each method. Results: Of 3509 included PHIVA, 275 (7.8%) met IeDEA and 149 (4.3%) met 365-day absence LTFU criteria. Cumulative incidence of LTFU was 19.9% and 11.8% using IeDEA and 365-day absence criteria, respectively. Risk factors for LTFU across both criteria included the following: age at combination antiretroviral therapy initiation <5 years compared with age ≥5 years, rural clinic settings compared with urban clinic settings, and high viral loads compared with undetectable viral loads. Age 10-14 years compared with age 15-19 years was another risk factor identified using 365-day absence criteria but not IeDEA LTFU criteria. Conclusions: Between 12% and 20% of PHIVA were determined LTFU with treatment fatigue and rural treatment settings consistent risk factors. Better tracking of adolescents is required to provide a definitive understanding of LTFU and optimize evidence-based models of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considered the gold standard of study designs, randomized controlled trials' (RCTs) results shape clinical practice, effect policy, and influence reimbursement. The fragility index (FI) can be used to quantitate the relative robustness of RCT results, with higher scores indicating more stout results. Unfortunately, most RCTs in surgery have fragile results. The aim of this study was to report on the FI in addition to a qualitative assessment of recent RCTs within the field of shoulder and elbow surgery. A systematic review was performed identifying recently published shoulder/elbow RCTs that included 1:1 allocated parallel study arms, dichotomous primary outcome variables, and statistical significance. The FI was calculated by sequentially modifying outcome groups by exchanging a nonevent in one group to an event until the P value for the outcome comparison, as calculated by the Fisher exact test, was increased above the.05 threshold. Thirty RCTs were included. The median FI was 4. Sixty percent trials had a FI of 2 or less. Fifty-three percent studies reported that participants were lost to follow-up. In 87.5% of these studies, the losses to follow-up exceeded their respective FIs. Only 53% of studies defined a primary outcome variable and 60% studies performed a prestudy power analysis. The median FI reported in the recent shoulder/elbow literature is 4; however, a high proportion of included RCTs display significant methodological concerns. The FI is a useful adjunct to analyze RCT results, but careful analysis of trial methods should be employed in each circumstance before drawing conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]