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Introduction: Hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV co‐infection has been identified as a risk for impaired CD4+ T‐cell recovery, possibly mediated by HCV‐induced liver fibrosis and/or immune activation. As HCV direct‐acting antivirals (DAAs) may partially reverse liver fibrosis and immune activation, sustained HCV virological response (SVR) may lead to improved CD4 recovery. We explored the effect of HCV DAA‐induced SVR on CD4 recovery among patients living with both HCV and HIV, including those with poor CD4 recovery on antiretroviral therapy (immunological non‐responders [INRs]). Methods: Subjects aged ≥18 years living with both HIV and HCV who achieved SVR with DAA were included. Pre‐DAA CD4 counts were included only after sustained HIV viral suppression and HIV viral suppression was maintained for the duration of the study. Segmented regression of interrupted time series analysis was used to evaluate changes in median CD4 count in the pre‐DAA period (−36 months) versus the post‐DAA period (+36 months). Results: In total, 156 patients were included. In the full cohort, median CD4 counts increased by 15% (p = 0.002) in the 6‐month period following DAA initiation, whereafter CD4 counts decreased by 2.7% per 6‐month period (p = 0.004). Among the 13 INRs, there was no immediate effect on median CD4 in the first 6 months after DAA initiation, whereafter there was a sustained CD4 increase (4.1% per 6‐month time interval [p = 0.02]). In total, 54% of INRs recorded a post‐DAA CD4 count of >350 cells/mm3. Conclusions: Successful DAA therapy induced a modest immediate CD4 immunological reconstitution among this cohort of patients living with both HIV and HCV, although this effect waned with time. By contrast, among INRs, achieving HCV SVR led to slower but sustained CD4 count recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed laboratory monitoring after combination antiretroviral therapy initiation among 3678 patients in a large US multisite clinical cohort, censoring participants at last clinic visit, combination antiretroviral therapy change, or 3 years. Median days (interquartile range) to first hematologic, hepatic, renal, and lipid tests were 30 (18-53), 31 (19-56), 33 (20-59), and 350 (96-1106), respectively. At 1 year, approximately 80% received more than 2 hematologic, hepatic, and renal tests consistent with guidelines. However, only 40% received 1 or more lipid tests. Monitoring was more frequent in specific subgroups, likely reflecting better clinic attendance or clinician perception of higher susceptibility to toxicities.

Abstract Introduction: The transition from paediatric to adult care poses risks to the health of young adults living with HIV if unsuccessful, including interruptions in care and poor health outcomes. [...]

Strategies are needed to optimize HIV health care transition (HCT). We describe HCT outcomes within the University of Maryland STEP Program, which is built upon integration of an adult HIV provider and navigator into the pediatric clinic, and coordinated collaboration between pediatric and adult HIV multi-disciplinary care teams. These outcomes were compared to a historical institutional HCT cohort (N = 50) which attempted transition in an earlier time period (2004–2012). Fifty-eight patients were enrolled during the study period, and 34 attempted HCT. In total, 84 patients underwent attempted HCT. In the STEP cohort, linkage to adult care was 94% and 12 month retention in adult care (95%) was statistically higher compared to the historical cohort. Rates of viral suppression did not differ pre- and post-HCT among STEP Program patients. These results support the concept of an integrated pediatric and adult HIV HCT model though the ability to achieve sustainable HCT success will require further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although the risk of AIDS‐associated diseases has declined dramatically with combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), the incidence rates of chronic non‐AIDS‐associated diseases in perinatally HIV‐infected adults have risen and have not been well characterized. Both traditional and HIV‐associated risk factors have been found to contribute to hypertension in non‐perinatally HIV‐infected adults; whether these same factors contribute to hypertension in perinatally infected adults is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the socio‐demographic, clinical, virological and immunological factors associated with systemic hypertension among a cohort of perinatally HIV‐infected adolescents and young adults. Methods: We conducted a case–control study among a population of adults aged 18–35 years with perinatally acquired HIV infection receiving care at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Covariates assessed included traditional risk factors such as age, family history of hypertension, and smoking, as well as numerous HIV‐ and antiretroviral‐associated covariates, including CD4 nadir. Results: Approximately 31% of the cohort met criteria for hypertension. There were no significant differences in the odds of most traditional or HIV‐associated risk factors among perinatally HIV‐infected adults with hypertension compared with those with no diagnosis of hypertension. Exposure to lopinavir/ritonavir was associated with greater odds of not having hypertension, while a concurrent diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was associated with greater odds of having hypertension. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that most traditional and HIV‐related risk factors do not appear to increase the odds of having hypertension in this cohort of individuals. The aetiology of hypertension in this population remains to be elucidated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Adolescents are a unique and sometimes neglected group in the planning of healthcare services. This is the case in many parts of sub‐Saharan Africa, where more than eight out of ten of the world's HIV‐infected adolescents live. Although the last decade has seen a reduction in AIDS‐related mortality worldwide, largely due to improved access to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), AIDS remains a significant contributor to adolescent mortality in sub‐Saharan Africa. Although inadequate access to ART in parts of the subcontinent may be implicated, research among youth with HIV elsewhere in the world suggests that suboptimal adherence to ART may play a significant role. In this article, we summarize the epidemiology of HIV among sub‐Saharan African adolescents and review their adherence to ART, emphasizing the unique challenges and factors associated with adherence behaviour. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive search of online databases for articles, relevant abstracts, and conference reports from meetings held between 2010 and 2014. Our search terms included “adherence,” “compliance,” “antiretroviral use” and “antiretroviral adherence,” in combination with “adolescents,” “youth,” “HIV,” “Africa,” “interventions” and the MeSH term “Africa South of the Sahara.” Of 19,537 articles and abstracts identified, 215 met inclusion criteria, and 148 were reviewed. Discussion: Adolescents comprise a substantial portion of the population in many sub‐Saharan African countries. They are at particular risk of HIV and may experience worse outcomes. Although demonstrated to have unique challenges, there is a dearth of comprehensive health services for adolescents, especially for those with HIV in sub‐Saharan Africa. ART adherence is poorer among older adolescents than other age groups, and psychosocial, socio‐economic, individual, and treatment‐related factors influence adherence behaviour among adolescents in this region. With the exception of a few examples based on affective, cognitive, and behavioural strategies, most adherence interventions have been targeted at adults with HIV. Conclusions: Although higher levels of ART adherence have been reported in sub‐Saharan Africa than in other well‐resourced settings, adolescents in the region may have poorer adherence patterns. There is substantial need for interventions to improve adherence in this unique population., Introduction Although significant progress has been achieved in understanding the pathogenic mechanisms, transmission, clinical features and complications of HIV/AIDS, the disease remains a global menace with large numbers of new [...]

Patients with perinatally acquired HIV may be at risk for the development of age-related non-AIDS diseases. The primary aim of this study was to describe patterns of systemic hypertension among a cohort of adults (≥18 years) with perinatally acquired HIV. A retrospective cohort study was conducted among adults (≥18 years) with perinatally acquired HIV infection. Primary outcomes included documentation of systemic hypertension as well as several additional non-AIDS-associated illnesses. Systemic hypertension incidence rates and rate ratios (RRs) were calculated among groups aged ≥18 and <18 years at the time of hypertension diagnosis. The overall prevalence of hypertension in the cohort (N = 109) was 26.6%, and the incidence rate of hypertension was significantly higher among those aged ≥18 years compared to those who are aged <18 years at the time of diagnosis (RR: 10.0, CI: 7.29-13.71). By multivariable analysis, only coexisting renal disease was associated with an increased risk of hypertension diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coccidioidomycosis typically presents as pneumonia, but rarely manifests as extrapulmonary disease. We describe a case of coccidioidal infection that presented as a neck mass and was diagnosed by fine needle aspiration (FNA). Initial clinical suspicion was for mycobacterial infection. Several modalities are available for the detection of Coccidioides species, but culture has been the mainstay of diagnosis. FNA provides a relatively noninvasive and effective modality for tissue-based diagnosis based on characteristic histological findings. It allows the additional advantage of early on-site identification, allowing for triage of the specimen, notification of laboratory staff and prompt initiation of treatment. The case herein described is intended to demonstrate an atypical presentation of extrapulmonary coccidioidomycosis and highlight the utility of FNA for diagnosis of such lesions. Clinicians should be aware of the unique advantages of FNA for evaluation of lesions of infectious etiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The incidence of systemic hypertension (HTN) among perinatally-HIV-infected (PHIV) patients appears to increase as they enter adulthood. Among non-perinatally HIV-infected adults both traditional and HIV-associated risk factors have been found to contribute to HTN. Whether these same factors contribute to HTN in PHIV is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the socio-demographic, clinical, virologic, and immunologic factors associated with HTN among a cohort of PHIV adolescents and young adults, aged ≥18 years. Methods We conducted a case–control study among a population of 160 PHIV adults with and without HTN who were receiving care at the University of Maryland and aged 18–35 years as of December 31, 2017. Covariates assessed included traditional risk factors such as age, family history of HTN, and smoking, as well as HIV- and antiretroviral-associated covariates. Results We identified 49 HTN cases (30.6%) and 111 (69.4%) controls. There were no significant differences in the odds of most traditional (age, gender, race, family history of HTN, tobacco, alcohol, and/or other drug use) or HIV-associated (CD4 nadir <100 cells/mm3, individual ART exposure, ART interruption) risk factors among PHIV adults with HTN compared with those with no diagnosis of HTN. Cases had lower odds of a history of treatment with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r). Cases had 3.7 (95% CI 1.11, 12.56) times the odds of a prior diagnosis of chronic kidney disease (CKD) compared with controls after controlling for CD4 nadir and ARV treatment history. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that most traditional and HIV-related risk factors do not appear to increase the odds of having HTN in this PHIV cohort. However, HTN among PHIV may be driven in part by CKD, and a focus on the prevention and early management of CKD in this group may be necessary to prevent the development of HTN. Additionally, there may be as yet unidentified risk factors for HTN among PHIV which require further exploration. Given the large and growing population of PHIV entering adulthood worldwide, it is imperative to explore risk factors for and effects of HTN in large, diverse PHIV populations. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study's primary objective was to characterize attitudes to long-acting antiretrovirals (LAARV), among youth aged 13-24 years living with perinatally acquired HIV and nonperinatally acquired HIV. Secondary objectives included: assessing whether those with detectable HIV RNA PCR viral load had higher enthusiasm for LAARV compared to those with suppressed viral load, and examining characteristics associated with LAARV enthusiasm., Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 303 youth living with HIV (YHIV) followed at 4 pediatric/adolescent HIV clinics in the United States was performed to determine interest in LAARV, using a modified survey instrument previously used in adults. Interest in LAARV across groups was compared. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to determine the impact of various characteristics on interest in LAARV., Findings: Overall, 88% of YHIV reported probable or definite willingness to use LAARV. The enthusiasm level was similar between youth with perinatally acquired HIV and nonperinatally acquired HIV (P = 0.93). Youth with HIV viral load >1000 copies per milliliter had significantly higher interest than youth with suppressed viral load [prevalence ratio 1.12 (95% confidence interval: 1.03 to 1.20); P = 0.005]. Female youth participants who had had past experience with implantable contraceptive methods had a significantly higher interest in LAARV (100% vs. 85.5%; P = 0.002). Proportion of respondents endorsing definite willingness to use was significantly higher with decreased injection frequency compared with increased injection frequency., Interpretation: YHIV at 4 urban US pediatric/adolescent HIV clinics had high levels of enthusiasm for LAARV. LAARV should be given high priority as a potentially viable treatment option to improve clinical outcomes in YHIV.

Objective: To address the need for nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-sparing regimens, we explored the virologic and pharmacokinetic characteristics of maraviroc plus ritonavir-boosted darunavir in a single-arm, open-label, 96-week study., Methods: Twenty-four antiretroviral-naive R5 HIV-1-infected participants received maraviroc 150 mg and darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg (MVC/DRV/r) once daily. The primary outcome was virologic failure (VF) = confirmed viral load (VL) >50 copies per milliliter at week 24 in the modified intent-to-treat population. To determine viral dynamics, participant-specific first- and second-phase empirical Bayes estimates were compared with decay rates from efavirenz (EFV) plus lopinavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir plus 2NRTIs, and EFV plus 2NRTIs. Maraviroc plasma concentrations were determined at weeks 2, 4, 12, 24, and 48., Results: Baseline median (Q1, Q3) CD4 count and VL were 455 (299, 607) cells per cubic millimeter and 4.62 (4.18, 4.80) log10 copies per milliliter, respectively. VF occurred in 3 of 24 participants {12.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.7 to 32.4]} at week 24. One of these resuppressed, yielding a week 48 VF rate of 2/24 [8.3% (95% CI: 1.0 to 27.0)]. The week 48 failures were 2 of the 4 participants (50%) with baseline VL >100,000 copies per milliliter. Week 96 VF rate was 2/20 [10% (95% CI: 1.2 to 31.7)]. Phase 1 decay was faster with MVC/DRV/r than reported for ritonavir-boosted lopinavir plus 2NRTIs (P = 0.0063) and similar to EFV-based regimens. Individual maraviroc trough concentrations collected between 20 and 28 hours post dose (n = 59) was 13.7 to 130 ng/mL (Q1, 23.4 ng/mL; Q3, 46.5 ng/mL), and modeled steady-state concentration was 128 ng/mL., Conclusions: MVC/DRV/r 150/800/100 mg once daily has potential for treatment-naive patients with R5 HIV-1.

We assessed laboratory monitoring after combination antiretroviral therapy initiation among 3678 patients in a large US multisite clinical cohort, censoring participants at last clinic visit, combination antiretroviral therapy change, or 3 years. Median days (interquartile range) to first hematologic, hepatic, renal, and lipid tests were 30 (18-53), 31 (19-56), 33 (20-59), and 350 (96-1106), respectively. At 1 year, approximately 80% received more than 2 hematologic, hepatic, and renal tests consistent with guidelines. However, only 40% received 1 or more lipid tests. Monitoring was more frequent in specific subgroups, likely reflecting better clinic attendance or clinician perception of higher susceptibility to toxicities.

We sought to describe virologic and clinical retention outcomes among a group of HIV-infected adolescents and young adults (AYA) newly established in an adult HIV clinic compared with matched HIV-infected adults. AYA demonstrated lower rates of HIV-1 virologic suppression and higher rates of HIV-1 viral rebound and loss to follow-up compared with adults. African American AYA had the lowest rates of virologic suppression and the highest rates of viral rebound. Adult providers should consider HIV-infected AYA, particularly African American HIV-infected AYA, to potentially be at high risk for poor clinical outcomes in adult care.