Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28673254›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2017

A cross-sectional study to evaluate second line virological failure and elevated bilirubin as a surrogate for adherence to atazanavir/ritonavir in two urban HIV clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi.

Dennis Miyoge Ongubo, Robertino Lim, Hannock Tweya, Christopher Chikhosi Stanley, Petros Tembo, Richard Broadhurst, Salem Gugsa, McNeil Ngongondo, Colin Speight, Tom Heller and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 36% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Dennis Miyoge OnguboTulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, USA.
Robertino LimTufts University School of Medicine, Boston, USA.
Hannock TweyaLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Christopher Chikhosi StanleyUniversity of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Petros TemboLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Richard BroadhurstUniversity of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, USA.
Salem GugsaLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
McNeil NgongondoUniversity of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Colin SpeightLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Tom HellerLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Sam PhiriLighthouse Trust, Lilongwe, Malawi.
Mina C HosseinipourUniversity of North Carolina Project, Lilongwe, Malawi. mina_hosseinipour@med.unc.edu.ORCID 0000-0003-2174-313X
Lighthouse Trust · MWUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill · USTufts University · USTulane University · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMalawi's national antiretroviral therapy program provides atazanavir/ritonavir-based second line regimens which cause concentration-dependent rise in indirect bilirubin. We sought to determine if elevated bilirubin, as a surrogate of atazanavir/ritonavir adherence, can aid in the evaluation of second line virological failure in Malawi.

methodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of HIV-infected patients ≥15 years who were on boosted protease inhibitor-based second line antiretroviral therapy for at least 6 months in two urban HIV clinics in Lilongwe, Malawi. Antiretroviral therapy history and adherence data were extracted from the electronic medical records and blood was drawn for viral load, complete blood count, total bilirubin, and CD4 cell count at a clinic visit. Factors associated with virological failure were assessed using multivariate logistic regression model.

resultsOut of 376 patients on second line antiretroviral therapy evaluated, 372 (98.9%) were on atazanavir/ritonavir-based therapy and 142 (37.8%) were male. Mean age was 40.9 years (SD ± 10.1), mean duration on second line antiretroviral therapy was 41.9 months (SD ± 27.6) and 256 patients (68.1%) had elevated bilirubin >1.3 mg/dL. Overall, 35 (9.3%) patients had viral load >1000 copies/ml (virological failure). Among the virologically failing vs. non-failing patients, bilirubin was elevated in 34.3% vs. 72.0% respectively (p < 0.001), although adherence by pill count was similar (62.9% vs. 60.7%, p = 0.804). The odds of virological failure were higher for adults aged 25-40 years (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.5, p = 0.048), those with CD4 cell count <100 (aOR 17.5, p < 0.001), and those with normal bilirubin levels (aOR 5.4, p < 0.001); but were lower for the overweight/obese patients (aOR 0.3, p = 0.026). Poor pill count adherence (aOR 0.7, p = 0.4) and male gender (aOR 1.2, p = 0.698) were not associated with second line virological failure.

conclusionsAmong patients receiving atazanavir/ritonavir-based second line antiretroviral therapy, bilirubin levels better predicted virological failure than pill count adherence. Therefore, strategic use of bilirubin and viral load testing to target adherence counseling and support may be cost-effective in monitoring second line antiretroviral therapy adherence and virological failure. Drug resistance testing targeted for patients with virological failure despite elevated bilirubin levels would facilitate timely switch to third line antiretroviral regimens whenever available.

Indexed as

AdultAnti-HIV AgentsAtazanavir SulfateBilirubinBiomarkers, PharmacologicalCD4 Lymphocyte CountCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHIV InfectionsHumansMalawiMaleMedication AdherenceMiddle AgedRitonavirTreatment FailureAnti-HIV AgentsAtazanavir SulfateBilirubinBiomarkers, PharmacologicalRitonavirAdherenceAntiretroviral therapyAtazanavir/ritonavirBilirubinSecond lineSurrogateVirological failure

Identifiers

PMID28673254
PMCPMC5496231
OpenAlexW2727603241

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.