Browsing by Author "Crabtree-Ramírez, Brenda"

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    Antiretroviral therapy and Kaposi’s sarcoma trends and outcomes among adults with HIV in Latin America
    (2021-01-06) Castilho, Jessica L; Kim, Ahra; Jenkins, Cathy a; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Fink, Valeria; Padgett, Denis; Belaunzaran-Zamudio, Pablo F; Crabtree-Ramírez, Brenda; Escuder, Maria Mercedes; Souza, Rosa Alencar; Tenore, Simone B; Pimentel, Sidnei R; Rodrigues Ikeda, Maria Letícia; de Alencastro, Paulo R; Tupinanbas, Unai; Brites, Carlos; Luz, Estela; Netto, Juliana; Cortes, Claudia; Grangeiro, Alexandre; Shepherd, Bryan E; McGowan, Catherine C; The Caribbean, Central, South America network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet)
    Abstract Introduction Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS) remains the most frequent malignancy in persons living with HIV (PWH) in Latin America. We examined KS trends and outcomes from Latin American clinical sites in the era of increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods Cohorts in Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Honduras, Argentina and Chile contributed clinical data of PWH ≥16 years old from 2000 to 2017, excluding patients with KS diagnosed before clinic enrolment. We compared KS incidence over time using multivariable incidence rate ratios. Predictors of KS before/at or after ART initiation and of mortality after KS were examined using Cox regression. Results Of 25 981 PWH, 481 had incident KS, including 200 ART-naïve and 281 ART-treated patients. From 2000 to 2017, the incidence of KS decreased from 55.1 to 3.0 per 1000 person-years. In models adjusting for CD4 and other factors, the relative risk for KS decreased from 2000 to 2008. Since 2010, the adjusted risk of KS increased in the periods before and ≤90 days after ART initiation but decreased >90 days after ART. In addition to low CD4 and male-to-male sex, KS risk after ART was associated with age and history of other AIDS-defining illnesses. Mortality after KS (approximately 25% after five years) was not associated with either year of KS diagnosis nor timing of diagnosis relative to ART initiation. Conclusions KS incidence in Latin America has remained stable in recent years and risk is highest before and shortly after ART initiation. Early diagnosis of HIV and ART initiation remain critical priorities in the region.
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    The HIV epidemic in Latin America: a time to reflect on the history of success and the challenges ahead
    (2020-01) Crabtree-Ramírez, Brenda; Belaunzarán-Zamudio, Pablo F; Cortes, Claudia P; Morales, Miguel; Sued, Omar; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Cahn, Pedro; Pozniak, Anton; Grinsztejn, Beatriz
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    Time to HAART Initiation after Diagnosis and Treatment of Opportunistic Infections in Patients with AIDS in Latin America
    (2016-06-07) Crabtree-Ramírez, Brenda; Caro-Vega, Yanink; Shepherd, Bryan E; Grinsztejn, Beatriz; Wolff, Marcelo; Cortes, Claudia; Padgett, Denis; Carriquiry, Gabriela; Fink, Valeria; Jayathilake, Karu; Person, Anna K; McGowan, Catherine; Sierra-Madero, Juan; Caribbean, Central and South America Network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet), of the International Epidemiologic Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) Program
    Background Since 2009, earlier initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) after an opportunistic infection (OI) has been recommended based on lower risks of death and AIDS-related progression found in clinical trials. Delay in HAART initiation after OIs may be an important barrier for successful outcomes in patients with advanced disease. Timing of HAART initiation after an OI in “real life” settings in Latin America has not been evaluated. Methods Patients in the Caribbean, Central and South America network for HIV Epidemiology (CCASAnet) ≥18 years of age at enrolment, from 2001–2012 who had an OI before HAART initiation were included. Patients were divided in an early HAART (EH) group (those initiating within 4 weeks of an OI) and a delayed HAART (DH) group (those initiating more than 4 weeks after an OI). All patients with an AIDS-defining OI were included. In patients with more than one OI the first event reported was considered. Calendar trends in the proportion of patients in the EH group (before and after 2009) were estimated by site and for the whole cohort. Factors associated with EH were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models. Results A total of 1457 patients had an OI before HAART initiation and were included in the analysis: 213 from Argentina, 686 from Brazil, 283 from Chile, 119 from Honduras and 156 from Mexico. Most prevalent OI were Tuberculosis (31%), followed by Pneumocystis pneumonia (24%), Invasive Candidiasis (16%) and Toxoplasmosis (9%). Median time from OI to HAART initiation decreased significantly from 5.7 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.8–12.1) weeks before 2009 to 4.3 (IQR 2.0–7.1) after 2009 (p<0.01). Factors associated with starting HAART within 4 weeks of OI diagnosis were lower CD4 count at enrolment (p-<0.001), having a non-tuberculosis OI (p<0.001), study site (p<0.001), and more recent years of OI diagnosis (p<0.001). Discussion The time from diagnosis of an OI to HAART initiation has decreased in Latin America coinciding with the publication of evidence of its benefit. We found important heterogeneity between sites which may reflect differences in clinical practices, local guidelines, and access to HAART. The impact of the timing of HAART initiation after OI on patient survival in this “real life” context needs further evaluation.