Unsatisfactory long-term virological suppression in human immunodeficiency virus-infected children in the Amazonas State, Brazil

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Ana Luisa Opromolla Pacheco, Meritxell Sabidó, Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro, Solange Dourado de Andrade
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2020
• Subjects: Highly active antiretroviral therapy; Child; Adolescent; HIV; Sustained virologic response; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0333-2020; https://doaj.org/article/bfd77799526840db9d83963ca6ff4fcc

Abstract INTRODUCTION: Achieving viral suppression (VS) in children is challenging despite the exponential increase in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). We evaluated VS in children >1 year of age and adolescents 5 years after they had begun ART, in Manaus, Amazonas state, Brazil. METHODS: HIV-infected, ART-naive children >1 year of age between 1999 and 2016 were eligible. Analysis was stratified by age at ART initiation: 1-5 y, >5-10 y, and >10-19 y. CD4+ T-cell count and viral load were assessed on arrival at the clinic, on ART initiation, and at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, and 5 years after ART initiation. The primary outcome was a viral load <50 copies/mL 5 years after ART initiation. RESULTS: Ultimately, 121 patients were included. The mean age at diagnosis was 4.8 years (SD 3.5), mean CD4% was 17.9 (SD 9.8), and mean viral load was 4.6 log10 copies/ml (SD 0.8). Five years after ART initiation, the overall VS rate was 46.9%. VS by patient age group was as follows: 36.6% for 1-5 y, 53.3% for >5-10 y, and 30% for >10-19 y. Almost all children (90,4%) showed an increase in CD4%+ T cell count. There were no statistically significant predictors for detecting children who do not achieve VS with treatment. VS remained below 65% in all the evaluated periods. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable immunological improvement is seen in children after ART initiation. Further efforts are needed to maintain adequate long-term VS levels and improve the survival of this vulnerable population.