To what extent do people living with HIV, people on pre-exposure prophylaxis, doctors and pharmacists endorse 90-day dispensing of antiretroviral therapy in France?

Justification The WHO 95-95-95 targets for 2030 do not imply that people living with HIV (PLHIV) achieve a good quality of life. The current 30-day dispensing interval for antiretroviral (ART) burdens the healthcare system. Lengthening dispensing intervals could alleviate this burden as well as enhance patient well-being. Objectives To capture perceptions on 90-day dispensing interval (90D) for ART from the perspective of PLHIV, people on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), doctors, and pharmacists. Methods Multi-centre observational survey led in France from 16 to 20 October 2020, among doctors agreeing to participate via regional coordinated care organisations for HIV, all PLHIV or people on PrEP consulting these outpatient-clinic doctors, and pharmacists doing ART dispensing. Results The survey was completed by 220 doctors who saw 1087 people (999 PLHIV; 88 on PrEP) and 176 pharmacists from 55 centres. Among the PLHIV, 855 (85.6%, 95% CI: 83.2%–87.7%) and among the patients on PrEP, 70 (79.5%, 95% CI: 69.6%–87.4%) stated they would be interested in 90D. All in all, patients who were more likely to endorse 90D are those who opt exclusively for hospital dispensing (OR 3.22 [1.57–6.58]) and who rotate between hospital and community pharmacy dispensing (OR 3.29 [1.15–9.32]). Patients who were less likely to endorse 90-D were those who consult in a city located outside the 3 French high HIV prevalence regions (OR 0.66 [0.44–0.99]), receive 2 vs 1 pill QD regimens (OR 0.53 [0.31–0.91]), and anticipate at least one vs no limitation to 90D (OR 0.27 [0.17–0.42]). 90D was perceived as possible by 152 pharmacists (86.4%), including 8 (5%) without restriction, and 219 doctors (99.6%), including 42 (19.2%) regardless of PLHIV’s immunovirologic status or social conditions (health insurance coverage, access to housing or accommodation, access to rights, resources). Comparison of the benefits and limitations of a 90-day ART dispensing interval as perceived by PLHIV and people on PrEP, doctors and pharmacists shows that doctors anticipate a higher number of benefits than people on ART and/or pharmacists, chiefly that 90D would be more convenient and create less risk of drug shortages and that patients would gain autonomy and a better quality of life. Pharmacists were found to clearly perceive the economic benefits (90D would be less expensive) but anticipate more drawbacks than doctors and the people on ART themselves: more administrative burdens, more non-dispensing if doses get lost, harder to track adherence and more drug–drug interaction issues, and more work as they shall have to warn the patient of potential risks of shortages due to the cost of the stock. Conclusion A clear majority of PLHIV, people on PrEP, doctors, and pharmacists endorsed 90D of ART. Most patients thought that 90D would be a good option, whereas most pharmacists and doctors thought that eligibility for 90D dispensing should depend on immunovirologic factors and social condition criteria. Moreover, pharmacists thought it would be necessary to commit regulatory resources and a better follow-up on adherence and drug–drug interactions. </jats:sec

Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy Containing Integrase Inhibitors Increases the Risk of IRIS Requiring Hospitalization

International audienc

COPD in HIV-Infected Patients: CD4 Cell Count Highly Correlated.

BACKGROUND:COPD is a frequent and significant cause of respiratory morbidity in HIV-infected patients despite the control of HIV. We aimed to analyze the factors correlated with COPD in this population to evaluate the existence of specific indicators of vulnerability in this population. METHODS AND FINDINGS:623 HIV-infected outpatients were enrolled during one year. This population was characterised by a dedicated questionnaire and electronic patient records. COPD screening was performed according to recommended spirometric criteria. The prevalence of COPD was 9.0%. Age and smoking were independently correlated with COPD (OR, 1.61 per 10 years increase, P = 0.007; OR, 1.28 per 10 pack-year increase, P = 0.003, respectively). Body mass index (BMI) and CD4 cell-count were independently and negatively correlated with COPD (OR, 0.78, P < 0.001; 0R, 0.77 per 100 cell/mm3 increase, P < 0.001, respectively). Among COPD patients, 77% did not know their diagnosis. Five COPD-patients never smoked and 44.2% did not have any respiratory symptoms and so were not eligible to perform a spirometry according to the guidelines. CONCLUSIONS:In addition to known risk factors, immune defect through CD4 cell count was independently and strongly correlated with COPD. COPD is largely underdiagnosed and thus unmanaged. However, early management and urgent smoking cessation are essential to improve prognosis. Clinicians' awareness on the particular vulnerability for COPD in HIV-infected patients is crucial. Moreover, indications to perform conventional spirometry to diagnose COPD may include more parameters than tobacco-smoking and respiratory complaints with a particular concern toward patients with a profound CD4 cell count defect

Characteristics of the in-sample doctors and pharmacists.

Characteristics of the in-sample doctors and pharmacists.</p

Characteristics of in-sample PLHIV and in-sample people on PrEP stratified as endorsers <i>vs</i> non-endorsers of 90-day ART dispensing (n = 1074).

Characteristics of in-sample PLHIV and in-sample people on PrEP stratified as endorsers vs non-endorsers of 90-day ART dispensing (n = 1074).</p

Questionnaire for PLHIV and people on PrEP.

French. (DOCX)</p

Patients on ART—Demographics and medical characteristics.

Patients on ART—Demographics and medical characteristics.</p

Presentation letter of the study.

French. (DOCX)</p

Comparative analysis of responses from doctors and pharmacists concerning eligibility therapeutic, immunovirologic, or social conditions for 90-day ART dispensing.

Comparative analysis of responses from doctors and pharmacists concerning eligibility therapeutic, immunovirologic, or social conditions for 90-day ART dispensing.</p

Questionnaire for pharmacists.

English. (DOCX)</p