Adverse quality of life consequences of antiretroviral medications

Syndemic conditions and quality of life in the PISCIS Cohort of people living with HIV in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands: a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

People living with HIV (PLWH) face structural and psychosocial factors that affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We aimed to evaluate how syndemic conditions affected HRQoL in PLWH.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 861 PLWH, to determine whether syndemic conditions (monthly income; sexual satisfaction; depressive symptoms; social role satisfaction; social isolation; cognitive function; nicotine dependence; perception of stigma) have an effect on HRQoL. A linear regression model and measures of Additive Interaction (AI) were used to determine the effects of syndemic conditions on HRQoL, controlling for other risk factors.

RESULTS

Overall, the most frequently observed were stigma perception (56.9%), poor cognitive function (50.6%) and the perception of social isolation (51.6%). The presence of depressive symptoms was the risk factor most associated with worse Physical Health (PH) (B 3.93, 2.71-5.15) and Mental Health (MH) (B 5.08, 3.81-6.34) in linear regression model. Specifically, an interaction was observed between poor cognitive function and poor satisfaction with social role on worse PH and MH (AI 2.08, 0.14-4.02; AI 2.69, 0.15-5.22, respectively); and low income and perception of stigma (AI 2.98, 0.26-5.71), low income and perception of social isolation (AI 2.79, 0.27-5.32), and low income and poor satisfaction with social role (AI 3.45, 0.99-5.91) on MH.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide evidence that syndemic factors impact HRQoL. HIV prevention programs should screen and address co-occurring health problems to improve patient-centered health care and outcomes.

Significant liver fibrosis is a predictor of poor health-related quality of life in people living with HIV

PURPOSE

Liver-related comorbidities can impair the health-related quality of life (HRQL) in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). However, the role of hepatic steatosis and significant fibrosis in PLWH remains incompletely characterized. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the association of hepatic steatosis and significant fibrosis on the HRQL using the medical outcomes study HIV health survey (MOS-HIV) in PLWH.

METHODS

A total of 222 PLWH were included in the final analysis of this cohort study. Metabolic comorbidities, socioeconomic factors, and HIV-related parameters were assessed. Hepatic steatosis and fibrosis were measured using vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). The MOS-HIV survey, containing two summary scores (physical health summary (PHS) and mental health summary (MHS)) and ten domains, was used to assess the HRQL. Clinical predictors were identified using multivariable linear regression models.

RESULTS

The majority of this cohort was male, and the median age was 52 years, with a high prevalence of hepatic steatosis (n = 81, 36.5%). Significant fibrosis was present in 7.7% (n = 17). The mean PHS and MHS scores were 52.7 ± 9.5 and 51.4 ± 10.5, respectively. The lowest scores were in the general health perception (GHP) and energy/fatigue (EF) domains. A high BMI and waist circumference were associated with a poor PHS score. Lower education, unemployment, arterial hypertension, and significant fibrosis remained independent predictors of an impaired HRQL.

CONCLUSION

Metabolic comorbidities, significant fibrosis, and a lower socioeconomic status may negatively affect the HRQL in PLWH. Considering the negative impact of significant fibrosis on the outcome, counseling and preventive measures according to current guidelines are recommended in this subgroup of PLWH.

The Influence of Patient Experience with Healthcare on the Health-Related Quality of Life of People Living with HIV: An Observational Cross-Sectional Survey

Introduction

Patient experience is central to the quality of healthcare delivery, showing positive associations with several outcome measures. The main objectives of this study are to analyze the influence of patient experience on the health-related quality of life in people living with HIV and the role played by treatment complexity and clinical care.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey with 467 patients with HIV. We used the Instrument for Evaluation of the Experience of Chronic Patients and the Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). We analyzed a predictive model through the partial least squares (PLS) method.

Results

The patient self-management scores showed the highest positive relationship with the patient’s health-related quality of life (β = 0.24, β = 0.32, p < 0.0001). Patients’ treatment complexity had a negative influence on health-related quality of life (β = − 0.21, β = − 0.28, p < 0.0001). The complexity of clinical care had negative effects on health-related quality of life, both directly (β = − 0.37, β = − 0.19, p < 0.0001) and through its negative influence on the productive interactions with healthcare professionals (β = − 0.21, p < 0.0001) and patient self-management factors (β = − 0.21, p < 0.0001). The effects of patient experience dimensions on their health-related quality of life were higher in people living with HIV > 50 years old (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Patient experience mainly influenced the health-related quality of life of older people living with HIV. The treatment and clinical care complexity played an important role in degrading the patients' experience and their quality of life. More integrated care would benefit the health-related quality of life of people living with HIV.

Funding

This project was funded by Merck Sharp & Dohme, Spain.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s40121-019-0252-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

[Patient-physician relation: a grounded theory of the experience of HIV treatment side effects.]

Antivirals induce many significant side effects and reduce the quality of life for People Living with HIV (PLWHIV). The management of side effects is crucial to maintain the patient's quality of life and adherence to treatments. The patient-physician relation is essential when managing side effects as it influences the experience for the PLWHIV. This grounded theory analyzes the patient-physician relationship in context with side effects. In the greater Ottawa/Gatineau area, 50 PLWHIV have participated in a semi-structured interview to share their experience with side effects. Four categories were highlighted with this analysis : healthcare model, medical power (central category), strategies and impacts. Results show that physicians are in a monopoly position when taking charge of PLWHIV, who then develop mechanisms of selfpreservation against medical authority. Patients must also develop their own strategies to overcome side effects. Nevertheless, a conflictual relation between patient and physicians may cause multiple devastating effects for the PLWHIV (isolation, withdrawal and distress).

The impact of antiretroviral therapy on symptom burden among HIV outpatients with low CD4 count in rural Uganda: nested longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Individuals with HIV have a high prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms throughout their disease course. Despite the clinical and public health implications of unresolved pain and symptoms, little is known about the effect of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) on these outcomes. This study aimed to assess the impact on symptom burden for the year after ART initiation in individuals with a CD4 count <200 cells/uL in Uganda.

METHODS

HIV-infected, ART-naıve adults referred from voluntary testing and counseling services in rural Uganda for enrollment into a randomized controlled trial to test fluconazole as primary prophylaxis against cryptococcal disease were invited to complete the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF) prior to commencing ART and at two subsequent follow up visits. This tool measures self-reported 7-day period prevalence and associated burden of physical and psychological symptoms. Changes in the total number of symptoms and distress indices with time on ART and trial arm were investigated through fitting Linear Mixed Models for repeated measures.

RESULTS

During the first year of ART initiation the prevalence of most individual symptoms remained constant. The notable exceptions which improved after commencing ART are as follow; prevalence of pain (prevalence changed from 79% to 60%), weight loss (67% to 31%), lack of appetite (46% to 28%), feeling sad (52% to 25%) and difficulty sleeping (35% to 23%). The total number of symptoms and distress indices reduced after treatment commenced. Of concern was that half or more study participants remained with symptoms of pain (60%), itching (57%), skin changes (53%) and numbness in hands and feet (52%) after starting ART. Sixteen symptoms remained with a burden of 25% or more.

CONCLUSION

Despite the beneficial effect of ART on reducing symptoms, some patients continue to experience a high symptom burden. It is essential that HIV services in sub-Saharan Africa integrate management of symptoms into their programmes.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

CRYPTOPRO [ISRCTN 76481529 ], November 2004.

Health-related quality of life and associated factors in people with HIV: an Irish cohort study

Background

Considering the chronic and debilitating nature of HIV infection, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important patient-reported clinical outcome to better understand the effects of this infection and its treatment on patients’ lives. The purpose of this study was to assess the HRQoL and its association with sociodemographic, behavioural, clinical, nutrition-related factors and social support in an Irish HIV cohort.

Methods

A cross-sectional, prospective study using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health survey assessed the 10 dimensions of HRQoL and summarised as Physical Health Summary (PHS) and Mental Health Summary (MHS) scores. Participants were categorised as having good or poor PHS and MHS using the standardised mean score of 50. The variables independently associated with PHS and MHS were identified using multivariable logistic regression models.

Results

Overall, 521 participants completed the HRQoL questionnaire. The median (IQR) PHS and MHS scores were 56 (47–60) and 51 (41–58) respectively. All the covariate groups had lower MHS than PHS. Participants with symptoms of HIV reported the lowest median (IQR) PHS score 44.7 (32.–54.5) and MHS score 36.1 (28.6–48.4). Of the 10 dimensions of HRQoL, the lowest scores were for the energy level and general health. Symptoms of HIV, co-morbidities, social support, employment and ethnicity had independent association with both PHS and MHS. Gender, education, alcohol intake and HIV-complications were associated with PHS. Age, illicit drugs, BMI and malnutrition were associated with MHS. However, CD4 count and viral load were not independently associated with PHS and MHS in multivariable regression models.

Conclusion

Overall, HIV-infected people in this cohort had an average level of HRQoL. However, it is impaired in people with symptoms and co-morbidities, and not independently associated with CD4 and viral load. Alleviating HIV symptoms and preventing co-morbidities are important in managing HIV. Providing psychosocial supports for behaviour modification and return to work or exploring new opportunities will help to improve HRQoL. Healthcare providers and policy makers need to plan and implement programs to routinely assess the HRQoL in a systematic method to facilitate a holistic management of HIV.

Local discourse on antiretrovirals and the lived experience of women living with HIV/AIDS in Thailand

Antiretrovirals (ARVs) have been seen as life-saving for HIV-positive people. However, ARVs have a darker side. Since 2000, many HIV-positive people in Thailand have received ARV treatments, but the understanding of ARVs and practices of medication-taking among HIV-positive women have not received much attention. We discuss local discourses employed by HIV-positive women and health work by these individuals in their attempts to adhere to ARVs restrictions. The local discourse of ARVs was ya tan rok AIDS "medications that could resist HIV/AIDS." ARVs provided hope for the women. Although the women were affected by the side effects of ARVs, they continued to take their medication to be able to live longer and perform their duties as mothers and carers. They were more concerned about the practice of medication-taking. Understanding why these women were adherent to their ARVs offers insights into the social impact of these ARVs on their lives.

What determines health-related quality of life among people living with HIV: an updated review of the literature

BACKGROUND

As infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has evolved to a chronic disease, perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming a prominent and important patient-reported outcome measure in HIV care. Literature discusses different factors influencing HRQoL in this population, however, currently no consensus exists about the main determinants. In this review a clear, up-to-date overview of the determinants influencing HRQOL among people living with HIV is provided.

METHODS

All studies published before July 2013 that identified determinants of HRQoL among people living with HIV in high-income countries, were considered in this narrative review. PubMed, Web of Science and The Cochrane Library were consulted using the keywords 'determinants', 'quality of life', 'HIV' and 'AIDS'. To be included, studies should have reported overall health and/or physical/mental health scores on a validated instrument and performed multivariable regression analyses to identify determinants that independently influence perceived HRQoL.

RESULTS

In total, 49 studies were included for further analysis and they used a variety of HRQoL instruments: Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 or variants, Medical Outcomes Study-HIV, HIV Cost and Services Utilization Study measure, Multidimensional Quality of Life Questionnaire, HIV targeted quality of life instrument, Functional Assessment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection, HIV Overview of Problems Evaluation System, EuroQol, Fanning Quality of Life scale, Health Index and PROQOL-HIV. In this review, the discussed determinants were thematically divided into socio-demographic, clinical, psychological and behavioural factors. Employment, immunological status, presence of symptoms, depression, social support and adherence to antiretroviral therapy were most frequently and consistently reported to be associated with HRQoL among people living with HIV.

CONCLUSIONS

HRQoL among people living with HIV is influenced by several determinants. These determinants independently, but simultaneously impact perceived HRQoL. Most HRQoL instruments do not capture all key determinants. We recommend that the choice for an instrument should depend on the purpose of the HRQoL assessment.

Using an innovative mixed method methodology to investigate the appropriateness of a quantitative instrument in an African context: Antiretroviral treatment and quality of life

The relationship between quality of life (QoL) and antiretroviral treatment (ART) has mainly been studied using quantitative scales often not appropriate for use in other contexts and without taking peoples' lived experiences into consideration. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of HIV and AIDS yet there is paucity in research done on QoL. This research report is intended to give an account of the use of a mixed method convergent parallel design as a novice approach to evaluate an instrument's context specificity, appropriateness and usefulness in another context for which it was designed. Data were collected through a qualitative exploration of the experiences of QoL of people living with HIV or AIDS (PLHA) in Africa since being on ART, as well as the quantitative measurements obtained from the HIV/AIDS-targeted quality of life (HAT-QoL) instrument. This study was conducted in three African countries. Permission and ethical approval to conduct the study were obtained. Purposive voluntary sampling was used to recruit PLHA through mediators working in community-based HIV/AIDS organisations and health clinics. Interviews were analysed through open coding and the quantitative data through descriptive statistics and the Cronbach's alpha coefficient. A much wider range and richness of experiences were expressed than measured by the HAT-QoL instrument. Although an effective instrument for use in the USA, it was found not to be sensitive, appropriate and useful in an African context in its present form. The recommendations focus on adapting the instrument using the data from the in-depth interviews or to develop a context-sensitive instrument that could measure QoL of PLHA in Africa.

Health-related quality of life 'well-being' in HIV distal neuropathic pain is more strongly associated with depression severity than with pain intensity

BACKGROUND

Despite modern antiretroviral treatment, HIV-associated distal neuropathic pain (DNP) remains one of the most prevalent and debilitating complications of HIV disease. Neuropathic pain is often accompanied by depressed mood, and both pain and depression have been associated with decreased health-related quality of life (HRQOL) well-being. The relative contribution of depression and pain to worse life quality has not been addressed, however, even though a better understanding might sharpen intervention strategies.

METHODS

We used the Medical Outcomes Study HIV (MOS-HIV) Health Survey and the Beck depression inventory-II and linear regression models to investigate HRQOL well-being in HIV-infected patients with DNP (n = 397) participating in an observational cohort study at six U.S. sites (CNS HIV Antiretroviral Treatment Effects Research Study, CHARTER).

RESULTS

For this sample of patients with HIV DNP, severity of depressed mood was more highly correlated with HRQOL well-being than was pain intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that interventions to improve HRQOL well-being in individuals with HIV-associated DNP may need to address not only pain intensity but mood state as well.

Assessment of factors influencing health-related quality of life in HIV-infected patients

OBJECTIVES

Health-related quality of life (HRQL) is used in the assessment of chronic illness. Regarding HIV infection, HRQL assessment is an objective for physicians and institutions since antiretroviral treatment delays HIV clinical progression. The aim of this study was to determine the factors with the most influence on HRQL in HIV-infected people and to create a predictive model.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 150 patients in a tertiary hospital. HRQL data were collected using the Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey (MOS-HIV) questionnaire. The research team created a specific template with which to gather clinical and sociodemographic data. Adherence was assessed using the Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire (SMAQ) and depression data were obtained using the Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-II) inventory. Logistic regression models were used to identify determinants of HRQL.

RESULTS

HIV-related symptoms and presence of depression were found to be negatively associated with all the MOS-HIV domains, the Physical Health summary score and the Mental Health summary score. Patients receiving protease inhibitor (PI)-based treatment had lower scores in four of the 11 domains of the MOS-HIV questionnaire. Gender, hospitalization in the year before enrolment, depression and parenthood were independently related to the Physical Health Score; depression and hepatitis C virus coinfection were related to the Mental Health Score.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimization of HRQL is particularly important now that HIV infection can be considered a chronic disease with the prospect of long-term survival. Quality of life should be monitored in follow-up of HIV-infected patients. The assessment of HRQL in this population can help us to detect problems that may influence the progression of the disease. This investigation highlights the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to HIV infection.

[Factors associated with antiretroviral treatment and their influence on health related quality of life in HIV infected patients]

OBJECTIVES

Access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) has become essential to delay HIV clinical progression and increase survival, so improving Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL). The aim of this investigation was to describe factors associated with ART and their impact on HRQL in HIV infected patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study on 150 HIV-outpatients in a tertiary hospital was designed, and ART-related data collected. Adherence was assessed by the SMAQ questionnaire. HRQL data were collected by disease-specific questionnaire MOS-HIV (Medical Outcomes Study HIV Health Survey).

RESULTS

A total of 84% of patients were on ART. Half of the treatment regimens were Protease inhibitor (PI) based, LPV/r being the most commonly used drug. The large majority of treatments used (89.7%) were second line or successive, and NNRTI-based combinations were the most used in first line. Lipodystrophy was the most frequently referred side-effect (61.1%). Almost all (94.5%) of our patients declared they were adapting well to treatment in their daily-life-activities, with 64.3% adhering to treatment according to the SMAQ (Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire) questionnaire. In the HRQL, patients with PI-based treatment got lower scores in 4 of 11 domains with the MOS-HIV questionnaire; while patients that adapted well to their ART had better scores in 4 of 11 domains and overall HRQL assessment in MOS-HIV.

CONCLUSIONS

Most of our patients were on ART during our investigation. We have documented a negative association between PI-based treatment and HRQL domains, and a positive association between subjective ART adaptation and HRQL. The assessment of HRQL in this population has increasing interest as it is influenced by ART related factors as treatment improves life conditions of HIV infected people.

Gastrointestinal tolerability and quality of life in antiretroviral-naive HIV-1-infected patients: data from the CASTLE study

Most ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI)-based antiretroviral regimens offer comparable levels of virological efficacy. Thus, the tolerability of the regimen becomes a distinguishing factor with implications for patient quality of life (QoL), treatment adherence, and clinical outcome. This article describes results from the CASTLE study (comparing once-daily atazanavir/ritonavir [ATV/RTV] with twice-daily lopinavir/ritonavir [LPV/RTV], both in combination with fixed-dose tenofovir/emtricitabine, in treatment-naive HIV-infected patients) and an evaluation of the impact of gastrointestinal (GI) complications of treatment on patient QoL, as measured by the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) QoL questionnaire (IBS-QoL). Changes in IBS-QoL from baseline over time (to week 24) were classified as: "Improvement" (> or =2-point positive change from baseline), "No change" (<2-point change), or "Worsening" (> or =2-point negative change). Data were collected on GI adverse events (AEs) and use of GI medications. Of the 599 patients with IBS-QoL-evaluable data through week 24, fewer patients in the ATV/RTV group than in the LPV/RTV group experienced grade 2-4 treatment-related GI AEs including diarrhea (3% versus 10%), nausea (5% versus 7%), and vomiting (<1% on both arms). Nearly three times as many patients receiving LPV/RTV used GI medications. ATV/RTV was associated with an increase in overall IBS-QoL scores and more patients receiving ATV/RTV than LPV/RTV experienced improvement in IBS-QoL through week 24. In contrast to LPV/RTV, ATV/RTV treatment was associated with earlier and more positive improvements in QoL scores across CD4 sub-groups. Differences in the health-related QoL profile between ATV/RTV and LPV/RTV may be important when selecting PI-based antiretroviral regimens.

State of the ART: clinical efficacy and improved quality of life in the public antiretroviral therapy program, Free State province, South Africa

The South African public-sector antiretroviral treatment (ART) program has yielded promising early results. To extend and reinforce these preliminary findings, we undertook a detailed assessment of the clinical efficacy and outcomes over two years of ART. The primary objective was to assess the clinical outcomes and adverse effects of two years of ART, while identifying the possible effects of baseline health and patient characteristics. A secondary objective was to address the interplay between positive and negative outcomes (clinical benefits versus adverse effects) in terms of the patients' physical and emotional quality of life (QoL). Clinical outcome, baseline characteristics, health status, and physical and emotional QoL scores were determined from clinical files and interviews with 268 patients enrolled in the Free State ART program at three time points (6, 12, and 24 months of ART). Age, sex, education, and baseline health (CD4 cell count and viral load) were all independently associated with the ART outcome in the early stages of treatment, but their impact diminished as the treatment progressed. The number of patients classified as treatment successes increased over the first two years of ART, whereas the proportion of patients experiencing adverse effects diminished. Importantly, our findings show that ART had strong and stable positive effects on physical and emotional QoL. These favorable results demonstrate that a well-managed public-sector ART program can be very successful within a high-HIV-prevalence resource-limited setting. This finding emphasizes the need to adopt treatment scale-up as a key policy priority, while at the same time ensuring that the highest standards of healthcare provision are maintained. Healthcare services should also target vulnerable groups (males, less-educated patients, those with low baseline CD4 cell counts, and high baseline viral loads) who are most likely to experience treatment failure.

Health-related quality of life in relation to sense of coherence in a Swedish group of HIV-infected patients over a two-year follow-up

The purpose of the present study was to describe HIV-infected patients' self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in relation to sense of coherence over a 24-month period. A total of 104 HIV-infected patients (71% males) answered questionnaires at three times at 12-month intervals. At the same time, clinical characteristics were collected from the patients' medical records. HRQOL was measured by the HIV-symptom scale, the Health Index, and the Well-Being Scale. Coping ability was measured with the 29-item sense of coherence (SOC) scale. The patients were divided into three groups depending on SOC scores (low, moderate, high). The results indicate that the group with low SOC scores rate their HRQOL worse than the other groups at all three measurements (p values from <0.05 to <0.001). Over the 2-year period, the patients' CD4 cell count=mm3 increased significantly (p values <0.001), indicating good response to antiretroviral treatment. However, their HRQOL did not improve during these 2 years. Patients with higher SOC rate their HRQOL better than those with a lower SOC, during these years. Future studies should investigate the predictive value of the SOC scale of HRQOL in HIV-infected patients.