Dual Analysis of Loss to Follow-up for Perinatally HIV-Infected Adolescents Receiving Combination Antiretroviral Therapy in Asia

Background: Perinatally HIV-infected adolescents (PHIVA) are an expanding population vulnerable to loss to follow-up (LTFU). Understanding the epidemiology and factors for LTFU is complicated by varying LTFU definitions. Setting: Asian regional cohort incorporating 16 pediatric HIV services across 6 countries. Methods: Data from PHIVA (aged 10–19 years) who received combination antiretroviral therapy 2007–2016 were used to analyze LTFU through (1) an International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) method that determined LTFU as>90 days late for an estimated next scheduled appointment without returning to care and (2) the absence of patient-level data for>365 days before the last data transfer from clinic sites. Descriptive analyses and competing-risk survival and regression analyses were used to evaluate LTFU epidemiology and associated factors when analyzed using each method. Results: Of 3509 included PHIVA, 275 (7.8%) met IeDEA and 149 (4.3%) met 365-day absence LTFU criteria. Cumulative incidence of LTFU was 19.9% and 11.8% using IeDEA and 365-day absence criteria, respectively. Risk factors for LTFU across both criteria included the following: age at combination antiretroviral therapy initiation
Source: JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes - Category: Infectious Diseases Tags: Implementation Science Source Type: research