1. Laboratory-Reflex Cryptococcal Antigen Screening Is Associated With a Survival Benefit in Tanzania.
- Author
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Faini D, Kalinjuma AV, Katende A, Mbwaji G, Mnzava D, Nyuri A, Glass TR, Furrer H, Hatz C, Boulware DR, and Letang E
- Subjects
- AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections drug therapy, AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections mortality, Adult, Female, HIV Infections complications, HIV Infections drug therapy, HIV Infections mortality, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Mass Screening, Meningitis, Cryptococcal drug therapy, Meningitis, Cryptococcal etiology, Meningitis, Cryptococcal mortality, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Prospective Studies, Survival Analysis, Tanzania epidemiology, AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections diagnosis, Antifungal Agents therapeutic use, Antigens, Fungal therapeutic use, Fluconazole therapeutic use, HIV Infections diagnosis, Meningitis, Cryptococcal diagnosis
- Abstract
Background: Cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening in persons with advanced HIV/AIDS is recommended to prevent death. Implementing CrAg screening only in outpatients may underestimate the true CrAg prevalence and decrease its potential impact. Our previous 12-month survival/retention in CrAg-positive persons not treated with fluconazole was 0%., Methods: HIV testing was offered to all antiretroviral therapy-naive outpatients and hospitalized patients in Ifakara, Tanzania, followed by laboratory-reflex CrAg screening for CD4 <150 cells/μL. CrAg-positive individuals were offered lumbar punctures, and antifungals were tailored to the presence/absence of meningitis. We assessed the impact on survival and retention-in-care using multivariate Cox-regression models., Results: We screened 560 individuals for CrAg. The median CD4 count was 61 cells/μL (interquartile range 26-103). CrAg prevalence was 6.1% (34/560) among individuals with CD4 ≤150 and 7.5% among ≤100 cells/μL. CrAg prevalence was 2.3-fold higher among hospitalized participants than in outpatients (12% vs 5.3%, P = 0.02). We performed lumbar punctures in 94% (32/34), and 31% (10/34) had cryptococcal meningitis. Mortality did not differ significantly between treated CrAg-positive without meningitis and CrAg-negative individuals (7.3 vs 5.4 deaths per 100 person-years, respectively, P = 0.25). Independent predictors of 6-month death/lost to follow-up were low CD4, cryptococcal meningitis (adjusted hazard ratio 2.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.31 to 5.82), and no antiretroviral therapy initiation (adjusted hazard ratio 3.12, 95% confidence interval: 2.16 to 4.50)., Conclusions: Implementing laboratory-reflex CrAg screening among outpatients and hospitalized individuals resulted in a rapid detection of cryptococcosis and a survival benefit. These results provide a model of a feasible, effective, and scalable CrAg screening and treatment strategy integrated into routine care in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Published
- 2019
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