Abstract: Objective: To assess the clinical utility and cost of point-of-care Xpert® MTB/RIF for the diagnosis of smear-negative tuberculosis (TB). Design: Cohort study of smear-negative TB suspects at a South African primary care clinic. Participants provided one sputum sample for fluorescent smear microscopy and culture and an additional sample for Xpert. Outcomes of interest were TB diagnosis, linkage to care, patient and provider costs. Results: Among 199 smear-negative TB suspects, 16
Abstract: Objectives: South African HIV care providers are exploring ways to reduce the intensity of patient visits while maintaining high quality of care. We used routinely collected data to model whether a simple screening tool could identify stable patients who would not need to see a doctor during a scheduled medical visit. Design:We identified stable and nonstable visits from January 2007 to September 2011 at a large HIV clinic in Johannesburg, SA. Stable medical visits were defined as
Abstract: Few studies have compared hospitalizations before and after antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in the same patients. We analyzed the cost of hospitalizations among 3906 adult patients in 2 South African hospitals, 30% of whom initiated ART. Hospitalizations were 50% and 40% more frequent and 1.5 and 2.6 times more costly at a CD4 cell count, 100 cells/mm(3) when compared with 200–350 cells/mm(3) in the pre-ART and ART period, respectively. Mean inpatient cost per patient
Abstract: Objective: To compare patient retention at three stages of pre-antiretroviral (ART) care and two stages of post-ART care to identify when greatest attrition occurs. Design: An observational cohort study. Methods: We reviewed files of all adult, non-pregnant individuals testing HIV-positive January 1 – June 30, 2010, at a primary health clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa (N=842). We classified retention in pre-ART stage 1 (HIV diagnosis to CD4 results notification in ≤3 months),
Abstract: Objective: In August 2011, South Africa expanded its adult antiretroviral therapy (ART) guidelines to allow treatment initiation at CD4 cell values 350 cells/μl or less. Mortality and morbidity are known to be reduced when initiating at higher CD4 levels; we explored the impact on patient loss to follow-up. Design: An observational cohort study. Methods: We analyzed routine data of 1430 adult patients initiating ART from April to December 2010 from a Johannesburg primary
Abstract: The scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART) is expected to raise adult life expectancy in populations with high HIV prevalence. Using data from a population cohort of over 101,000 individuals in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, we measured changes in adult life expectancy for 2000–2011. In 2003, the year before ART became available in the public-sector health system, adult life expectancy was 49.2 years; by 2011, adult life expectancy had increased to 60.5 years—an 11.3-year
Abstract: Objectives: To investigate the incidence of selected opportunistic infections (OIs) and cancers and the role of a history of tuberculosis (TB) as a risk factor for developing these conditions in HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Southern Africa. Methods: Five ART programmes from Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa participated. Outcomes were extrapulmonary cryptococcal disease (CM), pneumonia due to Pneumocystis jirovecii (PCP), Kaposi's sarcoma and
Abstract: Background: Treatment outcomes for antiretroviral therapy (ART) patients may vary by gender, but estimates from current evidence may be confounded by disease stage and adherence. We investigated the gender differences in treatment response among HIV-positive patients virally suppressed within 6 months of treatment initiation. Methods: We analyzed data from 7,354 patients initiating ART between April 2004 and April 2010 at Themba Lethu Clinic, a large urban public sector treatment
Abstract: Objective: In August 2011, South Africa expanded its adult antiretroviral treatment (ART) guidelines to allow treatment initiation at CD4 values ≤350 cells/μl. Mortality and morbidity are known to be reduced when initiating at higher CD4 levels; we explored the impact on patient loss to follow-up. Design: An observational cohort study. Methods: We analyzed routine data of 1430 adult patients initiating ART from April-December 2010 from a Johannesburg primary healthcare clinic
Abstract: Objective: To assess the outcomes of linkage to TB and HIV care and identify risk factors for poor referral outcomes. Design: Cohort study of TB patients diagnosed at an urban hospital. Methods: Linkage to care was determined by review of clinic files, national death register, and telephone contact, and classified as linked to care, delayed linkage to care (>7 days for TB treatment, >30 days for HIV care), or failed linkage to care. We performed log-binomial regression to
Abstract: Background: Use of Xpert MTB/RIF is being scaled up throughout South Africa for improved diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB). A large proportion of HIV-infected patients with possible TB are Xpert-negative on their initial test, and the existing diagnostic algorithm calls for these patients to have sputum culture (Xpert followed by culture (X/C)). We modelled the costs and impact of an alternative diagnostic algorithm in which these cultures are replaced with a second Xpert test (Xpert
Abstract: Objective: Little is known about the cost of paediatric antiretroviral treatment (ART) in low- and middle-income countries. We analysed the average cost of providing paediatric ART in South Africa during the first two years after ART initiation, stratified by patient outcomes. Methods: We collected data on outpatient resource use and treatment outcomes of 288 children in two Johannesburg public hospitals, Empilweni Services and Research Unit (ESRU) and Harriet Shezi Children’s
