Publications by authors named "Ezekiel Luoga"

Background: Adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV) in sub-Saharan Africa are affected by poor treatment outcomes, likely a consequence of poor adherence.

Objectives: To assess viral suppression rates and evaluate factors associated with achieving viral suppression and maintaining treatment adherence among ALHIV in rural Tanzania.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the Kilombero and Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort in Ifakara, Tanzania, including adolescents aged 10-19 years on antiretroviral treatment (ART) ≥6 months at the time point of their first viral load (VL) measurement after implementation of routine VL testing from August 2017 through December 2023.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to examine weight changes in HIV-positive individuals receiving either dolutegravir- or efavirenz-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) in rural Tanzania, where undernutrition is common.
  • It analyzed the weight changes over 18 months for 1,205 adults starting ART, finding that those on dolutegravir gained more weight (5.1 kg) compared to those on efavirenz (4.0 kg).
  • The results indicated that dolutegravir led to higher obesity rates and increased hypertension risk, particularly in individuals with a higher body mass index before starting treatment.*
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Background: Children and adolescents with HIV taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) have high rates of viraemia. We assessed if genotypic resistance testing (GRT) to inform onward treatment improved treatment outcomes in Lesotho and Tanzania, two countries with little access to GRT.

Methods: The Genotype-Informed Versus Empirical Management of Viremia (GIVE MOVE) open-label, parallel-group randomised controlled trial enrolled children and adolescents with HIV between the ages of 6 months and 19 years, taking ART, and with a viral load at least 400 copies per mL.

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The rollout of antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa to address the huge health impact of the HIV pandemic has been one of the largest projects undertaken in medical history and is an unprecedented medical success story. However, the path has been and still is characterized by many far reaching implementational challenges. Here, we report on the building and maintaining of a role model clinic in Ifakara, rural Southwestern Tanzania, within a collaborative project to support HIV services within the national program, training for staff and integrated research to better understand local needs and improve patients' outcomes.

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Background: Globally, the majority of people living with HIV have no or only limited access to HIV drug resistance testing to guide the selection of antiretroviral drugs. This is of particular concern for children and adolescents, who experience high rates of treatment failure. The GIVE MOVE trial assesses the clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of routinely providing genotypic resistance testing (GRT) to children and adolescents living with HIV who have an unsuppressed viral load (VL) while taking antiretroviral therapy (ART).

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Background: To what extent antiretroviral therapy (ART) reduces mother-to-child HIV transmission (MTCT) during breastfeeding remains unclear. We assessed the MTCT risk from mothers on ART to their infants during breastfeeding.

Setting: Ifakara, rural Tanzania.

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