Health-related quality of life in young adults with perinatal HIV after transfer to adult health care in the Netherlands.

Introduction: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult people with HIV is lower than that of the general population. Previously, no differences were detected in HRQoL of Dutch children with perinatal HIV (PHIV) compared to norm groups. In this study we compared HRQoL of PHIV young adults (PHIV-YA, aged 18-30) to two norm groups; the healthy Dutch YA population and YA with various chronic conditions.

Long-Term Virological Treatment Outcomes in Adolescents and Young Adults With Perinatally and Non-Perinatally Acquired Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

Background: Long-term viral suppression on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is not established among all people with human immunodeficiency virus (PWH). Young adults (18-24 years) are recognized as a group vulnerable for suboptimal virological treatment outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate longitudinal virological treatment outcomes and to identify risk factors for virological failure (VF) among young adults with non-perinatally and perinatally acquired human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Netherlands.

Preconception use of cART by HIV-positive pregnant women increases the risk of infants being born small for gestational age.

Background: The benefits of combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART) in HIV-positive pregnant women (improved maternal health and prevention of mother to child transmission [pMTCT]) currently outweigh the adverse effects due to cART. As the variety of cART increases, however, the question arises as to which type of cART is safest for pregnant women and women of childbearing age. We studied the effect of timing and exposure to different classes of cART on adverse birth outcomes in a large HIV cohort in the Netherlands.

Hcv coinfection, an important risk factor for hepatotoxicity in pregnant women starting antiretroviral therapy.

Objectives: This retrospective cohort study evaluated the risk of hepatotoxicity in HIV-1 positive pregnant and non-pregnant women starting combined ART.

Methods: Data were used from the ATHENA observational cohort. The study population consisted of HIV-1 infected, therapy naïve, pregnant and non-pregnant women, followed between January 1997 and February 2008.

HIV status disclosure among HIV-positive African and Afro-Caribbean people in the Netherlands.

HIV status disclosure is often characterized as a dilemma. On the one hand, disclosure can promote health, social support, and psychological well-being. On the other, disclosure can lead to stigmatization, rejection, and other negative social interactions.

Which method of adherence measurement is most suitable for daily use to predict virological failure among immigrant and non-immigrant HIV-1 infected patients?

In industrialized countries, virological failure occurs more often among HIV-infected immigrant patients. Non-adherence is the most credible explanation. We compared adherence of immigrant patients with that of non-immigrant patients in the Netherlands, and investigated which method of adherence measurement is most suitable for daily use to predict virological treatment failure: testing knowledge of the current regimen, a quantitative adherence interview, pharmacy prescription refill ratio (dispensed medication divided by prescribed medication, DM/PM), and plasma drug levels.

Nelfinavir plasma concentrations are low during pregnancy.

Plasma nelfinavir concentration ratios (CRs) were calculated for all pregnant (n=27) and nonpregnant (n=48) human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected women receiving the drug who visited our outpatient clinic. In pregnant women, mean and median nelfinavir CRs were significantly lower (P=.02 and P=.

Race is not associated with nevirapine pharmacokinetics.

The effect of race on the pharmacokinetics of nevirapine was investigated in a nonselected population. Included patients were ambulatory HIV-1-infected patients from the outpatient clinics of the Academic Medical Center and the Slotervaart Hospital, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. All patients were using nevirapine as part of their antiretroviral regimen and had at least one plasma concentration available for analysis.