Dolutegravir/Lamivudine Is Noninferior to Continuing Dolutegravir- and Non-Dolutegravir-Based Triple-Drug Antiretroviral Therapy in Virologically Suppressed People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus: DUALING Prospective Nationwide Matched Cohort Study.

Background: Confirming the efficacy of dolutegravir/lamivudine in clinical practice solidifies recommendations on its use.

Methods: Prospective cohort study (DUALING) in 24 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment centers in the Netherlands. HIV RNA-suppressed cases were on triple-drug antiretroviral regimens without prior virological failure or resistance and started dolutegravir/lamivudine.

Optimising HIV care using information obtained from PROMs: protocol for an observational study.

Introduction: Successful antiviral therapy has transformed HIV infection into a chronic condition, where optimising quality of life (QoL) has become essential for successful lifelong treatment. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can signal potential physical and mental health problems related to QoL. This study aims to determine whether PROMs in routine clinical care improve quality of care as experienced by people with HIV (PWH).

Exploring the Breastfeeding Desires and Decision-Making of Women Living with HIV in the Netherlands: Implications for Perinatal HIV Management in Developed Countries.

Guidelines in high-income countries recommend women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to formula feed their newborns, because the possibility of mother-to-child-transmission of HIV during breastfeeding cannot be ruled out. It is an ongoing debate if the possible transmission risk outweighs the medical, cultural, psychological, and social importance of breastfeeding in women stable on current first-line suppressive antiretroviral regimens. The study aim was to explore breastfeeding desires and decision-making of immigrant and nonimmigrant women living with HIV in the Netherlands.

Intentional- but not Unintentional Medication Non-adherence was Related with Beliefs about Medicines Among a Multi-Ethnic Sample of People with HIV.

Medication non-adherence can be intentional or unintentional. We investigated the prevalence of unintentional and intentional non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the relationship with beliefs about medicines, sociodemographic- and HIV-related variables among people with HIV (PWH) attending the HIV clinic of the Amsterdam University Medical Centers. Participants completed the Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) and the Beliefs about Medicines (BMQ) questionnaire.

Frequency, Risk Factors, and Mediators of Frailty Transitions During Long-Term Follow-Up Among People With HIV and HIV-Negative AGEhIV Cohort Participants.

Background: We previously demonstrated a higher prevalence of frailty among AGEhIV-cohort participants with HIV (PWH) than among age- and lifestyle-comparable HIV-negative participants. Furthermore, frailty was associated with the development of comorbidities and mortality. As frailty may be a dynamic state, we evaluated the frequency of transitions between frailty states, and explored which factors were associated with transition toward frailty in this cohort.

Reduced Forced Vital Capacity Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Middle-Aged Individuals.

Background: Pulmonary function impairments are more common among people living with HIV (PLWH), as are contributing risk behaviors. To understand the effects of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection independent of risk behaviors, pulmonary function was evaluated in lifestyle-comparable HIV-infected and -uninfected AGEhIV cohort participants.

Methods: Prevalence of obstructive lung disease in 544 HIV-infected and 529 HIV-uninfected participants was determined using spirometry.

The Effect on Treatment Adherence of Administering Drugs as Fixed-Dose Combinations versus as Separate Pills: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Administering drugs as fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) versus the same active drugs administered as separate pills is assumed to enhance treatment adherence. We synthesized evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about the effect of FDCs versus separate pills on adherence. We searched PubMed for RCTs comparing a FDC with the same active drugs administered as separate pills, including a quantitative estimate of treatment adherence, without restriction to medical condition.

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.

Virologic and immunologic response to highly active antiretroviral therapy in indigenous and nonindigenous HIV-1-infected patients in the Netherlands.

Objective: To compare the results of antiretroviral treatment (highly active antiretroviral therapy [HAART]) in indigenous Dutch (ID) and nonindigenous HIV-1-infected patients in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We focused on the largest groups of nonindigenous people visiting our outpatient clinic: patients from other industrialized countries (western), from Surinam/Netherlands Antilles (SNA), and from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design: Retrospective cohort analysis of 692 therapy-naive HIV-1-positive individuals who visited our outpatient clinic for the first time between July 1, 1996 and December 31, 2001.