Publications by authors named "Leonard A Sowah"

Background: With the advent of efficacious oral direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) for hepatitis C virus (HCV), identification of characteristics associated with adherence is critical to treatment success. We examined correlates of sub-optimal adherence to HCV therapy in a single-arm, multinational, clinical trial.

Methods: ACTG A5360 enrolled HCV treatment-naive persons without decompensated cirrhosis from 5 countries.

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Outcomes for critically ill people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) have changed with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART). To identify these outcomes and correlates of mortality in a contemporary critically ill cohort in an urban academic medical center in Baltimore, a city with a high burden of HIV, we conducted a retrospective cohort study of individuals admitted to a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at a tertiary care center between 2009 and 2014. PLHIV who were at least 18 years of age with an index MICU admission of ≥24 hours during the 5-year study period were included in this analysis.

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Background: Despite widespread availability of direct-acting antivirals including generic formulations, limited progress has been made in the global adoption of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment. Barriers to treatment scale-up include availability and access to diagnostic and monitoring tests, health-care infrastructure, and requirement for frequent visits during treatment.

Methods: ACTG A5360 was a phase 4, open-label, single-arm trial across 38 sites in Brazil, South Africa, Thailand, Uganda, and the USA.

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People living with HIV are at high risk for anal cancer (AC); however, the impact of screening for and treatment of precancerous anal lesions on AC incidence remains uncertain. In 2013, we conducted a survey of HIV providers evaluating the perceived need for an institutional AC screening program. Based on an overwhelmingly positive response, we established a dedicated AC screening clinic (including provision of high-resolution anoscopies) embedded within the institutional HIV clinic.

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In this article, we sought to understand the perceptions and practice of providers on anal cancer screening in HIV-infected patients. Providers in an academic outpatient HIV practice were surveyed. Data were analyzed to determine the acceptability and perceptions of providers on anal Papanicolaou tests.

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Article Synopsis
  • Improved access to antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited areas highlights the need for long-term retention in HIV clinics, especially beyond 24 months, to enhance outcomes and reduce costs.
  • A study in rural Haiti examined factors affecting HIV clinic retention, finding that higher transportation costs negatively impacted patient follow-up.
  • Results showed that patients facing transportation costs over $2 were significantly more likely to be lost to care, suggesting that addressing transportation issues is crucial for healthcare programs in these settings.
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Tobacco use in the U.S. has declined significantly since the 1960s, but differentially by socioeconomic status.

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