Outcomes are presented for a multisite retrospective case series, describing a contemporary cohort of 22 immunocompromised patients with persistent coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) polymerase chain reaction positivity who were retreated with antiviral therapy. For those with data available 14 and 30 days after commencement of antiviral therapy, 41% (9 of 22) and 68% (15 of 22), respectively, cleared COVID-19.
Background: We aimed to determine the effectiveness of switching to bictegravir in maintaining an undetectable viral load (<50 copies/mL) among people with HIV (PWH) as compared with continuing dolutegravir-, efavirenz-, or raltegravir-based antiretroviral therapy using nationwide observational data from Mexico.
Methods: We emulated 3 target trials comparing switching to bictegravir vs continuing with dolutegravir, efavirenz, or raltegravir. Eligibility criteria were PWH aged ≥16 years with a viral load <50 copies/mL and at least 3 months of current antiretroviral therapy (dolutegravir, efavirenz, or raltegravir) between July 2019 and September 2021. Weekly target trials were emulated during the study period, and individuals were included in every emulation if they continued to be eligible. The main outcome was the probability of an undetectable viral load at 3 months, which was estimated via an adjusted logistic regression model. Estimated probabilities were compared via differences, and 95% CIs were calculated via bootstrap. Outcomes were also ascertained at 12 months, and sensitivity analyses were performed to test our analytic choices.
Results: We analyzed data from 3 028 619 PWH (63 581 unique individuals). The probability of an undetectable viral load at 3 months was 2.9% (95% CI, 1.9%-3.8%), 1.3% (95% CI, .9%-1.6%), and 1.2% (95% CI, .8%-1.7%) higher when switching to bictegravir vs continuing with dolutegravir, efavirenz, and raltegravir, respectively. Similar results were observed at 12 months and in other sensitivity analyses.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that switching to bictegravir could be more effective in maintaining viral suppression than continuing with dolutegravir, efavirenz, or raltegravir.
Background: People with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) are particularly susceptible to respiratory infections, including those caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. Ceftolozane/tazobactam (C/T) is an antibacterial agent combination active against MDR gram-negative bacteria that has shown promising results in isolates from pwCF. This subanalysis is the first extensive observation of real-world C/T use in pwCF.
Methods: The multicenter observational CONDUCT study included consecutive patients, some with cystic fibrosis, who received ≥1 dose of C/T at 28 centers throughout France. Patients were treated according to hospital standards and followed up until the end of C/T treatment (EOT).
Results: Among 260 patients who had received ≥1 dose of C/T, 63 were pwCF, including 12 with previous lung transplant. The median age was 34 years and 55.6% of patients were female. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the most frequently isolated pathogen (n = 40/41 [97.6%]). Most tested P aeruginosa strains (n = 65/73 [91.5%]) and all other isolated strains (Escherichia coli, Citrobacter koseri, Proteus mirabilis, and Serratia marcescens) were susceptible to C/T. Most patients completed the treatment duration, including those with historical β-lactam hypersensitivity. Reasons for stopping treatment were planned EOT and improvement in condition; overall, 88.9% of patients (n = 56/63) experienced improvement in condition. No new safety signals were identified. Mean forced expiratory volume in 1 second improved from 1.33 L to 1.47 L before and after C/T treatment, respectively (n = 52; P = .057).
Conclusions: C/T treatment was well tolerated and effective in pwCF, including those with previous β-lactam hypersensitivity.
Background: Chronic immune activation is one of the hallmarks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pathogenesis. Persistent upregulation of interferons (IFNs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) has previously been associated with chronic immune activation and HIV progression. Here a longitudinal analysis of the IFN and ISG response during HIV infection was performed to gain insights into the ongoing immune activation during HIV infection.
Methods: IFN and ISG levels were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of people with HIV at pre-seroconversion, during acute and chronic HIV infection, and during suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Results: HIV infection induced the expression of a set of 4 ISGs-RSAD2, ISG15, IFI44L, and IFI27-which remained upregulated during chronic infection. This set of ISGs showed no clear correlations with T-cell activation as determined by co-expression of CD38 and HLA-DR. However, a strong correlation with monocyte activation marker soluble CD163 in serum was found. Furthermore, the expression of this ISG cluster was predictive of viral load before ART initiation and, on ART, expression levels normalized to pre-seroconversion levels.
Conclusions: The results presented here suggests that ISG expression is linked to monocyte activation, possibly driven by viral replication.