Discover the transformative impact of scaling up Dolutegravir-based ARV regimens on the lives of children living with HIV in Malawi, a significant stride in pediatric healthcare.
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Early Effects of Scaling Up Dolutegravir-Based ARV Regimens Among Children Living with HIV in Malawi.
Makonokaya et al., AIDS Behav 2024
<!– DOI: 10.1007/s10461-024-04312-3 //–>
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-024-04312-3
In a study conducted in Malawi, the impact of transitioning children under 20 kg to a pediatric formulation of dolutegravir (pDTG) on viral suppression (VS) was evaluated. The study analyzed data from 2468 Children Living with HIV (CLHIV) across 169 healthcare facilities. Prior to the transition, 62.5% of the children on non-DTG-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) achieved VS. Post-transition, 81.7% achieved VS within the first 6 months, highlighting a significant improvement. However, challenges with ART adherence and limited viral load (VL) testing at 6 months were noted. The study found that good adherence and pre-transition VS were strongly associated with post-transition VS, with adjusted odds ratios of 2.79 and 5.32, respectively. This underscores the need for interventions to improve VL testing and ART adherence among CLHIV on pDTG-based regimens, despite the promising increase in VS rates.