The findings of this study support the value of CSF NFL as a useful marker of ongoing CNS damage in HIV infection. Markedly elevated CSF NFL concentrations in patients without CNS OIs are associated with ADC, follow the grade of severity, and decrease after initiation of effective antiretroviral treatment. Nearly all previously suggested CSF markers of ADC relate to immune activation or HIV viral load that do not directly indicate brain injury. By contrast NFL is a sensitive marker of such injury, and should prove useful in evaluating the presence and activity of ongoing CNS injury in HIV infection.

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HAART seems to halt the neurodegenerative process(es) caused by HIV-1, as shown by the significant decrease in CSF NFL after treatment initiation. CSF NFL may serve as a useful marker in monitoring CNS injury in HIV-1 infection and in evaluating CNS efficacy of antiretroviral therapy.

The increased access to effective antiretroviral treatment (ART) has made HIV comparable to a chronic disease in terms of life expectancy. Needs related to sexuality and reproduction are central to overall health and well-being. An interpretative meta-synthesis was performed to synthesize and assess how HIV-positive women's experiences of sexuality and reproduction have been described in qualitative studies. A total of 18 peer-reviewed qualitative studies were included, which comprised a total of 588 HIV-positive interviewed women. The studies originated from resource-rich countries outside the Asian and African continents. The analysis, resulting in a lines-of-argument synthesis, shows that HIV infection was a burden in relation to sexuality and reproduction. The weight of the burden could be heavier or lighter. Conditions making the HIV burden heavier were: HIV as a barrier, feelings of fear and loss, whereas motherhood, spiritual beliefs, and supportive relationships made the HIV burden lighter. The findings are important in developing optimal health care by addressing conditions making the burden of HIV infection lighter to bear. In future research there is a need to focus not only on examining how HIV-positive women's sexual and relationships manifest themselves, but also on how health care professionals should provide adequate support to the women in relation to sexuality and reproduction.

BackgroundIn this cross-sectional study we present an integrated analysis of a self-reported Health Questionnaire and socio-demographic and treatment outcome data from the national Swedish HIV cohort, InfCareHIV.ObjectivesTo evaluate the Health Questionnaire and identify the main determinants of adherence.MethodsA total of 2,846 patients answered a nine-item disease-specific Health Questionnaire between 2012 and 2014, corresponding to 44% of all active patients in the national InfCareHIV cohort. The questionnaire assessed patient related outcome measures (PROMs) regarding health and antiretroviral treatment (ART) and patient related experience measures (PREMs) regarding involvement in care and satisfaction with the care provider.ResultWe found the Health Questionnaire to be valid and reliable when used in ordinary clinical practice. There was a high concordance between self-reported adherence to ART in the past seven days and treatment outcome, with 94% of patients who reported optimal adherence having a viral load <50 copies/ml. The main determinants of optimal adherence were heterosexual transmission path, being born in Sweden, being male, not reporting experience of ART side effects and being fully satisfied with care.ConclusionThe nine-item Health Questionnaire can identify patients at risk of treatment failure, those in need of clinical assessment of adverse events and those with impaired physical health.

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Although CSF neopterin decreased significantly, more than 50% of the patients had CSF concentrations above the upper normal reference value despite more than 10 years of suppressive ART. We found no correlation between CSF neopterin, CSF NFL or neurocognitive performance at follow-up, indicating that low-grade immune activation during suppressive ART may be clinically benign.

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