Background Initiating combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) as early as the day of HIV diagnosis is a strategy of increasing interest to control the HIV epidemic and optimize the health of people living with HIV. Pilot studies have shown that starting cART immediately after diagnosis has led to earlier linkage to care and HIV-1 RNA suppression. However, there is some evidence from observational studies that starting cART on the same day as HIV diagnosis may increase the risk of loss to follow-up. Consequently, there is a need for additional data for immediate cART initiation. Methods A Retrospective cohort study was conducted from 2016 to 2018 to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors in patients that were diagnosed with HIV-1 with a 4th generation assay using electronic medical records. Rapid start was defined as offering cART prior to or on the first clinic visit. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-sq test and continuous variables were analyzed using t-test. Data analysis was done using SAS 9.4. Results In the study period, 188 patients were identified as HIV-1 positive and cART naïve: 152 males and 34 females. Risk factors included men who have sex with men (N = 86), heterosexual transmission (N = 88), intravenous drug use (N = 18) and multiple partners (N = 15). Of the 188 patients, 40 patients were rapidly started on cART on average within 6 days of diagnosis vs 42 days in the standard of care patients (P > 0.0001), with a shorter duration to clinic follow up over time (P = 0.3103). 50% patients that were rapid started on cART maintained an undetectable viral load vs 77% of the standard of care group (P = 0.3174). 90% of the rapid start patients were retained in care at 12 months vs 78% of the standard of care patients (P = 0.4950). 126 patients were started on single tablet regimens (P = 0.0001) with a trend favoring bictegravir, emtricitabine & tenofovir alafenamide (P = 0.0001). Conclusion Our study adds to the growing data that rapid ART initiation within seven days of HIV diagnosis could reduce loss to follow-up, improve virological suppression rates, and reduce mortality. The percentage of patients with undetectable HIV-1 viral load and retained in care was comparable to that in standard of care, indicating that starting cART immediately after diagnosis was well accepted by patients. Disclosures Indira Brar, MD, Gilead (Speaker’s Bureau)janssen (Speaker’s Bureau)ViiV (Speaker’s Bureau)
Treatment-emergent central sleep apnea (TE-CSA) is commonly encountered during the treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with positive airway pressure (PAP) and usually remains self-limited. Persistent TE-CSA is sporadically seen with PAP therapy and has only rarely been described with hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS). We report the case of a 60-year-old female patient with moderate OSA that progressed to TE-CSA with PAP therapy. A prolonged trial with PAP therapy was limited because the patient experienced recurrent aerophagia and subsequently underwent HGNS implantation. HGNS titration led to improved control of the patient’s OSA, but TE-CSA recurred and demonstrated a strong positional component. Lateral positional therapy was implemented with adequate control of respiratory events. TE-CSA can persist throughout different treatment modalities, including HGNS. The patient’s successful lateral sleep therapy for persistent and positionally exacerbated TE-CSA demonstrates the benefit of a well-known sleep apnea treatment for this poorly understood condition.
Introduction Pregnant patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. There are currently no established screening tools for pregnant women. OSA in pregnancy continues to be underdiagnosed resulting in missed opportunities to prevent possible adverse outcomes. Methods A screening pilot program was implemented at our general obstetrics and maternal fetal medicine (MFM) clinic to improve diagnosis of OSA among pregnant women. Patients were screened by a nurse for snoring/apneas, BMI > 35, essential hypertension, glucose disorders, neck size > 36 cm, and symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness. If a patient scored 3/6 or greater, a home sleep apnea test (HSAT), and in some cases an in-lab sleep study (PSG), was recommended to test for OSA after discussion of risks and benefits with an obstetrician. Results Since the initiation of the screening program, 302 women screened positive for OSA based on our 6-point screening tool. Average gestational age at the time of screening was 14.34 +/- 7.97 weeks. Of the women who scored ≥3 on the 6-point screening tool, 92 (30.46%) were referred directly to a sleep study and 31 (10.3%) received a referral to see a sleep medicine provider. A total of 78 underwent sleep testing and 58 (74.4%) were diagnosed with OSA with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5. Most patient were African American (67.9%) with an average age of 31.49 +/-5.74. The diagnosis of OSA correlated moderately well with the total score of the 6-point screening tool (p<.001), BMI (p=.005), essential hypertension (p=.01), glucose disorders (p=.07), and neck size (p=.039). Only a BMI of >35 was independently associated with a 3.7 increase in odds for OSA (95%CI=1.17, 11.76, p=.026). Conclusion A significant increase in screening for obstructive sleep apnea was achieved with implementation of the new screening protocol. Ease of use makes the six-point screening protocol a useful tool in clinic. More research is needed to test the accuracy of the six-point screening as a testing tool in this population. Additional barriers to screening and testing for OSA in pregnancy, including social and lifestyle factors should be explored in more depth. Support (If Any)
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