Clinical effect and cost-effectiveness of incorporation of point-of-care assays into early infant HIV diagnosis programmes in Zimbabwe: a modelling study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

New point-of-care (POC) assays for early infant HIV diagnosis are costlier than conventional total nucleic acid assays, but could increase access to testing, shorten time to results, and expedite initiation of antiretroviral therapy. We aimed to assess the clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness of incorporating these POC assays into early infant diagnosis programmes in Zimbabwe.

Methods

We used the Cost Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC)-Pediatric model to examine the clinical benefits, costs, and cost-effectiveness of replacing conventional assays for early infant HIV diagnosis with POC assays at age 6 weeks in Zimbabwe. We simulated two strategies for early infant HIV diagnosis: conventional and POC. Modelled assays differed in sensitivity;

SUBMITTER: Frank SC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6408227 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature