Survival following screening and preemptive antifungal therapy for subclinical cryptococcal disease in advanced HIV infection.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

Our study's primary objective was to compare 1-year survival rates between serum cryptococcal antigen (sCrAg)-positive and sCrAg-negative HIV-positive individuals with CD4+ cell counts less than 100 cells/μl without symptoms of meningitis in Zimbabwe.

Design

This was a prospective cohort study.

Methods

Participants were enrolled as either sCrAg-positive or sCrAg-negative and followed up for 52 weeks or less, with death as the outcome. Lumbar punctures were recommended to all sCrAg-positives and inpatient management with intravenous amphotericin B and high-dose fluconazole was recommended to those with disseminated Cryptococcus. Antiretroviral therapy was initiated immediately in sCrAg-negatives and after at least 4 weeks following initiation of antifungals

SUBMITTER: Makadzange TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8416705 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature