Same-Day HIV Testing and Treatment Initiation to Improve Retention in Care

This study is a randomized trial to establish the effectiveness of same-day ART initiation for patients who present for HIV testing with early HIV clinical disease (World Health Organization [WHO] stage 1 or 2) who qualify for ART by immunologic criteria (CD4 cell count ≤500 cells/mm3) with rapid CD4 cell testing at the GHESKIO Center in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. All patients in the intervention group received rapid HIV antibody testing, CD4 cell testing, clinically relevant testing for opportunistic infections, WHO staging, comprehensive counseling and social support, and ART initiation on the day of presentation. The standard group received the same services as the same-day ART group (including CD4 cell testing) except that instead of same-day ART, they received the standard GHESKIO protocol of three sequential visits for ART readiness counseling and testing for opportunistic infections prior to ART initiation. For the same-day ART group, these activities took place on the day of ART initiation and during the subsequent two weeks. Three specific aims are proposed. The first aim is to compare the proportion of patients in the standard and same-day ART groups that are alive and in-care with an undetectable HIV viral load at 12 months after HIV testing. The second aim is to compare six-month ART adherence between the two groups using pharmacy refill records. The third aim is to compare the cost and cost-effectiveness of standard and same-day ART, where cost is measured by the mean treatment cost and effectiveness is measured by being alive and in care with an undetectable viral load at 12 months after HIV testing.

In a sub-study funded by MAC AIDS Foundation (enrollment started June 2015), patients with WHO stage 1 or 2 disease and CD4 count >500 cells/mm3 were included. They are being randomized to receive ART vs. standard pre-ART care. Participants are being enrolled in the study on the same day they receive CD4 count results, which is within 7 days of the date of HIV testing. All patients will receive additional tests as clinically indicated. All participants will receive prophylactic treatment with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole and isoniazid, and a daily multivitamin, as is standard of care at GHESKIO. Participants who are randomized to the standard pre-ART group will receive standard GHESKIO pre-ART care, which includes a monthly visit with a physician for 3 months, and then every other month physician visits. They will have a CD4 count annually, and start ART when they meet WHO criteria. Participants who are randomized to the same-day ART group will receive counseling and start ART on the day of study enrollment. They will have follow-up visits with the physician on Days 3, 10, 17, and 24, and with the social worker on Days 3, 10, and 17. They will have also have physician visits at weeks 8 and 12. Participants who are clinically stable, asymptomatic, and adherent at week 12 will then qualify for expedited care at future visits, which includes dispensing of ART directly by nurses in the clinic every four weeks, to reduce waiting time for patients. Participants who are symptomatic or non-adherent will be referred to a physician for evaluation.