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PROGRAMMATIC OPERATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT OF MALAWI’ S POLICY ON COTRIMOXAZOLE PREVENTIVE THERAPY R. Zachariah / AD Harries Contacts: adharries@theunion.org , zachariah@internet.lu. COTRIMOXAZOLE PREVENTIVE THERAPY (CPT). Useful against:- Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
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PROGRAMMATIC OPERATIONAL RESEARCHDEVELOPMENT OF MALAWI’ S POLICY ON COTRIMOXAZOLEPREVENTIVE THERAPYR. Zachariah / AD Harries Contacts: adharries@theunion.org, zachariah@internet.lu
COTRIMOXAZOLE PREVENTIVE THERAPY (CPT) Useful against:- • Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia • Toxoplasma encephalitis • Isospora belli diarrhoea • Some bacteria and enterobacteria • Nocardiosis • Falciparum malaria
CPT in HIV-positive patients in the West:used in those with CD4 <200 • Reduces risk of PCP • Reduces mortality in those who get PCP • Reduces risk of toxoplasmosis • Reduces risk of isosporiasis • Reduces risk of bacterial infections on daily treatment
Advantages Cheap Widely available Easy to administer Disadvantages Side effects Drug resistance Lack of efficacy? COTRIMOXAZOLE PROPHYLAXIS
CPT in new HIV+ve TB patients in Cote d’Ivoire 760 HIV-positive smear+ve TB patients on short course chemotherapy one month later - CPT or placebo CPT associated with 48% lower mortality 44% lower hospitalisation rate (Wiktor et al Lancet 1999;353: 1469)
UNAIDS 2000 PROVISIONAL RECOMMENDATIONS CPT be used in adults and children living with AIDS in Africa as part of minimum package of care
Ethical implications • Unethical to conduct further randomised controlled clinical trials on CPT efficacy in HIV-positive TB patients • UNAIDS- funded Blantyre COM RCT trial on CPT was stopped after recruiting 37 patients
Malawi MOH Meeting in 2000 (1) • CPT may not have the same efficacy in Malawi as Cote d’Ivoire because different resistance patterns and different spectrum of HIV-related illness • Malawi not prepared to adopt WHO – guidelines on CPT as policy because no evidence of effect and may be dangerous (SP in malaria)
Malawi MOH Meeting in 2000(2) • Strong endorsement for district operational research • Operational research studies run in Thyolo and Karonga districts on CPT in HIV+ve TB patients
AIM OF DISTRICT STUDIESin Thyolo and Karonga To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of “VCT and CPT” in reducing case fatality in a cohort of TB patients registered under routine programme conditions [Zachariah et al, AIDS 2003 – Thyolo study] [Mwaungulu et al, Bulletin WHO 2004 – Karonga study]
STUDY PROTOCOLS • TB patients registered in DTO office • TB treatment - standardised regimens • All patients referred to VCT unit • HIV testing with patient consent • Post-test counselling • HIV+ve patients offered CPT
STUDY PROTOCOLS CPT: • offered if no contraindication • dose 960 mg daily –split AM and PM • started as soon as HIV result known • side effects monitored clinically • continued indefinitely unless side effects
ANALYSIS: Historical comparison • VCT+CPT group: the cohort offered VCT and CPT and registered during a full one year period • Control group: the cohort not on CPT and registered the previous year during a full one year period Comparison of mortality at the end of treatment between the two groups
Thyolo VCT-CPT 1061 Control 925 Karonga VCT-CPT 362 Control 355 REGISTERED TB CASES
START OF CPT • In Thyolo, HIV-positive patients were started on CPT a median of 4 days after registration • In Karonga, HIV-positive patients were started on CPT a median of 8 days after registration
Thyolo: No. on CPT 693 No. reactions 14 (2%) Karonga: No. on CPT 153 No. reactions 8 (5%) REACTIONS TO CPT Reactions were all dermatological - no deaths
Thyolo: VCT-CPT 28% Control 36% p < 0.001 Karonga: VCT-CPT 29% Control 37% p < 0.001 Case fatality: all TB types
Number of TB patients that needed treatment with “VCT and CPT” to prevent one death = 12in both Thyolo and Karonga“estimated cost to prevent one death = USD$100”
CONCLUSION • In the two district based studies, the “package of VCT and CTX” given to patients at or shortly after registration was associated with a significant reduction in case fatality. • The drug was safe with minimal side effects
MOH POLICY MEETING • Meeting on October 1st 2002 with MOH: • Stakeholders included NTP, NAC, COM, PROTEST, MSF-Luxembourg, Thyolo, Karonga, Lighthouse Project, Wellcome Trust, WHO, Directors of central hospitals
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS for TB PATIENTS (1) • HTC + CPT continues in Thyolo, Karonga and Lilongwe • Expand HTC + CPT to other districts in a phased manner in accordance with 3-Year TB-HIV plan • Undertake further operational research on the best ways to deliver this package
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS for TB PATIENTS (2) • NTP will take responsibility for CPT procurement and delivery to patients while on TB treatment, but not after • NTP will work with partners on conducting a proper RCT (never done) • NTP will explore how best CPT can be continued after TB treatment is completed and how CPT can be given to other patients
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS for TB PATIENTS (3) • NTP will keep up to date with new data from the region and act accordingly • There is not enough evidence to support widespread use of CPT for HIV-positive patients without TB
Prior to 2002….. • ELISA based – tests batched; delays in results • HIV testing for public health benefit (VCT) • No useful interventions for HIV-positive patients • No data on how many people tested per year
The “New Evidence” from Africa: 2003 - 2005 New evidence in adults and children on the safety and efficacy of CPT • Mermin et al, Lancet 2004 (Uganda) • Chintu et al, Lancet 2004 (Zambia) • Grimwade et al, AIDS 2005 (South Africa)
Summary of New Evidence: CPT in HIV+ve adults and children • 25-46% reduction in mortality • Reduction in frequency of hospital visits • Improvement in weight gain • Reversal of decline in CD4 counts • Reversal in rise of viral loads • Efficacy seen even in areas with high bacterial resistance to Cotrimoxazole
Meeting convened in February 2005 to review Malawi CPT policy Process: • Meeting of 30 national experts • Recommendations produced • Endorsed by the Secretary for Health • Endorsed by the MOH directors of services
Who should get CPT: Adults: • All symptomatic HIV+ve adults (Stage 2,3,4) • HIV+ve adults with CD4 count of 500 or less • Pregnant women with the above after 1st Trimester Children: • All children born to HIV+ve mothers • All HIV+ve children, regardless of symptoms
CONCLUSION …Operational research is only useful if it “delivers the goods”.. • Did it change policy and practice ? • Did the research improve program performance ?