Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has reduced the access of HIV patients to reference centers. However, retention-in-care is critical to maintain adherence to therapy and viral suppression. During lockdown in Italy, our center implemented several measures to ensure HIV-care continuum. To assess whether these efforts were successful, we investigated HIV viral load trend for a 1-year period (September 2019–August 2020), which included lockdown and partial lockdown months in our country. No significant changes overtime in the proportion of undetectable HIV-RNA were observed. Continuity of service made it possible to maintain viral suppression in our patients.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Italian Ministry of Health. The new Coronavirus and HIV. The reccomendations of the National Clinical Board against AIDS. [in Italian]. Available at www. salute. gov. it/portale/news/p3_ 2_ 1_ 1_ 1. jsp? lingua = italiano& menu = notizie& p = dalministero& id = 4251 (2020), accessed September8, 2020.
2.
BarbeeLA, DombrowskiJC, HermannS, et al.: “Sex in the Time of COVID”: Clinical guidelines for sexually transmitted disease management in an era of social distancing. Sex Transm Dis, 2020; 47:427–430.
3.
MoraniZ, PatelS, GhoshS, et al.: COVID-19 in HIV: A review of published case reports. SN Compr Clin Med 2020:1–11. [Epub ahead of print]; DOI: 10.1007/s42399-020-00593-6.
4.
GudipatiS, BrarI, MurrayS, McKinnonJE, YaredN, MarkowitzN: Descriptive analysis of patients living with HIV affected by COVID-19. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2020; 85:123–126.
5.
AlavianG, KolahdouzanK, MortezazadehM, TorabiZS: Antiretrovirals for prophylaxis against COVID-19: A comprehensive literature review. J Clin Pharmacol 2020 [Epub ahead of print]; DOI: 10.1002/jcph.1788
6.
SachdevD, MaraE, HsuL, et al.: COVID-19 susceptibility and outcomes among people living with HIV in San Francisco. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2021; 86:19–21.
7.
GiulianiM, DonàMG, La MalfaA, et al.: Ensuring retention in care for people living with HIV during the COVID-19 pandemic in Rome, Italy. Sex Transm Infect, 2020;sextrans-2020-054650. [Epub ahead of print]; DOI: 10.1136/sextrans-2020-054650
8.
BallivianJ, AlcaideML, CecchiniD, JonesDL, AbbamonteJM, CassettiI: Impact of COVID-19-related stress and lockdown on mental health among people living with HIV in Argentina. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2020; 85:475–482.
9.
Karaosmanoglu HK: How does the covid-19 pandemic affect the target 90-90-90? Curr HIV Res 2020 [Epub ahead of print]; DOI: 10.2174/1570162X18999201125212538
10.
SorianoV, BarreiroP, RamosJM, EirósJM, de MendozaC: COVID-19 comes 40 years after AIDS—Any lesson?. AIDS Rev, 2020; 22:63–77.
11.
SpinelliMA, HickeyMD, GliddenDV, et al.: Viral suppression rates in a safety-net HIV clinic in San Francisco destabilized during COVID-19. AIDS, 2020; 34:2328–2331.
