Welcome
Dear reader,
several of the articles in this issue of the SHM newsletter highlight our ongoing efforts to optimise the collection and quality of patient data. For example, we report on a recent data collectors' training day and a new electronic patient registration system that should simplify the registration of new patients in the SHM database. We are also proud to introduce our second animation video explaining how we collect and store data, with a focus on the data quality checks carried out along the way.
In addition, we look back with HIV nurse consultant Marijke Schoemaker and HIV treating physician Professor Reinier ten Kate at 30 years of HIV care in the Netherlands.
I sincerely hope you enjoy reading this newsletter.
With kind regards,
Peter Reiss
Director, Stichting HIV Monitoring
30 years of HIV care: Marijke Schoemaker and Reinier ten Kate reflect on their careers in HIV care
HIV nurse consultant Marijke Schoemaker and HIV physician Reinier ten Kate have been involved in HIV treatment at the Kennemer Gasthuis Hospital in Haarlem since the early days in the late 1980s. In April this year, Marijke was rewarded for her work in HIV with a royal honour, and later this year both Marijke and Prof. ten Kate will retire. We look back with them at more than 30 years of HIV care in the Netherlands.
» Read more
SHM launches second animation
Following the success of the first animation explaining the role and general activities of SHM, we are now proud to present our second animation video. This short animation clip provides a more detailed explanation of the data collection and data management process, with a particular emphasis on the quality control steps carried out along the way.
» Click here to watch the film
Out with the old, in with the new: SHM to switch to fully electronic registration database
SHM is soon to switch to a fully electronic patient registration database that will do away with any need for paper and faxes. Once the system has been launched, HIV treatment teams will be able to register a patient through the SHM registration website. All data will be stored securely and information will be sent in an encoded form.
To find out more about the benefits of this new system and how treatment centres can start using it, read on....
» Read more
Behind the scenes at SHM: Brenda Tuk (patient registration)
Brenda Tuk has recently joined SHM and manages the patient registrations. Here, Brenda explains what her work involves and how she draws on her professional experience to help her in her work at SHM.
» Read more
Successful data collection review day
SHM’s data collectors recently came together for a data collection review day. This recurring annual event is designed to keep data collectors up to date with latest developments in HIV care and within SHM. For more about the presentations and training given during the review day, follow the link below.
» Read more
NCHIV 2014 registration and abstract submission open
NCHIV 2014 is set to take place on Tuesday 18th November 2014 at the Royal Tropical Institute in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Once again, the conference will cover a stimulating range of topics and offers a valuable opportunity for people active in the field of HIV treatment and research to exchange ideas.
This year’s preliminary programme is now available online and includes talks by the following leading international researchers: Prof. Daniel Kuritzkes, Prof. Michael Malim, Prof. Matthias Egger, and Prof. Jean-Michel Pawlotsky.
For more details on NCHIV 2014 and to register and/or submit an abstract visit the NCHIV website
» Visit the NCHIV website
2013 annual report now available
SHM's latest annual report has recently been released. The 2013 annual report provides a detailed account of the Stichting HIV Monitoring's activities in 2013, as well as an overview of the latest figures on HIV in the Netherlands. The annual report also reports on research and publications using our data.
» Read the 2013 annual report online
Event review: 21st HIV Dynamics and Evolution meeting
The 21st HIV Dynamics and Evolution meeting took place from 7-10 May in Tucson, USA. This meeting is designed to stimulate discussion and interaction between researchers in the field of HIV data modelling and analysis. Here, we highlight two presentations from this meeting that focus on research using SHM data to investigate HIV transmission routes amongst men who have sex with men.
» Read more
Publications review
Development of a definition for Rapid Progression (RP) of renal function in HIV-positive persons: the D:A:D study
At present there is no consensus on how to define abnormally rapid deterioration in renal function. Therefore, D:A:D has developed two working definitions based on a decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate. In combination with other risk factors, these definitions can be used to identify patients early on with an increased risk of chronic renal failure.
» Read the abstract
Factors associated with short-term changes in HIV viral load and CD4+ cell count in antiretroviral-naive individuals
In untreated HIV patients, viral load increases by an average of 0.091 log10 copies/ml each year. This increase appears to be most marked in older patients. At the same time, CD4+ cell counts drop by 78 cells/mm3 and this drop appears to be determined by the level of the viral load.
» Read the abstract
A comparison of computational models with and without genotyping for prediction of response to second-line HIV therapy
The RDI Study Group has revealed that models with or without information about resistance are equally effective in predicting virological response to second line therapy. This is good news for settings where genotyping is not possible.
» Read the abstract
Facts and figures
There are now 27 HIV treatment centres in the Netherlands.
As of 31 December 2013, a cumulative total of 22,231 HIV-infected patients were registered by SHM in one of the HIV treatment centres in the Netherlands. Compared to 2012, this represents an increase of 1,214 individuals newly registered in the SHM database.
Further details and the latest figures from the SHM database can be found in our 2013 Annual Report.
To download the PDF version, click here.
(c) Stichting HIV Monitoring, 2013 Privacy Policy
