Welcome
Dear reader,
In this newsletter we discuss several subjects with a special emphasis on collaboration. SHM works closely with partners on several research projects and in this edition we look closely at a few. Dr. Judith Schouten talks about the AGEhIV cohort study which focuses on comorbidity and ageing with HIV and with Dr. Ferdinand Wit we speak about the closely related COBRA study, which researches the same subject in more depth. Also we report that our collaboration with Curacao continues with the arrival of a new data collector, and you can read a report on the recent scientific evaluation of the Amsterdam Cohort Studies (ACS).
Further stories include an update on the implementation of LabLink, the system that allows SHM to collect laboratory results digitally, an interview with Anne de Jong about his work as a data collector for the SHM, and an overview of all our contact persons per treatment centre.
With kind regards,
Peter Reiss
Director, Stichting HIV Monitoring
Aging with HIV – the AGEhIV Cohort Study
The AGEhIV Cohort Study examines comorbidities related to aging in HIV-infected individuals. SHM contributes to this study through sharing data, data collection and data management. Dr. Judith Schouten, AGEhIV PhD researcher and neurology resident at the AMC, met with us to discuss the study and what has been achieved to date.
» Read more
Positive evaluation for Amsterdam Cohort Studies
On 23 January 2013 an international Scientific Advisory Committee (SEC) reviewed the Amsterdam Cohort Studies' (ACS) scientific achievements of the past 5 years and the scientific plans for the future. In February, the SEC sent its evaluation report, which was a strong endorsement of the ACS. Following this positive evaluation, the RIVM has decided to continue funding the ACS.
» Read more
Investigating Comorbidity in relation to HIV/AIDS with the COBRA Study
The COBRA Study is a project funded through the European Union 7th Framework Program and coordinated by Prof. Peter Reiss, that started in March this year. A team from 12 institutions in 6 countries collaborate in this study from a diverse range of fields, including Stichting HIV Monitoring. We discussed COBRA further with Dr. Ferdinand Wit, an HIV physician and epidemiologist at the AMC and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development, who is co-responsible for the COBRA study’s scientific coordination and data analysis.
» Read more
LabLink, electronic data collection using a uniform protocol
The SHM database has an extensive collection of laboratory results. Data collection of this laboratory data has previously been done manually – a time consuming and error prone task. Therefore, in 2005, SHM started the project ‘LabLink’, which allows laboratory data to be sent electronically. This enables error to be avoided and laboratory data are more up-to-date. In the past, treatment centres independently determined the format for sending laboratory data, but since 2011 there is the possibility for exchanging data in a standardised format. LabLink is now operational in 8 treatment centres, 4 treatment centres are in the testing phase, and the remaining treatment centres have indicated interest in the project.
» Read more
Interview Anne de Jong
Anne de Jong started working as a data collector at SHM in July 2012. For his work he collects data at multiple treatment centres and has also been working on the collection of hepatitis C co-infection data. We spoke with Anne about his role as a data collector for SHM.
» Read more
Data collection Curacao, collaboration continues
In July 2013, Ivette der Meer started working as a data collector for SHM in Curacao. By collecting and processing data from HIV-patients in Curacao she will contribute to broadening the knowledge on HIV and the course of the infection on Curacao. Thanks to the efforts of Ivette, SHM can continue it's long collaboration with the treatment centres on Curacao.
Find SHM contact persons per treatment centre online
To be able to collect the large amount of data from HIV-patients carefully and adequately, SHM uses data collectors that work at the HIV treatment centres. These data collectors act as intermediaries between the HIV treatment centres and SHM and play a central role in the logistics of the data collection. Therefore SHM has published a complete list with all data collectors per treatment centre on its website. Would you like to know who the data collector for your treatment centre is? Find the complete overview online!
» Go to the online overview
NCHIV 2013 update
The 7th Netherlands Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Epidemiology, Prevention and Treatment (NCHIV) is set to take place on Tuesday, 19 November 2013 at the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) in Amsterdam. All accreditation has been received and can be found on the NCHIV website. Furthermore, all abstracts have been submitted and a final programme will be published on the NCHIV website mid-October.
» Visit the NCHIV 2013 website
Event review
IAS 2013
The 7th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention (IAS 2013) took place from 30 June to 3 July in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the launch of the new World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines on the use of antiretroviral drugs for the treatment and prevention of HIV. Similar WHO guidelines exist for some time, but until now were only available separately for each target group (adults, pregnant women, children, etc). With the launch of the new guidelines this is no longer the case and the guidelines are compiled in one document. Unlike previous global WHO HIV guidelines, the new update does not exclusively present clinical recommendation (what to do?) but also includes operational recommendations (how to do it?) and tools for a programmatic approach (how to decide what to do and where?). These recommendations provide comprehensive guidance to national programme managers and policy makers. The document is available for download since 30 June from WHO’s website.
» Download the WHO HIV guidelines
» Visit the IAS website
Publication review
Long-term response to combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected children in the Netherlands registered from 1996 to 2012.
Between 1996 and 2012, SHM followed 229 children who were infected via their mother. In the long-term, immunological response to combination therapy is not dependent on age or CD4-cell count at start of therapy. Furthermore, the percentage of children with a suppressed viral load increased to around 80% in recent years.
» Go to abstract
Influence of geographical origin and ethnicity on mortality in patients on antiretroviral therapy in Canada, Europe, and the United States.
In Europe, HIV-positive migrants from Asia or sub-Saharan Africa have more favourable mortality rates than the predominately white native population. This is mainly due to the lower non-HIV-related mortality rates of migrants and indicates a “healthy migrant” effect.
» Go to abstract
Association between antiretroviral exposure and renal impairment among HIV-positive persons with normal baseline renal function: the D:A:D study.
Some antiretroviral medication may be harmful to the kidneys. The D:A:D study shows that tenofovir, atazanavir and lopinavir are associated with kidney damage in HIV patients who previously had normal renal function. It seems, however, that patients switch to other medications before further deterioration occurs.
» Go to abstract
Facts and figures
In 2013 SHM data has been used in 17 diffferent collaborations, both national as international. This has already lead to 37 publications (until 1 september 2013) in a variety of scientific magazines.
(c) Stichting HIV Monitoring, 2013 Privacy Policy
