[Use of spirulina supplement for nutritional management of HIV-infected patients: study in Bangui, Central African Republic]. / Intérêt de la Spiruline chez les personnes vivant avec le VIH a Bangui (RCA).

Treatment of HIV-infected persons including nutritional management is a major concern in Africa and in particular in the Central African Republic (CAR). This six-month randomized prospective longitudinal study was carried out at the Friends of Africa Center that was a facility for comprehensive management of persons infected and affected by HIV in Banqui, CAR. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of spirulina supplement on clinical and laboratory findings in HIV-infected patients who were not indications for ARV treatment. A total of 160 patients were randomly assigned to two groups. Patients in group 1 (n=79) received 10 grams of spirulina per day on a regular basis while patients in group 2 (n = 81) received a placebo. In addition patients in both groups received dietary products supplied by the World Food Program (WFP). Follow-up of the 160 patients at three and six months showed that 16 patients had been lost from follow-up and 16 had died, with no difference in distribution between the two groups. A significant improvement in the main follow-up criteria, i.e., weight, arm girth, number of infectious episodes, CD4 count, and protidemia, was observed in both groups. No difference was found between the two groups except with regard to protidemia and creatinemia that were higher in the group receiving spirulina supplement. From a clinical standpoint results were less clear-cut since the Karnofsky score was better in the group receiving spirulina than in the group receiving the placebo at 3 months but not at 6 months and fewer patients presented pneumonia at six months. Further study over a longer period will be needed to determine if spirulina is useful and to evaluate if higher doses can have beneficial nutritional and immunitary effects without adverse effects, in particular renal problems.

[Measuring treatment compliance in patients with HIV in Bangui, Central African Republic]. / Mesure de l'observance thérapeutique des patients vivant avec le VIH à Bangui.

The purpose of this trial was to test a simple method of measuring and identifying non-compliance with antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and cotrimoxazole (CTX) prophylaxis in a resource-limited setting. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among HIV patients attending two outpatient clinics in Bangui, Central African Republic. Compliance with ARV and CTX treatment was assessed based on 5 measurement modalities, i.e., skipping medication during the 4 days prior to attendance, attendance assiduity, number of remaining tablets, patient visual analogue scale (VAS), and physician VAS. These measures were combined to obtain an overall medication compliance score. A total of 141 patients were interviewed including 89 using ARV and 52 using CTX. Compliance scores varied according to measurement modality from 66.3% to 96.6% for ARV and from 67.3% to 90.4% for CTX. The only significant difference between patients using ARV and CTX involved physician VAS that was significantly lower for CTX than ARV (p=0.04). Overall medication compliance scores classified 117 patients (83%) as compliant and 21 patients (17%) as non-compliant. According to this study the level of medication compliance was relatively good (83%). Findings also indicated that measurement of compliance was feasible using a combination of remaining tablet count and assessment of medication skipping in the last 4 or 7 days. Routine clinical use of these modalities allows assessment and improvement of medication compliance.

Mesure de l'observance des patients vivant avec le VIH a Bangui

L'objectif a ete de tester une methode simple adaptee a un contexte de ressources; limitees pour mesurer l'observance; et identifier les motifs de non observance rencontres dans le suivi des traitements antiretroviraux (ARV) et de la prophylaxie par cotrimoxazole (CTX). Il s'agit d'une etude transversale chez des patients VIH suivis en consultations externes dans 2 services de Bangui. L'observance pour les ARV et le CTX a ete mesuree par 5 modes de mesure : le saut de prise de medicaments durant les 4 jours precedents la consultation; la regularite aux visites medicales ; le comptage des comprimes restants ; l'echelle visuelle analogique (EVA) du patient ; l'echelle visuelle analogique (EVA) du medecin. Un indice global d'observance a ete obtenu a partir des resultats des differentes methodes de mesure. 141 patients ont ete interroges (89 sous antiretroviral et 52 sous cotrimxazole). L'observance selon les modes de mesure pour les ARV va rie de 66;3a 96;6et de 67;3a 90;4pour le CTX. Elle ne differe pas significativement entre patients sous ARV et patients sous CTX sauf pour EVA medecin qui est significativement plus bas pour CTX que pour ARV (p= 0;04). L'indice global d'observance donne 117 patients (83) comme observants et 24 patients (17) comme non observants. L'observance therapeutique dans l'etude est relativement correcte (83des patients). Cette etude montre que la mesure de l'observance est possible et faisable en utilisant conjointement le compte des comprimes restant et une question sur un saut de prise dans les 4 ou 7 derniers jours. En pratique clinique de routine; son usage permettra de juger de l'observance des patients et de l'ameliorer