Time to anti-retroviral therapy among people living with HIV enrolled into care in Myanmar: how prepared are we for 'test and treat'?

BACKGROUND: Among people living with HIV (PLHIV) enrolled into care, time to anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has not been studied in Myanmar. To inform progress, we conducted this operational research among treatment-naive PLHIV (≥18 years) enrolled during a period of three years (2014-2016) at Pyin Oo Lwin, Myanmar.

OBJECTIVES: To determine (i) the time from HIV diagnosis to ART initiation (time to ART) and associated factors and (ii) the association between time to ART and attrition (loss to follow-up and death) from ART care.

METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study involving a record review of secondary programme data. The PLHIV were followed up to 5 December 2017 for ART initiation and up to 31 March 2018 (date of censoring) for attrition during ART.

RESULTS: Of 543 enrolled, 373 (69%) were found to be eligible and initiated on ART. Of 373, 245 (67%) were initiated within 6 weeks of enrolment. The median enrolment delay (from diagnosis) was 4 (IQR: 1, 14) days and median ART initiation delay (from ART eligibility) was 20 (IQR: 13, 36) days. The median time to ART (excluding the time interval in pre-ART care) was 29 (IQR: 18, 55) days and was significantly long in those with prevalent TB and CD4 count ≥ 500/mm3 at enrolment. Among 373, the annual incidence density of attrition was 12.8% (0.95 CI: 10.2, 15.7). Attrition was common in first 100 days. Time to ART (after excluding time interval in pre-ART care) was not significantly associated with attrition.

CONCLUSION: The programme appears to be on track to initiate ART as soon as possible in a 'test and treat' scenario (implemented since September 2017) subject to interventions to reduce ART initiation delay.