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HIV/AIDSNCT01891799

Swaziland Safe Generations

An observational study of HIV/AIDS, run by Columbia University at 12 sites in Eswatini.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

The purpose of this study is to understand how best to provide care and treatment services to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive pregnant women and their babies in Swaziland. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, women only
Conditions the study is for
HIV/AIDS
What is being tested?
Option B+
How many people
2,518 participants
Where
12 sitesEswatini
Study dates
Aug 2013to 30 Oct 2016
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • Women only
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: The target population for the PMTCT Options Evaluation is all HIV+ pregnant women not on ART at their first ANC visit at the 10 study facilities. A total of approximately 2600 mother-infant pairs (2600 HIV positive women + 2600 of their HIV exposed babies) will be observed.

Who may be able to join

  • Women at least 18 years of age
  • Documented pregnancy (per routine ANC protocol in this setting)
  • Documented HIV-infection (per routine ANC protocol in this setting)
  • Infants born to eligible and enrolled women

Who cannot join

  • Women already on ART when entering ANC

Trial locations and contacts

12 sites in 1 country.

12 sites in 1 country

Eswatini12 sites
  • Family Life Association Clinic

    Manzini

  • King Soghuza II PHU

    Manzini

  • Lamvelase Clinic

    Manzini

  • Luyengo Clinic

    Manzini

  • Mankayane PHU

    Manzini

  • Mbabane Government Hospital

    Manzini

  • Mbikhwakhe Clinic

    Manzini

  • MSF Matsapha

    Manzini

  • Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital

    Manzini

  • Good Shepherd Hospital

    Siteki, Lubombo Region

  • Siphofaneni

    Siteki, Lubombo Region

  • Siteki PHU

    Siteki, Lubombo Region

Other trials in Eswatini

About this study

Official title: Situkulwane Lesiphephile-Safe Generations: Improving Approaches to Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV-Positive Pregnant Women

The purpose of this study is to understand how best to provide care and treatment services to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive pregnant women and their babies in Swaziland. The study is designed to evaluate a new approach for Preventing Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT)where all HIV positive pregnant women initiate lifelong triple antiretroviral (ARV) therapy regardless of their disease stage. The goal is to prevent delays in women accessing treatment for their own health and ensure that women and their children remain in care. This study will compare this new approach to PMTCT, known as Option B+, to Option A, which is the current standard of care for PMTCT in Swaziland. The study will be conducted at 10 health facilities in the Manzini and Lubombo regions in Swaziland. The study has three components: the main component is a PMTCT Options Evaluation where data from medical records will be abstracted on all HIV positive pregnant women attending antenatal services at the 10 selected study facilities; data will be abstracted on their HIV exposed infants as well. Other components of the study include a PMTCT Options Acceptability Evaluation using semi-structured questionnaires with PMTCT clients and health care workers (HCWs) as well as a cost effectiveness evaluation comparing costs under conditions of Option A and Option B+.

Read the detailed description

Purpose:

"Situkulwane Lesiphephile-Safe Generations" is an implementation science research study designed to evaluate an innovative PMTCT strategy that includes a modified Option B approach, where all HIV positive pregnant women initiate lifelong triple antiretroviral (ARV) therapy independent of CD4+ count (Option B+) and all HIV positive pregnant and postpartum women and their infants are engaged in the same structured appointment and follow-up protocols currently available only to women receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). The study hypothesizes that this single, uniform and streamlined treatment and retention approach for all HIV positive pregnant women will eliminate delays, prevent losses and will: (1) result in a higher proportion of mothers and infants successfully completing the PMTCT cascade and fewer new pediatric infections; (2) lead to a higher proportion of ART-eligible women initiating triple ART earlier in pregnancy; (3) will be more feasible to implement; 4) have greater acceptability among staff and patients; and 5) will be more cost-effective compared to Option A.

Design:

Stepped wedge design at 10 health facilities with one facility transitioning from Option A to the Option B+ approach every month over 12 months. Outcome measures will be compared under Option A and Option B+ conditions for all sites as well as before and after the transition at each site. Routinely collected data from facility registers and medical records will be abstracted to determine study outcomes. In addition, two purposely selected cohorts of (1)120 PMTCT clients and; (2) approximately 50 health care workers will complete questionnaires at repeated time points to assess acceptability of Option A and Option B+ approaches.

Study Population:

All HIV positive pregnant women not on ART engaging in PMTCT services at the study sites will be part of the PMTCT Options Evaluation. This will include HIV+ women not on ART enrolling in PMTCT services and pregnant women newly testing HIV+ in the absolute neutrophil count (ANC). A subset of HIV+ pregnant women not on ART engaging in PMTCT services and health care workers providing PMTCT services at the study sites will be enrolled in an acceptability evaluation.

Study Size:

A total of approximately 2,600 HIV positive pregnant women enrolled in PMTCT services at ten Ministry of Health (MOH) facilities.

Primary Objective:

To compare the impact of implementing Option A and Option B+ on the composite endpoint of infant HIV-positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) at 6 months postpartum or maternal loss to follow-up at 6 months postpartum.

Secondary Objectives:

  1. To compare Option A and Option B+ on proportion of pregnant women with CD4+<350 cells/mm3 initiating ART during pregnancy and on duration of ART received prior to delivery for ART-eligible pregnant women
  2. To compare Option A and Option B+ on the proportion of women and children retained in HIV care at 12, and 18 months postpartum
  3. To examine patient and provider level acceptability of Option A and Option B+
  4. To compare the cost-effectiveness of Option A and Option B+

Tertiary Objectives:

  1. To determine pregnancy and infant outcomes (including fetal losses, neonatal death, birth weight and gestational age) among HIV+ pregnant women receiving PMTCT and compare outcomes by maternal ARV regimens.
  2. To compare Option A and Option B+ on maternal and child adherence as measured by prescriptions dispensed for maternal and infant antiretroviral medications.
Conditions
HIV/AIDS
Being tested
Option B+
Keywords
HIV/AIDS, PMTCT, Option B+, Swaziland
Medical subject headings
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Option B+Other

    • Using one low toxicity triple ARV regimen [(tenofovir (TDF) + lamivudine/emtricitabine (3TC/FTC) + efavirenz (EFV)] for all women, rather than adapting regimens by CD4+
    • Engaging all pregnant and postpartum women and their infants in the structured appointment and follow-up system currently only available to women receiving ART
    • Providing a simplified standardized public health approach both antenatally and postnatally, with adherence and retention support tailored to the particular health and social needs of peripartum women
Study groups in NCT01891799
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
PMTCT Options EvaluationAll HIV positive pregnant women not on ART engaging in PMTCT services at the study sites will be included. This will include HIV+ women not on ART enrolling in PMTCT services and pregnant women newly testing HIV+ in the ANC. All women will eventually receive the intervention of Option B+ as each clinic transitions from Option A to B+.
Receives: Other: Option B+

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Number of (1) infant HIV positive PCR at six months postpartum OR (2) mother lost to follow-up from at six months postpartum

    Combined maternal-child endpoint: The primary outcome will be measured on all HIV+ pregnant women not on ART at their first ANC visit at a participating study site, approximately 2600 women(becoming mother-infant pairs postpartum). This includes women entering PMTCT with known HIV+ status, not on ART, and women testing HIV+ on entry into ANC.

    Measured: Up to 24 months

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Proportion of pregnant women with CD4+<350 cells/mm3 initiating ART during pregnancy

    ART Initiation During Pregnancy: Proportion of pregnant women with CD4+<350 cells/mm3 initiating ART during pregnancy

    Measured: Up to 24 months

  2. Proportion of women and children retained in HIV care at 12 and 18 months postpartum

    Maternal/Infant Retention in Care: Proportion of women and children retained in HIV care at 12 and 18 months postpartum

    Measured: Up to 24 months

  3. Duration of ART/ARV received prior to delivery

    ART/ARV Duration: Duration of ART/ARV received prior to delivery

    Measured: Up to 24 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Jul 2013 (estimated)
  2. Study startAug 2013
  3. Primary completion30 Oct 2016
  4. Study completion30 Oct 2016

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Other
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrolment
2,518 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT01891799
Sponsor's protocol ID
AAAL0661
Other IDs
AID-OAA-A-12-000020
Status last verified
Feb 2018
First submitted
28 Jun 2013
Last updated
12 Feb 2018
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No

Publications

  • DiCarlo AL, Gachuhi AB, Mthethwa-Hleta S, Shongwe S, Hlophe T, Peters ZJ, Zerbe A, Myer L, Langwenya N, Okello V, Sahabo R, Nuwagaba-Biribonwoha H, Abrams EJ. Healthcare worker experiences with Option B+ for prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission in eSwatini: findings from a two-year follow-up study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019 Apr 2;19(1):210. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-3997-1.

    PubMed 30940149

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of HIV/AIDS, run by Columbia University at 12 sites in Eswatini.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 12 Feb 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 12 sites in Eswatini. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Number of (1) infant HIV positive PCR at six months postpartum OR (2) mother lost to follow-up from at six months postpartum (time frame: Up to 24 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT01891799, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 12 Feb 2018.

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