Achmad Yanni Melliandari, Istiqomah Arifah Nur, Iskandar Shelly, Wisaksana Rudi, van Crevel Reinout, Hidayat Teddy
Health Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Padjadjaran University/Hasan Sadikin Hospital. Jl. Pasirkaliki no. 190, Bandung 40151, Indonesia.
Acta Med Indones. 2009 Jul;41 Suppl 1:23-7.
to know the effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment (ART) among methadone clients and patients who started ART outside the methadone program during the same period.
uptake of HIV testing and treatment were evaluated in a cohort of IDUs starting MMT. Effectiveness of anti-retroviral treatment (ART) was compared with matched 175 HIV-patients with a history of IDU outside MMT.
overall, 223 patients were enrolled in MMT between May 2006 and January 2009, of whom 44% were tested for HIV, with an HIV prevalence of 73%. Screening of MMT clients was responsible for diagnosing HIV and starting ART in 31.9%, respectively 45.7%. Two year retention (100% vs 97.1%; p=0.23) and survival (93.9% vs 92.3%; p=0.76) during ART were not significantly different for 35 patients who combined ART with methadone, and the control group (n=175). Virological failure was found in one patient (3.7%) in MMT compared to 10.5% of the control group.
providing HIV testing and treatment is a feasible and effective way to increase detection and treatment of HIV among clients enrolled in MMT. HIV- treatment integrated with methadone maintenance can be very effective. These results support wider application of integrated HIV care and opioid substitution.
