title: HIV Suppression among Patients on Treatment in Vietnam: A Review of HIV Viral Load Testing in a Public Urban Clinic in Ho Chi Minh City.
abstract: Background. There are few reports of HIV viral load (VL) testing among patients on ART in Vietnam. Methods. From a public clinic in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), we reviewed cases of VL measurements from adults on ART. Results. We identified 228 cases. Median age was 30 years (27-34), 85% were male, and 77% had a history of IDU. The mean ART duration was 26 months (95% CI 25-27); d4T/3TC/NVP was the most common regimen. Viral suppression was seen in 160/228 (70%). Viremia (>1000 copies/mL) was associated with prior ART exposure (OR 5.68, P < .0001) and immunologic failure (OR 4.69, P = .0001). Targeted testing accounted for 13% of cases, only half of which yielded viremia. Conclusion. We demonstrate a high HIV suppression rate among patients on ART in HCMC, Vietnam. In this setting, routine testing detects viremia missed by targeted testing.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Internal Medicine, Alpert School of Medicine of Brown University, 593 Eddy St., Providence, RI 02909, USA.
authors.forename: T Tony
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Trinh
authors.forename: Brian T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Montague
authors.forename: Timothy P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Flanigan
authors.forename: Hoang My
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Gerard