Background: The scale-up of HIV treatment programs has resulted in a reduction in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, retention of patients in these programs remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and mortality outcomes is therefore important to inform targeted program interventions. Methods: A retrospective multi-cohort analysis of 23,890 adult patients on ART over 36 months of follow-up in Kenya was done. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to assess for factors associated with LTFU and mortality at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow-up. Results: Majority, 67.7%, were female. At 36 months, 27.2% were LTFU and 13.5% had died. Factors associated with mortality at 36 months included older age (51 years and above) using 20-35 years as reference [(adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23-1.86, p < 0.001], being male (aOR, 1.59, 95% CI 1.39-1.83, p < 0.001), divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.86, 95% CI 1.56-2.22, p < 0.001), having a body mass index (BMI) score of less than 18.5 kg/m 2 using 18.5-24.9 kg/m 2 as reference (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.52-2.11, p < 0.001), and, World Health Organization stage III and IV using stage I as the reference (aOR, 1.94, 95% CI 1.43-2.63 and aOR, 4.24, 95% CI 3.06-5.87, p < 0.001 respectively). Factors associated with LTFU at 36 months included being young between 20 and 35 years (aOR, 1.49, 95% CI 1.40-1.59, p < 0.001) using 36-50 years as reference, being male (aOR, 1.19, 95% CI 1.12-1.27, p < 0.001), and being single or divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.34, 95% CI 1.23-1.45 and aOR, 1.25, 95% CI 1.15-1.36, p < 0.001 respectively). Patients with baseline BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m 2 using normal BMI as reference (aOR, 1.68, 95% CI 1.39-2.02, p < 0.001) were also likely to be LTFU. Conclusions: Factors associated with LTFU and mortality were generally similar over time. Implementation of programs in similar settings should be tailored to gender, age profiles, nutritional, and, marital status of patients to address LTFU. In addition, programs should focus on the care of older patients to reduce the risk of mortality.

Background: The scale-up of HIV treatment programs has resulted in a reduction in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, retention of patients in these programs remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and mortality outcomes is therefore important to inform targeted program interventions. Methods: A retrospective multi-cohort analysis of 23,890 adult patients on ART over 36 months of follow-up in Kenya was done. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to assess for factors associated with LTFU and mortality at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow-up. Results: Majority, 67.7%, were female. At 36 months , 27.2% were LTFU and 13.5% had died. Factors associated with mortality at 36 months included older age (51 years and above) using 20-35 years as reference [(adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–1.86, p<0.001], being male (aOR, 1.59, 95% CI 1.39–1.83, p<0.001), divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.86, 95% CI 1.56–2.22, p<0.001), having a body mass index (BMI) score of less than 18.5 kg/m² using 18.5-24.9 kg/m² as reference (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.52–2.11, p<0.001), and, World Health Organization stage III and IV using stage I as the reference (aOR, 1.94, 95% CI 1.43–2.63 and aOR, 4.24, 95% CI 3.06–5.87, p<0.001 respectively). Factors associated with LTFU at 36 months included being young between 20-35 years (aOR, 1.49, 95% CI 1.40-1.59, p<0.001) using 36-50 years as reference, being male (aOR, 1.19, 95% CI 1.12–1.27, p<0.001), and being single or divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.34, 95% CI 1.23–1.45 and aOR, 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36, p<0.001 respectively). Patients with baseline BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m² using normal BMI as reference (aOR, 1.68, 95% CI 1.39–2.02, p<0.001) were also likely to be LTFU. Conclusions: Factors associated with LTFU and mortality were generally similar over time. Implementation of HIV treatment programs should therefore be tailored based on gender, age profiles, nutritional, and, marital status of patients. In addition, programs should focus on the care of older patients to reduce the risk of mortality.

PURPOSE To determine the prevalence, predictors, and/or risk factors of chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in patients undergoing chemotherapy with cisplatin at Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya. METHODS This was a cross-sectional analysis of patients who underwent chemotherapy with cisplatin for at least 2 months at Kenyatta National Hospital oncology units. Peripheral neuropathy was determined by history and physical examination per the protocol. Data are presented in tables. Descriptive inferential statistics such as means, medians, and proportions were determined where applicable. RESULTS We recruited 67 patients who were undergoing chemotherapy with cisplatin. Fifty-six patients (83.6%) had peripheral neuropathy. Forty-five patients (81%) had mild-grade (grades 1 and 2) peripheral neuropathy. Only two patients (3.1%) had grade 4 neuropathy. Almost all patients who were overweight or obese developed peripheral neuropathy. CONCLUSION Peripheral neuropathy among patients receiving cisplatin is quite prevalent at Kenyatta National Hospital (83.6% prevalence rate). However, most of the patients had a mild grade of neuropathy, which is largely consistent with literature elsewhere.

Background : The scale-up of HIV treatment programs has resulted in a reduction in HIV-related morbidity and mortality. However, retention of patients in these programs remains a challenge in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding factors associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) and mortality outcomes is therefore important to inform targeted program interventions. Methods : A retrospective multi-cohort analysis of 23,890 adult patients on ART over 36 months of follow-up in Kenya was done. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was done to assess for factors associated with LTFU and mortality at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months of follow-up. Results : Majority, 67.7%, were female. At 36 months , 27.2% were LTFU and 13.5% had died. Factors associated with mortality at 36 months included older age (51 years and above) using 20-35 years as reference [(adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–1.86, p<0.001], being male (aOR, 1.59, 95% CI 1.39–1.83, p<0.001), divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.86, 95% CI 1.56–2.22, p<0.001), having a body mass index (BMI) score of less than 18.5 kg/m² using 18.5-24.9 kg/m² as reference (aOR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.52–2.11, p<0.001), and, World Health Organization stage III and IV using stage I as the reference (aOR, 1.94, 95% CI 1.43–2.63 and aOR, 4.24, 95% CI 3.06–5.87, p<0.001 respectively). Factors associated with LTFU at 36 months included being young between 20-35 years (aOR, 1.49, 95% CI 1.40-1.59, p<0.001) using 36-50 years as reference, being male (aOR, 1.19, 95% CI 1.12–1.27, p<0.001), and being single or divorced using married as reference (aOR, 1.34, 95% CI 1.23–1.45 and aOR, 1.25, 95% CI 1.15–1.36, p<0.001 respectively). Patients with baseline BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m² using normal BMI as reference (aOR, 1.68, 95% CI 1.39–2.02, p<0.001) were also likely to be LTFU. Conclusions : Factors associated with LTFU and mortality were generally similar over time. Implementation of programs in similar settings should be tailored to gender, age profiles, nutritional, and, marital status of patients to address LTFU. In addition, programs should focus on the care of older patients to reduce the risk of mortality.

Background Imatinib is the gold standard for the treatment of all phases of Philadelphia positive Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). During treatment, patients may develop cytopenia. We aimed to study the baseline characteristics and factors associated with cytopenia at a Nairobi Hospital. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study of patients aged ≥18 years on follow-up at the Glivec International Patient Access Program (GIPAP) clinic from 2007 to 2015. The cases consisted of CML patients on imatinib who developed cytopenia. The controls were CML patients on imatinib who did not develop cytopenia. Baseline socio – demographic, clinical, hematologic, and molecular data were retrieved from patients’ files. Chi square or fishers’ exact tests were used to analyze for differences between cytopenia and no cytopenia. Binary logistic regressions were employed to identify relationships. Univariate and multivariate analyses were done to identify independent predictors of cytopenia. Odds ratios (OR) were presented including the 95% confidence intervals and respective p values. Results A total of 201 patients were studied consisting of ninety-four (94) patients with cytopenia and 107 with no cytopenia. Among the entire population, males were 52, and 42% were aged 36–50 years. Sex, age, marital status, occupation and education level were similar between the cytopenia and no cytopenia groups. Among the 201 patients, 70% had symptoms for > 12 months before diagnosis, 78.6% had B symptoms at baseline, 80% had a moderate splenomegaly at baseline. Among patients with cytopenia, 40 and 37.4% developed cytopenia within 3 months and 3–6 months respectively after imatinib initiation. Baseline neutrophilia, neutropenia, anaemia, thrombocytosis, thrombocytopenia was found in 68, 11, 11, 23.5 and 11% respectively. Baseline hemoglobin, neutrophil and platelet level were significantly different between the cytopenia and the no cytopenia group. On univariable analysis, baseline anemia with hb < 7.9 g/dL (p = 0.002), neutropenia (p = 0.001), neutrophilia > 100,000/mm3 (p = 0.002) and thrombocytopenia (p = 0.001) increased the odds of developing cytopenia. On multivariable analysis, baseline anaemia (p value < 0.002), neutropenia (p value < 0.001), thrombocytopenia (p value, < 0.001) and thrombocytosis (p value, 0.033) increased the odds of developing cytopenia. Conclusion Odds of cytopenia were higher in presence of baseline cytopenia and thrombocytosis. Clinicians should have a high index of suspicion for these patients.