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. 2016 Nov;15(6):455-458.
doi: 10.1177/2325957416667486. Epub 2016 Sep 14.

Prescription of Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia Prophylaxis in HIV-Infected Patients

Xia Lin  1   2 , Shikha Garg  2 , Christine L Mattson  2 , Qingwei Luo  3 , Jacek Skarbinski  2
Affiliations

Prescription of Pneumocystis Jiroveci Pneumonia Prophylaxis in HIV-Infected Patients

Xia Lin et al. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2016 Nov.

Abstract

The US treatment guidelines recommend Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP) prophylaxis for all HIV-infected persons with a CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 (ie, eligible for PCP prophylaxis). However, some studies suggest PCP prophylaxis may be unnecessary in virally suppressed patients. Using national data of HIV-infected adults receiving medical care in the United States during 2009 to 2012, the authors assessed the weighted percentage of eligible patients who were prescribed PCP prophylaxis and the independent association between PCP prophylaxis prescription and viral suppression. Overall, 81% of eligible patients were prescribed PCP prophylaxis. Virally suppressed eligible patients were less likely to be prescribed PCP prophylaxis (prevalence ratio: 0.84; 95% confidence interval: 0.80-0.89). Although guidelines recommend PCP prophylaxis for all eligible patients, some HIV care providers might not prescribe PCP prophylaxis to virally suppressed patients. Additional data on the risk for PCP among virally suppressed patients are needed to clarify this controversy.

Keywords: HIV; Pneumocystis pneumonia prophylaxis; viral suppression.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

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