Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial for treatment success in HIV+ patients. This study proposes the use of a smartphone application, specifically developed for this project, to monitor ART adherence and assess quality of life among HIV+ patients. The aim is to optimize long-term disease management through the early identification of comorbidities and clinical complications
Since the first cases were reported more than 35 years ago, 78 million people have been infected with HIV and 35 million have died from AIDS-related illnesses. Currently, the availability of TARV regimens associated with good tolerability and high levels of efficacy make it necessary to turn attention toward new standards of efficacy indicative of patients' mental and physical well-being. Indeed, health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is becoming increasingly preponderant as a therapeutic outcome. Despite TARV-related viroimmunologic success, people living with HIV (PLWH) continue to have lower HRQoL than the general population. Indeed, much evidence confirms the impact on quality of life not only of therapeutic treatments but also of social and relationship issues and comorbidities. Improving HRQoL is now, therefore, a primary goal for the care and support of PLWH. Evaluations of new treatments and interventions to improve care, therefore, require the measurement, in addition to clinical endpoints, of HRQoL using valid and reliable instruments. Therefore, the importance of PROs (Patient Reported Outcomes), which represent the description of the patient's own reported state of health, without any interpretation by clinicians or health care personnel, emerges in this area. In this way, the patient is directly involved in his or her own process of care. Adherence to TARV is essential for successful treatment and improved quality of life. Unfortunately, non-adherence to treatment is a common problem among HIV-infected patients. The Covid-19 emergence has significantly revolutionized the health care system leading to the implementation of new modes of care, including the use of technological tools to ensure remote medical care. The present study, targeting HIV-infected patients undergoing virological suppression, aims to use a smartphone application to facilitate continuity of care remotely, promoting adherence to therapy and thus the effectiveness of TARV, assessing the patient's quality of life and identifying possible comorbidities or other critical clinical
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
50
Enrolled subjects will be asked to download the app for free from their smartphone store. Weekly/bi-weekly updates were collected, and therapy adherence was facilitated with timed alerts. Patients completed the EQ-5D-5L, PSQI, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 questionnaires every four months to track quality of life, sleep quality, depression and anxiety.
SC Malattie Infettive
Alessandria, Piedmont, Italy
Effective use of the mobile application
Frequency of interaction with the mobile application
Time frame: 6 months
Adherence to therapy
Frequency of click in the mobile application
Time frame: Everyday, through study completion (6 months)
EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire
Quality of life assessment questionnaire
Time frame: Twice, at baseline and after 4 months
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality index
Quality of sleep assessment questionnaire
Time frame: Twice, at baseline and after 4 months
Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7
Questionnaire for assessment of generalized anxiety state
Time frame: Twice, at baseline and after 4 months
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