Improved care package to reduce deaths in people with advanced HIV
An Enhanced Package of Care to Reduce Mortality in Persons with Advanced HIV Disease
This project looks at whether giving people with very low CD4 counts a set of quick tests and immediate treatments when they start HIV therapy can lower early deaths.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Minnesota NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11399642 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll get a simple point-of-care CD4 test to find out if your immune system is very weak and be screened for major opportunistic infections like tuberculosis and cryptococcus. Those who test positive or are at high risk would receive rapid preventive medicines or treatments right away, using newer point-of-care diagnostics when available. The team will compare health outcomes, including survival soon after starting antiretroviral therapy, between people who receive this enhanced package and those who receive current usual care. The work is focused on settings where many people still present with advanced HIV, especially clinics in sub-Saharan Africa.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with advanced HIV disease (typically CD4 count under 200 cells/µL) who are starting antiretroviral therapy, especially in affected regions like sub-Saharan Africa.
Not a fit: People with well-controlled HIV or CD4 counts above 200, or those not starting ART, are unlikely to get direct benefit from this specific package.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the package could lower early deaths after starting HIV treatment by catching and treating hidden infections quickly.
How similar studies have performed: WHO guidance and observational work support screening and prophylaxis for advanced HIV, but this specific enhanced package has not yet been validated in a randomized clinical trial.
Where this research is happening
Minneapolis, United States
- University of Minnesota — Minneapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rajasingham, Radha — University of Minnesota
- Study coordinator: Rajasingham, Radha
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.