Optimizing Viral Load Suppression in Kenyan Children on Antiretroviral Therapy

The study design will be a randomized, controlled study to pilot the use of POC VL and DRM testing in children aged 1-14 years on first-line ART. Children enrolling at each site will be randomized 1:1 to two study arms.

Standard of Care Arm:

Participants in the Standard-of-Care (SOC) control arm will receive the standard-of-care VL and DRM testing based on the existing Kenyan national guidelines. VL testing will be 6 months after ART initiation (then every 3 months if unsuppressed, otherwise every 12 months) with DRM testing only if failing second-line ART. Children who have a high lab-based HIV VL (≥1,000 copies/mL) will receive intensive adherence counseling and be asked to return to the clinic in 3 months for repeat HIV VL testing. If the HIV VL remains high (≥1,000 copies/mL), the children will be managed per Kenya national guidelines.

Intervention Arm:

Children in the intervention arm will undergo POC VL testing every 3 months for a total of 12 months. "Targeted" DRM testing will include DRM testing for each child on the first detection of lack of viral suppression (VL > 1000 copies/mL) and in children newly initiating ART.

The investigators will follow the viral outcomes 12 months after the implementation of POC VL testing and compare VL suppression rates, defined as VL <1000 copies/mL by the Kenyan national guidelines, among intervention vs. control arms, accounting for pre-intervention VL suppression rates.

The primary outcome for Aim 1 is rates of viral suppression (defined as VL <1000 copies/mL) at 12 months after POC VL testing implementation at the three facilities. The secondary outcome for Aim 1 is time to viral suppression among those children without viral suppression at their 1st POC VL testing or newly initiating ART after POC VL testing implementation. In Aim 2, the investigators intend to evaluate the impact of targeted HIV DRM testing on viral suppression in the intervention arm only. The investigators will also explore how sociodemographic, behavioral, clinical, and facility factors may be contributing to the DRM patterns they observe.

Inclusion criteria

• Children aged 1-14 years living with HIV (documented HIV positive)
• On first-line ART per Kenyan National Guideline or
• Newly initiating ART

Exclusion criteria

• On second-line, third-line, or non-standard first-line ART