ORCHESTRA Delphi Consensus: Clinical Management of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in People with HIV.

Abstract

Background: The interaction between HIV and COVID-19 resulted in a syndemic that showed an excess burden of disease for people with HIV (PWH). Four years of the COVID-19 pandemic have raised many unsolved questions about the optimal care of COVID in PWH.

Methods: We performed a study using a 3-round Delphi methodology involving a panel of physicians with expertise in HIV and COVID-19 infections. The main aim of the study was to provide recommendations on critical clinical issues of COVID-19 among PWH and to inform physicians and policy-makers for improving care and prevention of COVID-19 in PWH. 27 questions were conceived, focusing on four main areas of interest in the management of COVID-19 in PWH; a panel of 34 experts in HIV and COVID-19 care expressed their level of agreement on each item. Questions that received agreement/disagreement ≥79.4% of panellists were identified and statements were generated accordingly.

Results: Consensus was reached on 19/27 items, resulting in 18 final statements. These statements addressed: (I) risk of COVID-19 progression to severe disease among PWH; (II) COVID-19 diagnostics and laboratory procedures; (III) early treatments with antivirals and/or monoclonal antibodies; (IV) use of corticosteroids; (V) COVID-19 preventive strategies.

Conclusions: This consensus's study guide infectious diseases physicians in making decisions regarding care of PWH for COVID-19, where results from the scientific literature are limited or conflicting.