HIV Medicine最新文献

{"title":"Cardiovascular prevention: Statins and beyond-A message from the editors of the special issue of HIV medicine.","authors":"Laura Waters, Esteban Martinez","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13731","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13731","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142545180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of risk factors and mortality in veterans with HIV and those without HIV suffering first major acute cardiovascular events.","authors":"William L Hicks, Suzan Khalil, Floyd W Burke, Minh Quang Ho, Ishak Mansi","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13724","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13724","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies have demonstrated that people with HIV have an increased atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability, making them more susceptible to severe cardiovascular complications. This study aimed to examine the clinical characteristics of people with HIV in comparison to people without HIV admitted to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) with their first major acute cardiovascular events (MACE) and compare their total mortality.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We used national VHA data to extract data of those admitted to VHA hospitals with MACE defined as acute myocardial infarction (AMI), acute cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or cardiac arrest during the fiscal years 2003-2021. The hazard ratio (HR) of mortality for people with HIV versus people without HIV was estimated using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Out of 280 311 veterans, 2510 people with HIV and 277 801 people without HIV had their first MACE during the study period. People with HIV were younger, more likely to be African American, had a lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus and hypertension, similar total cholesterol levels and a lower mean 10-year cardiovascular risk score (25.4 in people with HIV vs. 28.7 in people without HIV). Among MACE components, people with HIV had a higher proportion of CVA (27% vs. 21.3%, p < 0.001) and cardiac arrest (13.0% vs. 8.4%, p < 0.001) but a lower incidence of AMI (62.4% vs. 72.5%, p < 0.001) than people without HIV. Additionally, people with HIV had a higher risk of total mortality (adjusted HR: 2.05, 95% confidence interval: 1.90-2.22) compared with people without HIV.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>People with HIV experience MACE at younger ages despite lower cardiovascular risks and similar baseline cholesterol and blood pressure levels. People with HIV had higher mortality and a higher risk of having ventricular fibrillation arrest and stroke as their first MACE.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Should we measure quality of life among people with HIV? A multicentre survey of physicians' opinions in Spain.","authors":"Rebeca Izquierdo, Inés Suárez-García, Teresa Gómez-García, Cristina Marco-Sánchez, Julián Puente-Ferreiro, Cristina Moreno, Asunción Diaz, Noemí Cabello-Clotet, David Vinuesa, José Luis Blanco, Estrella Melús, Cristina Gómez-Ayerbe, Julián Olalla, Melchor Riera, José Ignacio Bernardino, Juan Carlos de López Bernaldo de Quirós, Santiago Moreno, Inma Jarrín","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13726","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13726","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>We assessed the opinions of physicians caring for people with HIV (PWH) from the multicentre Spanish CoRIS cohort regarding the assessment of health-related quality of life (HRQoL).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We designed an online self-administered questionnaire comprising 27 structured questions across four domains: (i) sociodemographic and clinical data; (ii) usefulness of measuring HRQoL; (iii) information, training and resource needed; and (iv) whether and how HRQoL should be measured. Physicians completed the questionnaire between April and June 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 131 physicians surveyed [53.8% men, median age 52 years (interquartile range: 42-60)], 90.9% and 88.6% agreed that measuring HRQoL is useful for both PWH and medical decision-making, respectively. However, 67.2% needed training on what HRQoL is and how to measure it, 79.4% required information on validated tools, and 80.9% felt that clinical guidelines are needed. Overall, 90.1% of physicians agreed that HRQoL should be measured among PWH. Most physicians (82.8%) supported using specific scales for PWH, with 74.1% recommending annual measurement, 49.1% suggesting that nurses from HIV units conduct the assessments, and 43.1% favouring personal interviews during medical visits. At the time of the survey, 55.3% of physicians did not measure HRQoL in any patients due to time or resource constraints (75.8%).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Despite the recognized importance of HRQoL measurement in PWH, Spanish physicians encounter barriers such as time constraints and limited resources. Developing clear guidelines, using tailored scales, and integrating digital tools along with multidisciplinary support could enhance routine HRQoL assessments and improve patient-centred care.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499446","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"HIV postnatal prophylaxis and infant feeding policies vary across Europe: results of a Penta survey.","authors":"Georgina Fernandes, Elizabeth Chappell, Tessa Goetghebuer, Christian R Kahlert, Santa Ansone, Stefania Bernardi, Guido Castelli Gattinara, Elena Chiappini, Catherine Dollfus, Pierre Frange, Bridget Freyne, Luisa Galli, Vania Giacomet, Galia Grisaru-Soen, Christoph Königs, Hermione Lyall, Magdalena Marczynska, Mariana Mardarescu, Lars Naver, Tim Niehues, Antoni Noguera-Julian, Kim Stol, Alla Volokha, Steven B Welch, Claire Thorne, Alasdair Bamford","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13723","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13723","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This survey was conducted to describe current European postnatal prophylaxis (PNP) and infant feeding policies with the aim of informing future harmonized guidelines.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 32 senior clinicians with relevant expertise, working in 20 countries within the European Region, were invited to complete a REDCap questionnaire between July and September 2023.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-three of the 32 invited paediatricians responded, representing 16/20 countries. There were multiple respondents from the same country for Italy (n = 5), the UK (n = 2), Germany (n = 2) and France (n = 2). All countries use risk stratification to guide PNP regimen selection. Nine out of 16 countries reported three risk categories, six out of 16 reported two, and one country reported differences in categorization. Criteria used to stratify risk varied between and within countries. For the lowest risk category, the PNP regimen reported ranged from no PNP to up to four weeks of one drug; the drug of choice reported was zidovudine, apart from one country which reported nevirapine. For the highest risk category, the most common regimen was zidovudine/lamivudine/nevirapine (20/23 respondents); regimen duration varied from two to six weeks with variation in recommended dosing. Guidelines support breastfeeding for infants born to people living with HIV in eight out of 16 countries; in the other eight, guidelines do not support/specify.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Guidelines and practice for PNP and infant feeding vary substantially across Europe and within some countries, reflecting the lack of robust evidence. Effort is needed to align policies and practice to reflect up-to-date knowledge to ensure the vertical transmission risk is minimized and unnecessary infant HIV testing and PNP avoided, while simultaneously supporting families to make informed decisions on infant feeding choice.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142499445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Are people with HIV at advanced disease stages being left behind? A global survey.","authors":"Fernanda Fonseca, Vivian I Avelino-Silva, Wilfred Odoke, Jan van den Hombergh, Adele Schwartz Benzaken","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13725","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13725","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>A substantial percentage of people with HIV are still admitted for care at advanced disease stages. Here, we investigate the availability of the supplies and infrastructure required to provide care for this population in healthcare facilities and explore correlations with local demand.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>AIDS Healthcare Foundation's partner facilities were invited to respond to a survey addressing the availability of services to support clients with advanced HIV. We present results per continent and according to gross national income per capita using frequencies and percentages. We generated country-level scores taking the average percentage of facilities with available resources on 10 key items and used Spearman's correlation to investigate relationships between country scores and local demand, depicted by the percentages of people with HIV newly enrolled in care with a CD4 T-cell count <200/mm³ in 2022.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 643 facilities from 37 countries responded to the survey between September and December 2021. Overall, services requiring more costly equipment and/or supplies were less frequently available. Facilities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America/Caribbean and those with lower gross national income had a somewhat lower availability of diagnostic and therapeutic resources. Availability of services was not correlated with local demand: 14 countries (42%) had scores below the 50% percentile despite having >20% of newly enrolled people with HIV with a CD4 T-cell count <200/mm³.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Appropriate care can mitigate the morbidity and mortality associated with advanced HIV. We found that the healthcare services recommended by the World Health Organization as essential to support clients with advanced HIV are often unavailable in facilities providing HIV care, despite high local demand.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142464153","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"'We are fragile, but we are strong': A qualitative study of perspectives, experiences and priority outcomes for people living with HIV and frailty.","authors":"Natalie St Clair-Sullivan, Jaime H Vera, Matthew Maddocks, Richard Harding, Thomas Levett, Jonathan Roberts, Zoe Adler, Stephen Bremner, Gary Pargeter, Katherine Bristowe","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13722","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13722","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Advances in antiretroviral therapy have meant that the focus of HIV care has shifted to chronic disease management. The HIV population is ageing, and the prevalence of frailty is increasing. This study aimed to explore the perspectives and experiences of the impact of living with HIV and frailty and priority outcomes in relation to wellbeing and ageing.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In-depth qualitative interviews were undertaken with older people living with HIV who screened positive for frailty using the FRAIL scale. Participants were recruited from a UK outpatient HIV clinic. Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In total, 24 people living with HIV were interviewed. Frailty was described as not being able to do the things you could and living with limitations that impacted physical, psychological and social wellbeing. Being identified as frail was not always surprising, but acceptance of this diagnosis required an understanding of what frailty means and what they can do to address it. For people living with HIV, the word 'frail' was largely acceptable when its clinical meaning was explained. However, participants questioned whether a different term is needed if this is a new 'HIV-associated frailty'. Priority outcomes were slowing the progression of frailty, retaining independence and being treated holistically.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>When talking about frailty with people living with HIV, professionals need to balance honesty and sensitivity and provide clear information about the meaning and impact for the person. Holistic management plans must recognize the physical and psycho-social impact of frailty and prioritize slowing its progression and reducing its impact on independence.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142464154","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The first AI-based Chatbot to promote HIV self-management: A mixed methods usability study.","authors":"Yuanchao Ma, Sofiane Achiche, Gavin Tu, Serge Vicente, David Lessard, Kim Engler, Benoît Lemire, Moustafa Laymouna, Alexandra de Pokomandy, Joseph Cox, Bertrand Lebouché","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13720","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13720","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We developed MARVIN, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot that provides 24/7 expert-validated information on self-management-related topics for people with HIV. This study assessed (1) the feasibility of using MARVIN, (2) its usability and acceptability, and (3) four usability subconstructs (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, attitude towards use, and behavioural intention to use).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a mixed-methods study conducted at the McGill University Health Centre, enrolled participants were asked to have 20 conversations within 3 weeks with MARVIN on predetermined topics and to complete a usability questionnaire. Feasibility, usability, acceptability, and usability subconstructs were examined against predetermined success thresholds. Qualitatively, randomly selected participants were invited to semi-structured focus groups/interviews to discuss their experiences with MARVIN. Barriers and facilitators were identified according to the four usability subconstructs.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>From March 2021 to April 2022, 28 participants were surveyed after a 3-week testing period, and nine were interviewed. Study retention was 70% (28/40). Mean usability exceeded the threshold (69.9/68), whereas mean acceptability was very close to target (23.8/24). Ratings of attitude towards MARVIN's use were positive (+14%), with the remaining subconstructs exceeding the target (5/7). Facilitators included MARVIN's reliable and useful real-time information support, its easy accessibility, provision of convivial conversations, confidentiality, and perception as being emotionally safe. However, MARVIN's limited comprehension and the use of Facebook as an implementation platform were identified as barriers, along with the need for more conversation topics and new features (e.g., memorization).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The study demonstrated MARVIN's global usability. Our findings show its potential for HIV self-management and provide direction for further development.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142400198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide in adults with HIV-1 and end-stage kidney disease on chronic haemodialysis.","authors":"Joseph J Eron, Moti Ramgopal, Olayemi Osiyemi, Mehri Mckellar, Jihad Slim, Edwin Dejesus, Priyanka Arora, Christiana Blair, Jason T Hindman, Aimee Wilkin","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13721","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13721","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Treatment for people with HIV-1 and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) on haemodialysis (HD) has previously required complex dose-adjusted regimens, with limited data on the use of a single-tablet regimen in this population. Our aim was to assess the efficacy and safety of once-daily bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) and to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of bictegravir (BIC) in adults with HIV-1 and ESKD on HD.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We performed an open-label extension (OLE) of an open-label, multicentre, single-group phase 3b study (NCT02600819) of adults with ESKD on HD and HIV-1 with virological suppression. Participants switched to elvitegravir/cobicistat/F/TAF (E/C/F/TAF) 150/150/200/10 mg for 96 weeks, following which a subgroup of US participants entered an OLE phase in which they switched to B/F/TAF 50/200/25 mg for 48 weeks, returning for study visits at weeks 4 and 12, and every 12 weeks thereafter. Study assessments included virological response, safety and pharmacokinetic analysis of BIC.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Ten participants entered the OLE (median age, 55 years). Virological suppression (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL) was maintained in all participants over 48 weeks of B/F/TAF treatment. B/F/TAF was well tolerated, with no treatment discontinuations. Mean BIC trough concentrations were lower than those previously reported for people with HIV-1 with normal kidney function, but remained four- to seven-fold higher than the established protein-adjusted 95% effective concentration against wild-type HIV-1.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>These findings support the use of the once-daily B/F/TAF single-tablet regimen for people with HIV-1 and ESKD on HD. This regimen offers a convenient treatment option for this population as it reduces the need for dose adjustment, eases pill burden and avoids potential drug-drug interactions associated with alternatives that may impact individuals on multiple medications or awaiting transplantation.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142380712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining trends in the incidence of HIV infection among people with a history of drug use to inform an outbreak investigation and response: A retrospective cohort study.","authors":"Kirsten M A Trayner, Norah E Palmateer, Andrew McAuley, Alan Yeung, Beth L Cullen, Lesley A Wallace, Kirsty Roy, Rebecca Metcalfe, Erica Peters, Julie Craik, Daniel Carter, John Campbell, Trina Ritchie, Samantha J Shepherd, Rory N Gunson, Sharon J Hutchinson","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13712","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13712","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>In the context of an outbreak of HIV among people who inject drugs in Glasgow, Scotland, identified in 2015, our objectives were to: (1) develop epidemiological methods to estimate HIV incidence using data linkage, and (2) examine temporal changes in HIV incidence to inform public health responses.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This was a retrospective cohort study involving data linkage of laboratory HIV testing data to identify individuals with a history of drug use. Person-years (PY) and Poisson regression were used to estimate incidence by time period (pre-outbreak: 2000-2010 and 2011-2013; early outbreak: 2014-2016; ongoing outbreak: 2017-2019).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Among 13 484 individuals tested for HIV, 144 incident HIV infections were observed from 2000 to 2019. Incidence rates increased from pre-outbreak periods (1.00/1000 PY (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.60-1.65) in 2000-2010 and 1.70/1000 PY (95% CI: 1.14-2.54) in 2011-2013) to 3.02/1000 PY (95% CI: 2.36-3.86) early outbreak (2014-2016) and 2.35 (95% CI 1.74-3.18) during the ongoing outbreak period (2017-2019). Compared with the pre-outbreak period (2000-2010), the incidence rates were significantly elevated during both the early outbreak (2014-16) (adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.62-5.09, p < 0.001) and the ongoing outbreak periods (2017-19) (aIRR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.16-3.90, p = 0.015).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Public health responses helped to curb the rising incidence of HIV infection among people with a history of drug use in Glasgow, but further efforts are needed to reduce it to levels observed prior to the outbreak. Data linkage of routine diagnostic test data to assess and monitor incidence of HIV infection provided enhanced surveillance, which is important to inform outbreak investigations and guide national strategies on elimination of HIV transmission.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142375344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Chemsex and its impact on gay and bisexual men who have sex with men: Findings from an online survey in Belgium.","authors":"Tom Platteau, C Herrijgers, V Barvaux, W Vanden Berghe, L Apers, T Vanbaelen","doi":"10.1111/hiv.13717","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13717","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The study aimed to estimate the prevalence of sexualized drug use, or chemsex, in a wide group of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) in Belgium. It examined which drugs gbMSM used before and during sex, the frequency with which they used it, whether they experienced non-consensual sex, and evaluated the impact of chemsex on the health and professional and social lives of respondents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted an online survey among Belgian gbMSM. Five specific questions on chemsex were included in the survey. These questions assessed whether gbMSM engaged in chemsex. If they did, they were asked to provide information on which drugs they had used and how often. We asked whether their and their partners' boundaries had been respected and whether and how engaging in chemsex had affected a range of life domains.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 836 respondents, 258 (30.9%) self-reported having had sex under the influence of substances (\"chemsex\") in the previous 6 months. Of these, 227 (88%) were considered chemsex users according to the definition used for the analysis. Poppers (73%), gamma-hydroxybutyrate/gamma-butyrolactone (GHB/GBL; 69%) and cathinones (68%) were the most commonly reported substances. Almost half of respondents (45%) engaging in chemsex were high on drugs during at least half of their sexual encounters. Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) reported that boundaries had not been respected, suggesting non-consensual sexual activities. The 82 respondents experiencing negative impacts from their chemsex use reported that mental health (65%), physical health (40%) and sexual health (38%) were most impacted.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Our findings provide a snapshot of the current chemsex situation in Belgium. The frequency of chemsex is concerning because several health, professional and social aspects are impacted. Almost 1 in 10 respondents using chemsex reported that chemsex impacted consent around sex, requiring additional efforts to eradicate these non-consensual sexual experiences. Therefore, larger scale research focusing on respected boundaries and consent during chemsex and the frequency of drug use for sex seems required. Additionally, sensitisation, as well as care and support programmes are critical.</p>","PeriodicalId":13176,"journal":{"name":"HIV Medicine","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142371662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}