PredART trial: prednisone reduces risk of TB-IRIS in HIV-infected patients by 30%
Results of the EDCTP-funded PredART clinical trial, led by Dr Graeme Meintjes, University of Cape Town, South Africa were presented at the 2017 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) (Abstract #81LB) on 15 February 2017. The trial showed that prednisone, a cheap drug readily accessible in low- and middle-income countries, reduces the risk of developing TB-IRIS by 30% in patients on tuberculosis (TB) treatment starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). The trial also showed that prednisone is safe when used in patients with advanced HIV.
The findings of the PredART trial provide the first evidence of an effective strategy to reduce the risk of this very common complication of starting ART in HIV-infected patients undergoing TB treatment.