The Lancet infectious diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Empiric deworming to delay HIV disease progression in adults with HIV who are ineligible for initiation of antiretroviral treatment (the HEAT study): a multi-site, randomised trial.
Co-infection with HIV and helminths is common in sub-Saharan Africa and findings from previous studies have suggested that anthelmintic treatment might delay immunosuppression in people with HIV. We aimed to assess the efficacy of empiric deworming of adults with HIV in delaying HIV disease progression. ⋯ Our findings do not suggest an effect of empiric deworming in the delaying of HIV disease progression in adults with HIV in an area where helminth infection is common. Alternative approaches are needed to delay HIV disease progression in areas where co-infections are common.