Overview

The publication provides both a summary of the key evidence and its assessment using the GRADE process, and recommendations on the prevention, diagnosis and management of cryptococcal disease in HIV-infected adults, adolescents (10-19 years) and children (up to 10 years), with a focus on settings with limited health systems capacity and resources, and a high burden of cryptococcal disease.

It outlines standards for high quality care of persons living with HIV infection and patients with cryptococcal disease, by providing evidence-based recommendations that consider the risks and benefits, acceptability, feasibility, cost and other resource implications.

Target audience: The recommendations are aimed at policy makers, national treatment advisory boards, and HIV programme managers, as well as health-care professionals providing care for HIV-infected adults, adolescents, and children in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

Contents

• ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
• 1. OVERVIEW
  • 1.1 Background and Executive Summary
  • 1.2 Objectives
  • 1.3 Target audience
• 2. RECOMMENDATIONS AT A GLANCE
• 3. THE GUIDELINE PROCESS
  • 3.1 Retrieving, summarizing and presenting the evidence
  • 3.2 Key principles
  • 3.3 Consensus, external review and updating
  • 3.4 Publication and timing
• 4. DISSEMINATION, ADAPTATION, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION
• 5. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
• 6. COLLABORATION WITH EXTERNAL PARTNERS
• 7. KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
  • Diagnosis of first episode of cryptococcal disease
  • Prevention of cryptococcal disease
  • Induction, consolidation and maintenance treatment regimens
  • Prevention, monitoring and management of amphotericin B toxicity
  • Timing of ART initiation
  • Discontinuation of maintenance treatment (secondary prophylaxis)
• [GUIDELINE DEVELOPMENT GROUP AND REVIEWERS]

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