Peter W. PENG, Author at MediaMedic

IAS 2023 | WHO Guidelines Update: The Risk of HIV Sexual Transmission with Low Viral Load is Nearly Zero

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

The 12th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS 2023) began on July 23, 2023, in Brisbane, Australia. At the conference, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) introduced important updates to the HIV guidelines, emphasizing the importance of "HIV viral suppression for improved individual health and reduced transmission." On the eve of the conference, The Lancet published a systematic review showing that the risk of HIV transmission with low-level viral load is almost zero.

IAS 2023 | RESPOND Study: INSTIs Might Indeed be “A Bit Sweet”

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are associated with weight gain, but this weight gain doesn't harm survival or increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. So, does the weight gain associated with INSTIs lead to a higher risk of diabetes? At the recent 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), the renowned RESPOND cohort study from Europe and America indicated that INSTIs might increase the risk of diabetes onset. Even after adjustment, the onset risk remains statistically significant.

IAS 2023 | Short-course tuberculosis (TB) preventive treatment does not affect the virologic efficacy of INSTIs in treating HIV

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

People Living With HIV (PLWH) are at high risk of active tuberculosis (TB). Guidelines both domestically and internationally suggest that PLWH with positive latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) screening and those with a history of close contact with active TB should receive TB preventive treatment. However, commonly used preventive treatment regimens such as rifampin and rifapentine have potential drug interactions with HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART). A multi-center retrospective study from Taiwan, China, presented at the 12th International AIDS Society HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023) showed that ART based on integrase inhibitors (INSTIs) combined with rifapentine-based short-course TB preventive treatment does not affect the patient's sustained HIV virologic suppression rate.

IAS 2023 | South African study indicates that HIV male patients have a greater likelihood of achieving virological remission than females.

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In the recent 12th International AIDS Society (IAS) HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), a research study from South Africa found that, despite seldom adhering to antiretroviral therapy (ART), 5 male children who were born with HIV still maintained undetectable viral loads. Researchers believe that due to innate immunological gender differences, boys might have a better chance of achieving sustained virological remission than girls.

IAS 2023 | What are the sequelae of MPOX? Does HIV increase the risk of hospitalization due to MPOX?

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

The 12th International AIDS Association HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023) was held in Brisbane, Australia from July 23 to 26, 2023. In the oral reports of the conference, experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that global monitoring data for MPOX in 2022 showed that half of the patients with MPOX were HIV carriers. However, HIV is not a risk factor for increased hospitalization due to MPOX. Another study based on interviews with MPOX patients in Australia indicated that most patients had negative experiences with the disease and sequelae related to MPOX.

Dr. Deborah Donnell: A new long-acting PrEP regimen holds promise to transform the landscape of HIV prevention.

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In 2021, the United Nations set forth the goal of "ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030". To achieve this, not only must countries strengthen the diagnosis and treatment of HIV infections, but they also need to prioritize prevention to minimize the emergence of new infections. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) long-acting regimens have become a recent focal point in HIV prevention. At the recently held 12th International AIDS Society HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), there were several keynote lectures on the topic of long-acting PrEP.

Dr. Ana Hoxha: Clinical characteristics and outcomes of MPXV and HIV co-infected patients

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.22

In 2022, about 70 countries/regions around the world reported cases of MPOX. These countries/regions usually have no prior history of MPXV infections, and previous sustained human-to-human transmissions of MPXV were mainly observed in Africa. At the recent 12th International AIDS Society HIV Science Conference (IAS 2023), Dr. Ana Hoxha from the World Health Organization (WHO) presented a special report titled "HIV among MPOX cases: clinical characteristics and outcomes in the WHO global surveillance 2022".

How to choose the maintenance treatment plan after HSCT for R/R malignanthematological patients?

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.13

Relapse/refractory (R/R) has always been a difficult point in the clinical treatment of malignant hematological tumors. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is an important treatment for these patients to achieve long-term survival. Subsequent maintenance treatment is essential to consolidate the effects of HSCT and prevent disease recurrence. Therefore, researchers have been focusing on optimizing the specific maintenance treatment plan for a long time.

Dr. Xingyu Cao: Post-transplant maintenance therapy with Chidamide in T-ALL patients is expected to reduce relapse and improve survival

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.12

Acute T-cell lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a highly heterogeneous malignant tumor of the hematopoietic system caused by the malignant transformation of T-cell precursors. It has significant differences from B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL) in clinical features, cellular genetics, molecular biology, and abnormal signal transduction pathways. T-ALL accounts for 10%-15% in children and 20%-25% in adults. Adult T-ALL has a poor prognosis due to primary chemotherapy resistance and early recurrence, with a 5-year event-free survival rate of only 20%-50%. The main challenge for T-ALL patients after transplantation is recurrence. From April 23-26, 2023, the EBMT Annual Meeting was grandly held in Paris, France. At the meeting, Dr. Cao Xingyu from Hebei Yanda Ludao Pei Hospital reported a clinical study (abstract number: 351), which suggested that the use of Chidamide for maintenance treatment might improve the survival of T-ALL patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (Allo-HSCT).

Dr. Hui Wang: Unlocking a New Approach to MRD Testing in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

By Peter W. PENG 2023.10.12

The 49th European Bone Marrow Transplantation Annual Meeting (EBMT 2023) took place in Paris, France, from April 23 to 26, 2023. Experts and scholars from various countries gathered to present exciting advancements in research. In the field of blood tests, the fifty-year anniversary of flow cytometry coincided with this year's conference. Over the past half-century, this technology has become an indispensable tool in the diagnosis and follow-up of hematological malignancies. Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is the most common acute leukemia in adults, and the detection of Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) plays a crucial role in clinical treatment and prognosis assessment, despite encountering various technical challenges. With the release of two significant expert consensus statements by the European Leukemia Network (ELN) in 2018 and 2021, technical issues related to AML MRD detection by Multiparameter Flow Cytometry (MFC) were discussed, making this research once again the focus of the hematology field.