Study Details

CHIPS is a follow up study of HIV-infected children under care in the UK and Ireland. The main objectives of CHIPS are to describe clinical, laboratory and treatment data for these children, as well as their use of paediatric HIV services.

CHIPS aims to enhance the exchange of information and expertise between clinics in order to promote standardised high quality paediatrician-led care of all HIV-infected children in the UK and Ireland. Its objectives are to describe clinical, laboratory and treatment information in HIV infected children under care in the UK and Ireland, and to describe the use of paediatric HIV services. This information is fed back to the reporting paediatricians in order to inform and improve care provision.

The National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood, at the Institute of Child Health, notifies CHIPS of any children with confirmed HIV infection, and for each of these children a baseline CHIPS questionnaire is sent to the respective clinic for completion. Thereafter, a follow-up questionnaire is sent to the clinic annually.

CHIPS is an ongoing cohort study which was established in April 2000.

CHIPS is taking place in 63 (March 2009) clinics throughout the UK and Ireland. This figure includes all the London hospitals who treat HIV-infected children.

CHIPS is funded by the Department of Health and has in the past received additional support from Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, GlaxoSmithKline, Roche, Abbott, and Gilead.