Clinical, epidemiologic characteristics of foreign-born Latinos with HIV/AIDS at an urban HIV clinic

Abstract

Latinos represent a growing number of persons with HIV/AIDS in the United States. Reports of clinical features and therapeutic outcomes of this population are limited. We performed a retrospective cohort study of 75 foreign-born Latinos seen at the Grady Infectious Disease Program in Atlanta between January 2000 and August 2002. Of these, 72% were men with a median age of 38.5 years. The most common risk factor for HIV among the men was having sex with men. Median CD4 count at the time of diagnosis was 119/microL. Most were receiving antiretroviral therapy, with 91% achieving an undetectable HIV RNA level. In a multivariable analysis, men were more likely than women to have a history of sexually transmitted infections, to hav received a diagnosis at a lower CD4 count, and to have virologic failure after achieving an undetectable HIV RNA level while receiving antiretroviral therapy. In foreign-born Latinos, HIV disease is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage, but when antiretroviral therapy is administered, many achieve an undetectable HIV RNA level. However, a sustained virologic response is difficult to achieve in men.