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. 2010 Dec;39 Suppl 2(Suppl 2):ii56-64.
doi: 10.1093/ije/dyq215.

Changing baseline characteristics among patients in the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, 2002-09

Zhihui Dou  1 , Ray Y Chen, Jiahong Xu, Ye Ma, Jin Hua Jiao, Stephen Durako, Yan Zhao, Decai Zhao, Hua Fang, Fujie Zhang
Affiliations

Changing baseline characteristics among patients in the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program, 2002-09

Zhihui Dou et al. Int J Epidemiol. 2010 Dec.

Abstract

Objective: To improve HIV treatment in China by determining changes over time of patient characteristics (geographic, clinical and route of HIV infection) among patients enrolled in the China National Free Antiretroviral Treatment Program.

Methods: Patients in the national treatment database from 1 June 2002 to 1 June 2009 were eligible. Patients were excluded if <18 years old, not previously treatment-naïve, missing initial treatment date or not initiated on triple drug therapy.

Results: About 62 919 patients were included, located across 54.8% of counties/districts throughout mainland China; 86.4% were concentrated in 11.1% of counties/districts. Median age was 38 years, 41% female, 45.4% former plasma donors (FPDs), 33.9% sexually infected and 15.5% injection drug users (IDUs). Median baseline CD4 cell count was 129/µl. In 2002, 100% of treated were FPDs with no CD4 cell counts. By 2009, 59% of the treated were sexually infected and 96% had baseline CD4 cell counts. Injection drug users remained a minority of those treated.

Conclusions: Limited treatment resources can be focused on areas with more patients. Greater emphasis needs to be placed on earlier HIV diagnosis and treatment. New strategies must be identified to bring HIV-infected IDUs into treatment. Routine HIV testing would identify those at risk earlier.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Among 62 919 patients included in this analysis, the 54 338 (86.4%) of patients located in the 327 counties/districts with at least 20 patients each were plotted on this map, with each county/district stratified by predominant mode of HIV transmission
Figure 2
Figure 2
Baseline characteristics among all 62 919 patients included in this analysis, stratified over time by the number of new patients initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), route of transmission, baseline CD4 cell count and treatment regimen. The number of new patients included by year is shown in the top graph. Note: 2009 data are only to June 1 2009. P < 0.0001 for the change in each comparison (number of new patients, route of infection, baseline CD4 cell count and initial HAART regimen) over time
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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