Studies on the determinants and changes related to the natural CD4 + T cell counts among antiretroviral treatment-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province / 中华流行病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the determinants and changes ofCD4+ T cell counts among antiretroviral treatnent-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Dchong prefecture, Yunnan province. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on HIV-infected local residents, being reported during 1989 through May 2010, in Dehong prefecture. The patients had received at least two CD4 + T cell counting tests before receiving the antiretroviral treatment (ART). Difference between the first and the last CD4 + T cell counts was calculated and described. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the determinants of significant depletion of CD4 + T cell counts among them. Results A total of 4487 HIV/AIDS patients were included in the study. The change of CD4 +T cell counts between the first and the last CD4 + T cell count tests had a median of-2.0 cells/μ l in month (IQR: -8.2-3.6) and was significantly associated with socio-demographic characteristics, HIV transmission mode,the first or baseline CD4+ T cell counts and the time interval between the first and the last CD4 + T cell counting tests etc. About 60.0％ (2693/4487) of the HIV/AIDS patients had deletions of CD4 + T cell counts, and 31.2％ (1400/4487) had significant ( ≥ 30％ ) deletions of CD4 + T cell counts. Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age, ethnicity,marital status, HIV transmission mode, the first CD4+ T cell counts and the interval between the first and the last CD4+ T cell counting tests were significantly associated with the significant depletion of CD4 + T cell counts. Conclusion The changing rate of CD4 + T cell count among ART-naive local HIV-infected patients in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province was relatively slow. However,substantial proportion of them showed significant decreases of CD4 + T cell counts, which was determined by many factors. More efforts were needed to systematically and consistently follow-up those HIV-infected patients and measure their CD4+ T cell counts in China, in order to instantaneously monitor the disease progression,and the initiation of ART, if necessary.