Gender differences in HIV progression to AIDS and death in industrialized countries: slower disease progression following HIV seroconversion in women

To evaluate sex differences in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression before (pre-1997) and after (1997-2006) introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, the authors used data from a collaboration of 23 HIV seroconverter cohort studies from Europe, Australia, and Canada restricted to the 6,923 seroconverters infected through injecting drug use and sex between men and women. Within a competing risk framework, they used Cox proportional hazards models allowing for late entry to evaluate sex differences in time from HIV seroconversion to death, to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and to each first AIDS-defining disease and death without AIDS. While no significant sex differences were found before 1997, from 1997 onward, women had a lower risk of AIDS (adjusted cumulative relative risk (aCRR) = 0.76, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63, 0.90) and death (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.82) than men did. Compared with men, women also had lower risks of AIDS dementia complex (aCRR = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.74), tuberculosis (aCRR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.92), Kaposi's sarcoma (aCRR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.99), lymphomas (aCRR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.96), and death without AIDS (aCRR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.56, 0.98). Sex differences in HIV disease progression have become larger and statistically significant in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy, supporting a stronger impact of health interventions among women.     

辽宁省2003-2015年7255例艾滋病抗病毒治疗患者的生存分析

目的 探讨艾滋病（acquired immunodeficiency syndrome,AIDS）患者高效抗逆转录病毒治疗（highly active antiretroviral therapy,HAART）后的生存率及其影响因素。方法 采用回顾性队列研究方法,收集辽宁省2003-2015年7 255例接受HAART的人类免疫缺陷病毒（human immunodeficiency virus,HIV）感染者和AIDS患者的相关信息,用寿命表法分析其生存率,用Cox回归模型分析生存时间的影响因素。结果 共收集7 255例HIV/AIDS为研究对象,HAART后1、3、5年的累积生存率分别为97%、95%、93%,6～12年的累积生存率均为92%;其中HAART后艾滋病相关死亡269例,总病死率为1.99/100人年;Cox回归模型多因素分析显示,年龄30～59岁（HR=0.330,95%CI:0.203～0.538）、>59岁组（HR=0.569,95%CI:0.395～0.820）与<30岁组相比死亡风险低;文化程度初中（HR=0.503,95%CI:0.324～0.780）、高中及中专（HR=0.284,95%CI:0.200～0.405）、大专及以上组（HR=0.254,95%CI:0.169～0.381）与小学及以下组相比死亡风险低,感染途径为异性传播组与同性传播组相比死亡风险低（HR=0.540,95%CI:0.383～0.763）;基线CD4+T淋巴细胞计数≥200个/μl组与<50个/μl组相比死亡风险低（HR=0.316,95%CI:0.201～0.499）;BMI≥24.0 kg/m2组与<18.5 kg/m2组相比死亡风险低（HR=0.459,95%CI:0.344～0.611）。结论 辽宁省艾滋病抗病毒治疗效果稳定,5年生存率水平较高。疾病早期进行规范治疗是降低患者死亡风险、提高生存率的有效措施。     

Cocaine and cigarettes: a comparison of risks

Summary. In order to provide additional data and perspective to current clinical, policy, and legal debates surrounding the prenatal use of cocaine in the USA, a retrospective cohort study was conducted to examine effects of cocaine on selected perinatal outcomes, and to compare the relative risks of adverse perinatal outcomes among users of cocaine and users of cigarettes. Using data from a large urban perinatal registry, relative risks of selected perinatal outcomes were determined for maternal cocaine users who were non-smokers of cigarettes, and used no marijuana, heroin, amphetamines, or alcohol (n = 64), and for cigarette smokers who do not use illicit drugs or alcohol during pregnancy (n = 3209). When compared with women with no recorded prenatal exposure to drugs or cigarettes (n = 13043), cocaine users had higher risks than smokers for the following adverse outcomes: low birthweight [Relative Risk (RR) 5.3, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 3.0–9.3], small-for-ges-tational age (SGA) [RR4.2, 95% CI 2.4–7.3], prematurity [RR4.0, 95% CI 2.3–7.0], abruptio placentae [RR = 10.0,95% CI 3.5–29.0], placenta prae-via [RR = 2.4, 95% CI 0.3–17.8] and perinatal death [RR = 5.3, 95% CI 1.9–15.2]. Smokers who did not use any drugs experienced most of the same adverse perinatal outcomes as cocaine users, but the magnitude of risk was greater in cocaine users than in smokers for all outcomes. However, given the greater numbers of cigarette smokers than cocaine users in the population the numbers of infants in the population suffering these adverse outcomes is likely to be greater among offspring of cigarette smokers. The data support current concern about the risk of cocaine, and current efforts to provide treatment to pregnant cocaine users. The data also underline the continued substantial risks of cigarette smoking to large numbers of pregnant women.     

Marginal structural models application to estimate the effects of antiretroviral therapy in 5 cohorts of HIV seroconverters

OBJECTIVES: Standard methods to evaluate population effectiveness of treatments in observational studies have important limitations to appropriately adjust for time-dependent confounders. In this paper, we describe a recently developed methodological approach, marginal structural models (MSM), and use it to estimate the effectiveness of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on AIDS or death incidence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We analyzed all subjects followed after 1997 as part of the GEMES project (comprised by several cohorts of HIV seroconverters in Spain) and who had not used HAART before the start of follow-up. To estimate the effect of HAART on AIDS or death incidence, we estimated the parameters of a marginal structural Cox model by fitting an inverse probability weighted logistic regression model. The estimation of the weights was based on CD4 count, time since seroconversion, sex, age, transmission category and previous treatment. RESULTS: 917 eligible subjects were followed for an average of 3.4 years and we observed 139 events. 42.1% of the participants received HAART during the study. The estimated rate ratio was 1.01 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-1.49) using a Cox model without covariates and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.61-1.32) using a Cox model with time-dependent covariates. The causal rate ratio estimated for MSM was 0.74, (95% CI, 0.49-1.12). CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effect of HAART estimated by the MSM, but largely missed by conventional methods, is consistent with the findings of previous randomized studies. The MSM appropriately adjusted for the time-dependent covariate CD4 count, which is both a time-varying confounder and is affected by prior treatment.     

Effect of education on overall and cause-specific mortality in injecting drug users, according to HIV and introduction of HAART

BACKGROUND: We assessed the impact of education on long-term overall and cause-specific mortality among 6575 injecting drug users (IDUs) according to HIV status and introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). METHODS: Community-based cohort study of IDUs recruited in three AIDS prevention centres (1987-1996). Causes of death were ascertained in clinical centres and Mortality Registry and classified as AIDS, drug use related, injuries, or liver diseases. Poisson regression models including education and calendar period interaction and adjusted by sex, age, and HIV were used. RESULTS: In 73 901 person-years of follow-up, there were 1493 deaths (20.2/1000 person-years): 761 related to AIDS, 234 to drug use, 179 to injuries, and 93 to liver diseases. IDUs with university studies had a lower risk of death (RR 0.52; 95% CI 0.36-0.77) than those without studies: this difference was higher after (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.25-0.80) than before 1997 (RR 0.68; 95% CI 0.41-1.13). Compared to before 1997, while decreases in the risk of AIDS mortality were seen during 1997-2004 for both lower (RR 0.49; 95% CI 0.41-0.58) and higher (RR 0.33; 95% CI 0.23-0.48) educated, only those higher educated experienced a reduction in drug-use mortality (RR 0.54; 95% CI 0.28-1.05) and death from injuries (RR 0.52; 95% CI 0.23-1.21). CONCLUSIONS: Independently of HIV status, lower education predicts a higher risk of death in IDUs and its impact is stronger after 1997. Education has a protective effect on most causes of death and it cannot be entirely attributable to the access or use of HAART.     

Unmeasured confounding caused slightly better response to HAART within than outside a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcome of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in HIV-infected patients initiating equivalent regimens within and outside a randomized controlled trial (RCT). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The Danish Protease Inhibitor Study (DAPIS) was a national multicenter RCT comparing initial treatment with indinavir, ritonavir, or saquinavir/ritonavir during 96 weeks. From the Danish HIV Cohort Study we identified all patients initiating one of these protease-inhibitor-based HAART regimens: 425 patients within DAPIS and 677 outside the trial. We compared viral load, CD4 count response, and mortality. RESULTS: At weeks 96 and 240, trial participants were more likely than nonparticipants to have undetectable viral load (adjusted odds ratio [adOR] 1.28 [95% CI=0.94-1.74] and 1.70 [95% CI=1.16-2.50]) and a CD4 increase > or =100 cells/microl (adOR 1.37 [95% CI=1.03-1.82] and 1.53 [95% CI=1.04-2.25]). For antiretroviral-experienced, but not for antiretroviral-na?ve patients, trial participants had a lower risk of death (mortality rate ratio [MRR]=0.46 [95% CI=0.27-0.77]) than nonparticipants. This effect was moderated in adjusted analyses (MRR=0.60 [0.33-1.07]). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to nontrial patients, trial participants had better response to HAART. The differences were small defying the notion that results obtained in RCTs are unachievable in routine clinical practice.     

Joint effect of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption on mortality

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the joint effect of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption on mortality. METHODS: A population-based cohort of 66,743 Chinese men aged 30-89 in Shanghai, China recruited from 1996 to 2000. Lifestyle data were collected using structured questionnaires. As of November 2004, follow-up for the vital status of 64,515 men was completed and death information was further confirmed through record linkage with the Shanghai Vital Statistics Registry. Associations were evaluated by Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: 2514 deaths (982 from cancers, 776 from cardiovascular diseases (CVD)) were identified during 297,396 person-years of follow-up. Compared to never-smokers, both former and current smokers had significantly elevated mortality from any cause, CVD, and cancer; risk increased with amount of smoking. Intake of 1-7 drinks/week was associated with reduced risk of death, particularly CVD death (hazard ratio (HR): 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.5, 1.0), whereas intake of >42 drinks/week was related to increased mortality, particularly cancer-related death (HR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.5). The HR for total mortality associated with moderate alcohol consumption increased from 0.8 (95% CI: 0.6, 1.0) for non-smokers to 1.0 (0.9, 1.2) for moderate smokers and 1.4 (95% CI: 1.2, 1.7) for heavy smokers. Heavy drinkers and heavy smokers had the highest mortality (HR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.6, 2.4). CONCLUSIONS: Light and moderate alcohol consumption reduced mortality from CVD. This beneficial effect, however, was offset by cigarette smoking.     

Effect of tuberculosis on the survival of women infected with human immunodeficiency virus

Evidence regarding the effect of tuberculosis (TB) disease on progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease is inconclusive. The authors estimated the effect of time-varying incident TB on time to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related mortality using a joint marginal structural Cox model. Between 1995 and 2002, 1,412 HIV type 1 (HIV-1)-infected women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study were followed for a median of 6 years. Twenty-nine women incurred incident TB, and 222 died of AIDS-related causes. Accounting for age, CD4 cell count, HIV-1 RNA level, serum albumin level, and non-TB AIDS at study entry, as well as for time-varying CD4 cell count, CD4 cell count nadir, HIV-1 RNA level, peak HIV-1 RNA level, serum albumin level, HIV-related symptoms, non-TB AIDS, anti-Pneumocystis jiroveci prophylaxis, antiretroviral therapy, and household income, the hazard ratio for AIDS-related death comparing time after incident TB with time before incident TB was 4.0 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2, 14). The effect of incident TB on mortality was similar among highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-exposed women (hazard ratio = 4.3, 95% CI: 0.9, 22) and non-HAART-exposed women (hazard ratio = 3.9, 95% CI: 0.9, 17; interaction p = 0.91). Although results were imprecise because few women incurred TB, irrespective of HAART exposure, incident TB increases the hazard of AIDS-related death among HIV-infected women.     

Active and passive cigarette smoke and breast cancer survival

PURPOSE: The association between active and passive cigarette smoking before breast cancer diagnosis and survival was investigated among a cohort of invasive breast cancer cases (n = 1273) participating in a population-based case-control study. METHODS: Participants diagnosed with a first primary breast cancer between August 1, 1996, and July 31, 1997, were followed-up until December 31, 2002, for all-cause mortality (n = 188 deaths), including breast cancer-specific mortality (n = 111), as reported to the National Death Index. RESULTS: In Cox models, the adjusted hazards ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were slightly higher among current and former active smokers, compared with never smokers (HR, 1.23; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.83-1.84) and 1.19 (95% CI, 0.85-1.66), respectively). No association was found between active or passive smoking and breast cancer-specific mortality. All-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality was higher among active smokers who were postmenopausal (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.03-2.60 and HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 0.78-2.70, respectively) or obese at diagnosis (HR, 2.10; 95% CI, 1.03-4.27 and HR, 1.97; 95% CI, 0.89-4.36, respectively). Associations between smoking and all-cause and breast cancer-specific mortality did not differ by cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These data do not provide strong evidence for an association between smoking and all-cause or breast cancer-specific mortality, although smokers who are postmenopausal or obese at diagnosis may be at higher risk.     

Determinants of progression to AIDS or death after HIV diagnosis, United States, 1996 to 2001

PURPOSE: The aim of the study is to determine factors associated with disease progression after human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection diagnosis. METHODS: We applied generalized linear models with Poisson errors to obtain adjusted relative excess risk for death for persons diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or HIV infection (with or without concurrent AIDS) during 1996 to 2001. We examined differences in time between HIV diagnosis and AIDS by using standardized Kaplan-Meier survival methods. RESULTS: Relative excess risk for death within 3 years after AIDS diagnosis was significantly greater for non-Hispanic blacks (1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.18), American Indians (1.33; 95% CI, 1.16-1.52), and Hispanics (1.16; 95% CI, 1.13-1.20) compared with whites. Risk for death also was greater among injection drug users (men, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.46-1.54; women, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.51-1.62) compared with men who have sex with men and among those diagnosed at older ages compared with younger persons. Similar disparities between groups in risk for death were observed from HIV diagnosis. Risk for progression from HIV to AIDS was greater for nonwhites, men, and older persons compared with whites, women, and younger persons, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions should target those at excess risk for death or morbidity to ensure access to quality care and adherence to treatment to slow disease progression.     

柳州市2005-2020年新发HIV感染者疾病进展及其影响因素

目的 了解柳州市新发HIV感染者进展为AIDS的进程,探讨可能影响疾病进展的因素.方法 采用回顾性队列研究方法,从艾滋病综合防治信息系统查询柳州市2005年1月1日—2020年12月31日新报告且接受高效抗逆转录病毒治疗(highly active anti-retroviral therapy,HAART)的HIV感...     

人类免疫缺陷病毒感染孕产妇所产婴儿死亡的影响因素分析

目的 了解我国获得性免疫缺陷综合征(AIDS)高流行地区人类免疫缺陷病毒(HIV)感染孕产妇所产婴儿死亡的影响因素.方法 结合2004年建立的HIV感染孕产妇及所产婴儿随访研究队列,于2008年8-11月对我国4省7县区2004年1月至2007年11月HIV感染孕产妇所产婴儿的死亡状况及其影响因素进行调查.实际收集了498对HIV感染孕产妇及所产婴儿的相关信息.采用单因素和多因素Cox比例风险模型对HIV感染孕产妇所产婴儿死亡的影响因素进行分析.结果 498名婴儿,总观察人年数为406.22人年,死亡45例,死亡密度为110.78/1000人年.单因素分析结果显示,母亲孕产期处于AIDS前期或发病期(RR=1.971,95%CI值:1.143～3.396)、孕产妇生存状况(RR=3.062,95%CI值:1.097～8.550)、经产妇(RR=0.517,95%CI值:0.278～0.961)、自然分娩(RR=0.561,95%CI值:0.345～0.910)、早产(RR=5.302,95%CI值:2.944～9.547)、低出生体重(RR=4.920,95%CI值:2.691～8.994)、母子预防性服用抗逆转录病毒药物(RR=0.227,95%CI值:0.121～0.428)及婴儿感染HIV(RR=5.870,95%CI值:3.232～10.660)等因素影响HIV感染孕产妇所产婴儿的死亡.进一步的多因素分析显示,处于AIDS前期或发病期的孕产妇较处于AIDS潜伏期者所产婴儿死亡危险增加(RR=6.99,95%CI值:1.92～25.64);孕产期CD4~+T淋巴细胞计数低于200个/μl的孕产妇,所产婴儿发生死亡的危险增加(RR=2.05,95%CI值:1.01～4.15);母子未预防性服用抗逆转录病毒药物增加婴儿死亡的危险(RR=6.17,95%CI值:1.62～23.26);早产婴儿死亡危险是足月产婴儿的2.87倍(95%CI值:1.12～7.35);HIV感染婴儿死亡危险是非HIV感染婴儿的9.87倍(95%CI值:3.81～25.62).结论 提高HIV感染孕产妇自身免疫力,降低HIV母婴传播率及HIV感染孕产妇所产婴儿早产、低出生体重的发生率有助于降低婴儿死亡率.     

Gender differences in progression to AIDS and death from HIV seroconversion in a cohort of injecting drug users from 1986 to 2001

BACKGROUND: Although the consensus is that gender does not influence HIV progression, its relevance may depend on the setting. AIM: To study gender differences in HIV progression to AIDS and death from 1986 to 2001 in a cohort of injecting drug user (IDU) seroconverters in Spain. METHODS: Risk of AIDS and death in persons infected for the same length of time were compared through Kaplan-Meier, allowing for late entry, and Cox regression adjusting for gender, age, and calendar period (before 1992, 1992-1995, 1996-1998, 1999-2001) fitted as time dependent covariates. RESULTS: Of 929 IDU, 24.7% were women. Median seroconversion year was 1993.3 for men and women. 44% of women and 34% of men received antiretroviral therapy. Risk of AIDS was lower in women in univariate (hazard ratio (HR) 0.72; 95%CI:0.51 to 1.01) and multivariate analyses (HR 0.73 95%CI:0.52 to 1.03). A 46% reduction in risk of AIDS for period 1999-2001 compared with 1992-1995 was seen in both men and women (HR: 0.56 (95%CI:0.36 to 0.87). As for mortality, women's risk of death was lower univariately (HR 0.67 95%CI:0.45 to 0.99) although compared with 1992-95, men experienced a 34% reduction in mortality during 1999-2001 (HR 0.66 95%CI:0.40 to 1.01), which was not statistically significant in women. CONCLUSIONS: HIV progression was lower in female IDU before and after 1997 and their uptake of antiretroviral therapy was higher than male IDU. The inability to detect a reduction in mortality for women during 1999-2001 is probably attributable to lack of power. Differences in severity of addiction, drug using patterns, and competing causes of death may explain these findings.     

Smoking cessation and lung cancer mortality in a cohort of middle-aged Canadian women

PURPOSE: To determine the impact of smoking cessation on lung cancer mortality among women. METHODS: Survival analysis is used to assess the effect of smoking cessation on lung cancer death in the dietary cohort of 49,165 women aged 40 to 59 years enrolled in the Canadian National Breast Screening Study. RESULTS: During an average of 10.3 years of follow-up, 106 women died of lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer mortality among women who quit before age 50 (HR=0.26; 95% CI, 0.13-0.55 among women who quit at ages 40-49) or quit in the previous 10 years (HR=0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.69) is substantially lower than the risk among current smokers. Women who quit after age 40 or have quit for less than 20 years are at substantially higher risk of lung cancer mortality compared with never smokers. Both duration of smoking cessation and age at quitting have independent effects on lung cancer mortality, after controlling for number of cigarettes smoked per day and number of years smoked, as well as other potential confounding variables. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that programs and policies to promote early cessation of smoking and prevention of relapse should be a public health priority.     

Body mass index and waist circumference in relation to lung cancer risk in the Women's Health Initiative

Investigators in several epidemiologic studies have observed an inverse association between body mass index (BMI) and lung cancer risk, while others have not. The authors used data from the Women's Health Initiative to study the association of anthropometric factors with lung cancer risk. Over 8 years of follow-up (1998-2006), 1,365 incident lung cancer cases were ascertained among 161,809 women. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios adjusted for covariates. Baseline BMI was inversely associated with lung cancer in current smokers (highest quintile vs. lowest: hazard ratio (HR) = 0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42, 0.92). When BMI and waist circumference were mutually adjusted, BMI was inversely associated with lung cancer risk in both current smokers and former smokers (HR = 0.40 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.72) and HR = 0.61 (95% CI: 0.40, 0.94), respectively), and waist circumference was positively associated with risk (HR = 1.56 (95% CI: 0.91, 2.69) and HR = 1.50 (95% CI: 0.98, 2.31), respectively). In never smokers, height showed a borderline positive association with lung cancer. These findings suggest that in smokers, BMI is inversely associated with lung cancer risk and that waist circumference is positively associated with risk.     

我国530例既往不安全有偿供血感染艾滋病病毒者生存分析

目的 探讨既往不安全有偿供血感染艾滋病病毒(HIV)者生存时间及其影响因素.方法 采用回顾性队列研究方法,从山西、山东、湖北、吉林4个省以典型抽样方式选取8个县(区),选择所有2006年1月24日前发现并确认既往不安全有偿采血(浆)者中HIV感染者和艾滋病(AIDS)患者病例,收集其感染、发病、死亡等信息及影响因素.结果 530例病例中,HIV感染者196例(37.0%);AIDS患者334例(63.0%),其中168例(50.3%)抗病毒治疗;152例(29.0%)死亡.在530例患者从感染到观察终点平均观察(10.1±1.8)年中.166例未治疗AIDS患者平均生存时间9.1年(95%CI:9.1～9.4),8年生存率52.0%;而168例已治疗AIDS患者平均生存时间12.1年(95%CI:11.9～12.3),12年生存率80.0%;在抗病毒治疗3年中,治疗者平均生存时间比未治疗者延长而死亡风险降低12.2倍.AIDS患者平均生存时间在性别、年龄、地区、是否高效抗逆转录病毒治疗(HAART)、治疗前基线CD4+ T淋巴细胞水平上存在差异,多因素COX回归分析表明抗病毒治疗是AIDS患者生存首要保护因素(HR=13.3,P=0.00),治疗前基线CD4+T淋巴细胞＜50个/μl的AIDS患者治疗中死亡风险高(HR=10.9,P=0.00).结论 AIDS患者生存时间受到诸多因素影响,但是HAART干预是延长AIDS患者生存时间和降低AIDS患者死亡风险的首要保护措施.     

Trends in predictors of death due to HIV-related causes among persons living with AIDS in New York City: 1993–2001

To examine trends in predictors of HIV-related mortality among cohorts of persons living with AIDS (PLWA) in New York City (NYC), nine calendar year-specific cohorts of PLWA were created from 1993 to 2001. Cohorts were defined as persons who had been alive at any time during that year and had been diagnosed with AIDS before the end of that year. Predictors of death because of HIV-related causes of death were assessed by examinnng year-specific, stratified death rates per 1,000 PLWA and adjusted relative risks (RRs) from proportional hazards models. We conducted an analysis of AIDS surveillance data PLWA in NYC between 1993 and 2001. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were constructed for each calendar year cohort to evaluate trends in the RR of HIV-related death over the subsequent 5 years, adjusting for sex, reace/ethnicity, age, transmission risk borough of residence, category of AIDS diagnosis [opportunistic illness (OI) or CD4 count <200 cells/μL], time since AIDS diagnosis, and CD4 count at time of AIDS diagnosis. Death rates due to all causes and HIV-related causes declined substantially during 1993–1997 and then stabilized in all subgroups of PLWA between 1998 and 2001. Beginning in 1995, differences in survival emerged in some subgroups, such that by 2001 (1) injecting drug users (IDUs) had poorer survival compared with men who have sex with men (MSM) [RR₂₀₀₁=2.1, 95% confidence intervals (95% CI)=1.8–2.4]; (2) black and Hispanic PLWA had a significantly higher risk of death than white PLWA (RR₂₀₀₁=1.4, 95% CI=1.2–1.6, RR₂₀₀₁=1.2, 95% CI=1.1–1.4, respectively, and (3) PLWA aged 60 and above had poorer survival compared with younger persons (RR₂₀₀₁=2.4, 95% CI=1.9–3.0), after adjustment for other factors. The observed disparities that began to emerge in 1995 may be attributable to differential effects of, access to, or usage of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). More targeted studies are needed to determine why such disparities have emerged.     

安徽省接受抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS死亡的影响因素

  目的  了解安徽省接受抗病毒治疗HIV感染者和AIDS病人(简称HIV/AIDS)死亡的影响因素。  方法  采用1∶2匹配病例对照研究方法,回顾性收集2010―2019年安徽省接受抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS的相关信息,采用条件logistic回归分析模型分析HIV/AIDS死亡的影响因素。  结果  共调查4 347例HIV/AIDS,其中死亡组1 449例,对照组2 898例。多因素条件logistic回归分析模型分析显示,影响抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS死亡的危险因素中,发生耐药、最近一次病毒载量≥1 000 copies/mL且未检测耐药、最近一次病毒载量无结果且未检测耐药分别是不耐药的1.75倍(95% CI: 1.22~2.52, P=0.003)、2.26倍(95% CI: 1.69~3.03, P＜0.001)、35.27倍(95% CI: 26.54~46.87, P＜0.001);30~50岁和≥50岁分别是18~30岁的1.40倍(95% CI: 1.01~1.94, P=0.042)和4.02倍(95% CI: 2.80~5.77, P＜0.001);男性是女性的1.37倍(95% CI: 1.08~1.74, P=0.011);注射吸毒传播途径是异性传播途径的6.27倍(95% CI: 2.00~19.61, P=0.002);治疗前WHO临床分期为Ⅲ期/Ⅳ期是Ⅰ期/Ⅱ期的1.41倍(95% CI: 1.12~1.76, P=0.007);治疗前CD4+T淋巴细胞计数＜200个/μL是≥350个/μL的1.95倍(95% CI: 1.50~2.54, P＜0.001)。  结论  耐药、耐药检测、年龄、性别、传播途径、治疗前WHO临床分期、治疗前CD4+T淋巴细胞计数是安徽省接受抗病毒治疗HIV/AIDS发生死亡的影响因素。加强HIV/AIDS的耐药监测对减少艾滋病死亡具有重要意义,应对接受抗病毒治疗的HIV/AIDS及时进行病毒载量和耐药检测。     

Impacts of HIV infection and HAART use on quality of life

Background: Studies have shown the detrimental effect of HIV disease on quality of life (QOL). Changes in QOL related to the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) have been inconsistent and it is unknown how QOL after HAART compares to pre-infection levels. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the impacts of becoming HIV infected and using HAART on QOL within individuals followed in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). Methods: Using the standard Medical Outcome Study SF-36 form, QOL data were collected pre-seroconversion, post-seroconversion but before HAART initiation, and after HAART initiation for 68 seroconverters. The QOL physical health summary score (PHS) and mental health summary score (MHS) were used as outcomes. The effects of HIV infection and HAART use on QOL summary scores were determined using random effects mixed linear models after controlling for possible confounders. The clinical significance of QOL change was assessed using the Cohen’s effect size method. Results: Compared to pre-seroconversion values, the PHS decreased after seroconversion (mean difference (diff) = −1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI): [−3.20, −0.03]) and after HAART initiation (diff = −4.20; 95% CI: [−5.86, −2.54]) with small to medium effect sizes. The score remained significantly lower than prior to HIV infection (diff = −6.16; 95% CI: [−8.09, −4.23]) after being on HAART for more than 4 years. The MHS did not significantly differ upon seroconversion (diff = −1.16; 95% CI: [−3.32, 1.00]). After using HAART for more than 4 years, the MHS was significantly greater than prior to HIV infection (diff = 2.93; 95% CI: [0.31, 5.55]) with a small effect size. Conclusion: The QOL of participants has been dynamic over the HIV disease course. HIV infection deteriorated physical but not mental QOL. In this group, although the PHS following HAART has remained lower than that prior to infection, HAART has enhanced mental health functioning.     

Tobacco Use: A Chronic Illness?

Tobacco use is a modifiable risk factor that has many characteristics of a chronic illness. We analyzed longitudinal data from participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) and the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) and compared tobacco use to other chronic illnesses to evaluate effects on mortality. We limited our analysis to 20,293 participants aged 45 and older at baseline. We determined smoking status, diabetes status, hypertension, cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and lung disease status at baseline. We developed Cox proportional hazard models, adjusting for age, sex and race and all comorbid diseases, to determine the effect of disease on mortality at up to 13 years of follow-up, 3,022 study participants died during the follow-up period. Adjusted proportional hazard models found that the risk of smoking for death had a hazard ratio (HR) of 2.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8, 2.2). This was similar to the mortality risk for ASCVD (HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.7, 2.0), diabetes (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.7, 2.0), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (HR 2.1, 95% CI 1.9, 2.4). The risk in former smokers were significantly less than that of current smokers (HR 1.1, 95% CI 1.01, 1.2). In the adjusted models, current cigarette smoking has a mortality risk that is in the same range of that seen in other “chronic diseases”, whereas the risk in former smokers is greatly reduced. These data suggest that current smoking should be approached as aggressively as other chronic diseases that are amenable to interventions.