TY - JOUR
T1 - Early loss of HIV-infected patients on potent antiretroviral therapy programmes in lower-income countries
AU - Brinkhof, Martin W.G.
AU - Dabis, François
AU - Myer, Landon
AU - Bangsberg, David R.
AU - Boulle, Andrew
AU - Nash, Denis
AU - Schechter, Mauro
AU - Laurent, Christian
AU - Keiser, Olivia
AU - May, Margaret
AU - Sprinz, Eduardo
AU - Egger, Matthias
AU - Anglaret, Xavier
PY - 2008/7
Y1 - 2008/7
N2 - Objective: To analyse the early loss of patients to antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in resource-limited settings. Methods: Using data on 5491 adult patients starting ART (median age 35 years, 46% female) in 15 treatment programmes in Africa, Asia and South America with ≥ 12 months of follow-up, we investigated risk factors for no follow-up after treatment initiation, and loss to follow-up or death in the first 6 months. Findings: Overall, 211 patients (3.8%) had no follow-up, 880 (16.0%) were lost to follow-up and 141 (2.6%) were known to have died in the first 6 months. The probability of no follow-up was higher in 2003-2004 than in 2000 or earlier (odds ratio, OR: 5.06; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.28-20.0), as was loss to follow-up (hazard ratio, HR: 7.62; 95% CI: 4.55-12.8) but not recorded death (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.44-2.36). Compared with a baseline CD4-cell count ≥ 50 cells/μl, a count < 25 cells/μl was associated with a higher probability of no follow-up (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.43-4.33), loss to follow-up (HR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.23-1.77) and death (HR: 3.34; 95% CI: 2.10-5.30). Compared to free treatment, fee-for-service programmes were associated with a higher probability of no follow-up (OR: 3.71; 95% CI: 0.97-16.05) and higher mortality (HR: 4.64; 95% CI: 1.11-19.41). Conclusion: Early patient losses were increasingly common when programmes were scaled up and were associated with a fee for service and advanced immunodeficiency at baseline. Measures to maximize ART programme retention are required in resource-poor countries.
AB - Objective: To analyse the early loss of patients to antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in resource-limited settings. Methods: Using data on 5491 adult patients starting ART (median age 35 years, 46% female) in 15 treatment programmes in Africa, Asia and South America with ≥ 12 months of follow-up, we investigated risk factors for no follow-up after treatment initiation, and loss to follow-up or death in the first 6 months. Findings: Overall, 211 patients (3.8%) had no follow-up, 880 (16.0%) were lost to follow-up and 141 (2.6%) were known to have died in the first 6 months. The probability of no follow-up was higher in 2003-2004 than in 2000 or earlier (odds ratio, OR: 5.06; 95% confidence interval, CI: 1.28-20.0), as was loss to follow-up (hazard ratio, HR: 7.62; 95% CI: 4.55-12.8) but not recorded death (HR: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.44-2.36). Compared with a baseline CD4-cell count ≥ 50 cells/μl, a count < 25 cells/μl was associated with a higher probability of no follow-up (OR: 2.49; 95% CI: 1.43-4.33), loss to follow-up (HR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.23-1.77) and death (HR: 3.34; 95% CI: 2.10-5.30). Compared to free treatment, fee-for-service programmes were associated with a higher probability of no follow-up (OR: 3.71; 95% CI: 0.97-16.05) and higher mortality (HR: 4.64; 95% CI: 1.11-19.41). Conclusion: Early patient losses were increasingly common when programmes were scaled up and were associated with a fee for service and advanced immunodeficiency at baseline. Measures to maximize ART programme retention are required in resource-poor countries.
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U2 - 10.2471/BLT.07.044248
DO - 10.2471/BLT.07.044248
M3 - Article
C2 - 18670668
AN - SCOPUS:46449097695
SN - 0042-9686
VL - 86
SP - 559
EP - 567
JO - Bulletin of the World Health Organization
JF - Bulletin of the World Health Organization
IS - 7
ER -