Late HAART Initiation in Latin America and the Caribbean
Author Information
Author(s): Brenda Crabtree-Ramírez, Yanink Caro-Vega, Bryan E. Shepherd, Firas Wehbe, Carina Cesar, Claudia Cortés, Denis Padgett, Serena Koenig, Eduardo Gotuzzo, Pedro Cahn, Catherine McGowan, Daniel Masys, Juan Sierra-Madero
Primary Institution: Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición, Salvador Zubiran, Mexico City, Mexico
Hypothesis
What are the frequency, risk factors, and trends for late HAART initiation in Latin America and the Caribbean?
Conclusion
Late HAART initiation was highly prevalent in the studied sites, primarily due to late testing, with male sex and older age being significant risk factors.
Supporting Evidence
- 76% of patients starting HAART were late HAART initiators.
- Older patients were more likely to be late HAART initiators in some sites.
- Higher education was associated with a decreased risk for late HAART initiation.
Takeaway
Many people in Latin America and the Caribbean start HIV treatment too late, which can make it harder for them to get better. It's important to find and treat people earlier.
Methodology
Cross-sectional analysis of 9817 HIV-infected treatment-naïve patients initiating HAART at 6 sites from October 1999 to July 2010.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to exclusion of patients without complete data.
Limitations
Missing CD4 cell counts at HAART initiation from some sites may bias results.
Participant Demographics
Median age at HAART initiation was 36 years; 40% were female.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p≤0.02
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 52–59
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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