title: [Mortality and HIV infection in a group of intravenous heroin addicts from 1985 to 1989].
abstract: One hundred and eighty-seven heroin addicts resident in Valle Seriana Superiore were monitored from July 1985 to July 1989. This sample was representative of a total population of drug addicts estimated at some 350 subjects, 90 of whom (48.1%) were HIV-positive in Elisa assays and Western blot control tests. Six patients (3.2%) died; 3 of whom (3%) were HIV-positive and 3 (3.3%) were HIVab-negative. The most frequent cause of death (59%) was heroin overdose, which occurred in both HIV-positive and negative subjects, showing that the fear of contracting the disease or its possible evolution is not a deterrent in modifying risk behaviour. During the four years of the study, 5 (5.5%) of the HIV-positive patients developed confirmed AIDS. Only one patient died from AIDS, thus confirming the current risk of death as being 1.1% in seropositive patients. An increase in mortality due to AIDS is expected in the future, in line with the current prevalent mortality rate due to heroin overdose.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Malattie Infettive OO.RR., USSL n. 25, Clusone, Bergamo.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delvecchio
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Brancato
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality*
vernacular_title: Mortalità ed infezione da HIV in un gruppo di tossicodipendenti da eroina per via venosa nel periodo 1985-89.