[Retrospective epidemiological study on the durability of the treatment of HIV infection or AIDS in Spain].
OBJECTIVE
To know the durability of consecutive regimens of antiretroviral treatment is important to design a long-term therapy, but there is not much information about this subject.


METHODS
Retrospective epidemiological study of a sample of 401 patients who began antiretroviral treatment between January 1997 and April 2000 at ten Spanish hospitals. The duration of each consecutive antiretroviral regimen was calculated and the reasons for modification and discontinuation were described.


RESULTS
In the 3 years and 3 months covered by the study, 48.6% of the patients received more than one regimen of therapy. Seventy five of the initial prescribed combinations included protease inhibitors. Median duration of consecutive lines of therapy was decreasing: 560, 360, 330 and 202 days for the first, second, third and fourth regimens, respectively. The main reason to modification was intolerance or toxicity (46.2, 49.1 and 47.1% for the first, second and third modification). A fifth of changes was originated by difficulties to follow the therapy. Virological failure was the reason for modification in 21.8, 24.5 and 26.5% of first, second and third changes.


CONCLUSIONS
Duration of consecutive antiretroviral regimens progressively decreases. Intolerance or drug toxicity were the main reasons conditioning the change of treatment.
Arribas López
José Ramón
JR
Hospital la Paz. Madrid. España.
Sanz Baena
Susana
S
Hernández Albujar
Susana
S
Lorenzo Hernández
Alicia
A
Montes Ramiréz
M Luisa
ML
Palacios Muñoz
Rosario
R
Márquez Solero
Manuel
M
Santos González
Jesús
J
Ocampo Hermida
Antonio
A
Miralles Alvarez
Celia
C
López Aldeguer
José
J
Salavert Lletí
Miguel
M
Tordera Higón
Pablo
P
Santamaría Jáuregui
Juan Miguel
JM
Teira Cobo
Ramón M
RM
Moreno Guillén
Santiago
S
Moreno Zamora
Ana
A
Gatell Artigas
José M
JM
Mallotas Masferrer
José
J
Callau Cabrera
Pilar
P
Gonzáles de Suso
Miguel Torralba
MT
Costa Cerdá
Asunción
A
Cepeda Gonzáles
Concepción
C
Pulido Ortega
Federico
F
Condes Moreno
Emilia
E
Barros Aguado
Carlos
C
del Llano Señarís
Juan
J
Coduras
Alicia
A
Olivia
Juan
J
Burgos Ramírez
Angel
A
González-Lahoz
Juan
J
Díaz
Beatriz
B
D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents