title: Stable partnership and progression to AIDS or death in HIV infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy: Swiss HIV cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the association between a stable partnership and clinical outcome in HIV infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cohort study of adults with HIV (Swiss HIV cohort study).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven outpatient clinics throughout Switzerland.
  
  
  METHODS
  The 3736 patients in the cohort who started HAART before 2002 (median age 36 years, 29% female, median follow up 3.6 years).
  
  
  METHODS
  Time to AIDS or death (primary endpoint), death alone, increases in CD4 cell count of at least 50 and 100 above baseline, optimal viral suppression (a viral load below 400 copies/ml), and viral rebound.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During follow up 2985 (80%) participants reported a stable partnership on at least one occasion. When starting HAART, 52% (545/1042) of participants reported a stable partnership; after five years of follow up 46% (190/412) of participants reported a stable partnership. In an analysis stratified by previous antiretroviral therapy and clinical stage when starting HAART (US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention group A, B, or C), the adjusted hazard ratio for progression to AIDS or death was 0.79 (95% confidence interval 0.63 to 0.98) for participants with a stable partnership compared with those without. Adjusted hazards ratios for other endpoints were 0.59 (0.44 to 0.79) for progression to death, 1.15 (1.06 to 1.24) for an increase in CD4 cells of 100 counts/microl or more, and 1.06 (0.98 to 1.14) for optimal viral suppression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A stable partnership is associated with a slower rate of progression to AIDS or death in HIV infected patients receiving HAART.
authors.affiliation: Basel Institute for Clinical Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Hebelstrasse 10, Basle, CH-4031, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: Sabina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Geest
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Spirig
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Flepp
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rickenbach
authors.forename: Hansjakob
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furrer
authors.forename: Enos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernasconi
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirschel
authors.forename: Amalio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Telenti
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vernazza
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battegay
authors.forename: Heiner C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Bucher
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000401:mortality*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012747:Sexual Partners; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology