title: Risk factors for follow-up interruption of HIV patients in French Guiana.
abstract: French Guiana is the region of France where the HIV epidemic is most prevalent. To determine the risk factors for being lost for follow-up, we followed a cohort of 1,213 patients between 1992 and 2002 and determined which variables were related to two definitions of being lost to follow-up: permanently disappearing from HIV clinics and coming back after more than 1 year of missed appointments. The incidence rate for permanent follow-up interruption was 17.2 per 100 person-years. The median time to lost to follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range = 1.4-8.4 years). Cox modeling showed that the younger age groups, foreigners, patients with initial CD4 counts at the time of HIV diagnosis less than 500/mm3, and patients followed before the availability of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were significantly more likely to be permanently lost to follow-up, suggesting that some of the patients may have died. When looking at temporary loss to follow-up, younger age groups, untreated patients, patients consulting before the availability of HAART, and patients with CD4 counts more than 500/mm3 were more likely to not come back for a period of more than 1 year.
authors: Centre d'Information et de Soins de l'Immunodéficience Humaine de Guyane, Centre Hospitalier Andrée Rosemon, Cayenne, French Guiana. m_nacher@lycos.com
authors: Mathieu
authors: M
authors: Nacher
authors: Myriam
authors: M
authors: El Guedj
authors: Tania
authors: T
authors: Vaz
authors: Valéry
authors: V
authors: Nasser
authors: Andry
authors: A
authors: Randrianjohany
authors: Fernand
authors: F
authors: Alvarez
authors: Milko
authors: M
authors: Sobesky
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Magnien
authors: Pierre
authors: P
authors: Couppié