[Survival changes among AIDS cases in Catalonia, Spain (1981-2001)].
OBJECTIVE
Our goal was to assess survival changes among AIDS patients in Catalonia.


METHODS
We analyzed AIDS cases older than 13 years notified in the Catalonian AIDS Registry from January 1981 to December 2001. Sex, age, transmission category, AIDS-defining disease and diagnostic period were included. The survival cumulative risk was computed for each diagnostic period with Kaplan-Meier methods.


RESULTS
During the study period 13,485 AIDS cases were reported. Median survival time was 0.9 years for 1981-1987, 1.7 for 1988-1993 and 2.4 years for 1994-August 1996. The survival time of 75% of patients diagnosed in September 1996-1997 and 1998-2001 was 1.57 and 2.02 years, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed a higher risk among intravenous drug users (hazard ratio = 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-1.33) than in homo/bisexual men. When we compared heterosexual and homo/bisexual groups, we found that the result was not significant (hazard ratio = 0.99; 95% confidence interval, 0.92-1.08). The analysis stratified by AIDS-defining disease showed a decrease in the risk of death in most illnesses.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results confirm the increase in survival in AIDS cases related to highly active antirretroviral therapy (HAART).
Rius
Cristina
C
Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
Binefa
Gemma
G
Montoliu
Alexandra
A
Esteve
Anna
A
Ribas
Glòria
G
Gispert
Rosa
R
Casabona
Jordi
J
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016019:Survival Analysis