[An analysis of antiretroviral therapy outcomes in the Medecins Sans Frontieres/Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention HIV/AIDS project].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the 3-year outcomes of the Medecins Sans Frontieres/Guangxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention comprehensive and free of charge HIV/AIDS treatment and care project.


METHODS
We present a detailed retrospective analysis of treatment outcomes of 432 cases who received highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) from December 2003 to December 2006.


RESULTS
Among the adult patients who received HAART, the mortality rate was 6.5% and only 12 (2.8%) patients were lost to follow up. The mean CD4+ T cell count increase was 147 cells/microl and 246 cells/microl for patients receiving HAART for 9-15 and 21-27 months respectively. An adherence assessment conducted during March to December 2006 indicated that 95.9% of the study cases reached an adherence of 95% or more of the prescribed medications. Among the 30 children patients who received HAART, 4 (13.3%) cases died and the mean CD4+ T cell increase after 9-15 and 21-27 months of HAART was 673 cells/microl and 658 cells/microl respectively. 148 of the adult patients starting HAART were current or ex-intravenous drug users (IDU) and showed global death rate and lost to follow-up rate comparable to those of non-IDU patients (Log rank test, P = 0.91).


CONCLUSIONS
Good mid-term therapeutic outcomes with combination antiretroviral therapy have been achieved in this project. Total free of charge care and treatment and intensive patient support/ counseling are crucial to program success.
Yang
Yu-Ning
YN
Medecins Sans Frontieres French Section, China Projects Coordination Office, Beijing 100600, China.
Durier
Nicolas
N
Tang
Zhi-Rong
ZR
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors