title: Mortality and loss to follow-up among HAART initiators in rural South Africa.
abstract: A retrospective cohort study of mortality rates and potential predictors of death was conducted in public-sector patients initiating highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) between October 2005 and September 2007 in a rural, under-resourced region of South Africa. The aims were to determine the relative contribution of death to cohort exit and the causes and predictors of mortality among HAART initiators. A community outreach programme traced non-attenders. Patients categorised as dying at home underwent a verbal autopsy (by interviewing family members) and case-file review, and those dying in hospital a case-file review, to determine the probable cause of death. At 24 months 1131 (83.6%) patients were retained on treatment in the programme, 124 (9.2%) had died, 63 (4.7%) had transferred out, and 35 (2.6%) were lost to follow-up. The most common causes of death were tuberculosis (44.3%) and diarrhoeal diseases (24.5%). Death was the major reason for cohort exit. As experience is gained with rural HAART programmes mortality rates may decrease. These results draw attention to the need for early HIV diagnosis, increased access to HAART services with earlier treatment initiation, and routine screening and aggressive management of opportunistic infections, particularly tuberculosis.
authors.affiliation: University of Witwatersrand, Acornhoek, Limpopo, South Africa. petermacpherson@mac.com
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: MacPherson
authors.forename: Mosa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moshabela
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Martinson
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pronyk
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active / Q000401:mortality*; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002423:Cause of Death; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*; D015497:HIV-1; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012423:Rural Health; D013019:South Africa; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult