title: Impact of injecting drug use on response to highly active antiretroviral treatment in HIV-1-infected patients: a nationwide population-based cohort study.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients infected through injecting drug use (injecting drug users, IDUs) compared to patients infected via other routes (non-IDUs). We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study of all HIV-infected patients who initiated HAART during the study period of 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2007. We compared changes in CD4(+) cell counts, percentage of full viral suppression (< 500 copies/ml) and mortality from start of HAART, as well as differences in initial HAART regimen. Three thousand six hundred and fifteen patients were included in the study, representing 22,804 person-y of observation. A total of 346 (9.6%) were categorized as IDUs. Of IDUs, 55% gained full viral control within the first y after HAART compared to 76% of non-IDUs (p = 0.0002). Absolute CD4(+) cell count and survival were lower for IDUs compared to non-IDUs (adjusted mortality rate ratio 3.6 (95% CI 2.9-4.3)). IDUs were more likely to receive a first regimen based on protease inhibitors (PIs) compared to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-based regimens for non-IDUs, and IDUs initiated HAART later than non-IDUs. In conclusion, more than half of the HIV-infected patients in Denmark infected through injecting drug use gained full viral suppression after initiating HAART. Absolute CD4(+) cell count was lower and mortality higher among IDUs than non-IDUs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Copenhagen University Hospital, Hvidovre, Denmark. mvlarsen@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Mette Vang
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Lars Haukali
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Omland
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gerstoft
authors.forename: Birgit T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Røge
authors.forename: Carsten Schade
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Gitte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Obel
authors.forename: Gitte
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kronborg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous / Q000150:complications*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents