title: Abandonment of antiretroviral therapy among HIV-positive patients attended at the reference center for HIV/AIDS in Vitória, Brazil.
abstract: This study evaluates the risk factors for the abandonment of antiretroviral therapy (ART) among patients receiving care in an AIDS clinic in Vitória, Brazil. We conducted a case-control study of patients with AIDS attending a reference center for sexually transmitted disease (STD)/AIDS. A total of 62 patients, who abandoned therapy in 2008, and 188 HIV-infected patients answered an interview including demographic, social, and clinical characteristics. Risk factors associated with abandon in univariate analysis were entered into logistic regression models. A total of 250 patients were included in the study. Groups were similar regarding age, gender, and monthly income. In the final multivariate model, illicit drug use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-5.07), previous abandon of medication (AOR 38.6; 95% CI 10.49-142.25), last CD4 count <200 cells/mm(3) (AOR 1.5; 95% CI 1.03-2.10), and viral load higher than 1000 copies/mL (AOR 2.0 (95% CI 1.34-3.09) were independent predictors of abandonment of ART. In addition to the clinical indicators, behavioral factors remained important throughout the multivariate analysis in our study.
authors.affiliation: 1Centro de Referencia em DST/AIDS, Secretaria de Saúde de Vitória, Vitória, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana Marchon
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Morelato
authors.forename: Emmanuele de Angeli
authors.initials: Ede A
authors.lastname: Endringer
authors.forename: Germano de Freitas
authors.initials: Gde F
authors.lastname: Dan
authors.forename: Evanira Mendes
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Angelica Espinosa
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Miranda
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001938:Brazil; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D016312:Treatment Refusal; D019562:Viral Load; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D013287:Illicit Drugs