title: [Studies on the determinants and changes related to the natural CD4(+) T cell counts among antiretroviral treatment-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the determinants and changes of CD4(+) T cell counts among antiretroviral treatment-naive HIV/AIDS patients in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted on HIV-infected local residents, being reported during 1989 through May 2010, in Dehong prefecture. The patients had received at least two CD4(+) T cell counting tests before receiving the antiretroviral treatment (ART). Difference between the first and the last CD4(+) T cell counts was calculated and described. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the determinants of significant depletion of CD4(+) T cell counts among them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 4487 HIV/AIDS patients were included in the study. The change of CD4(+) T cell counts between the first and the last CD4(+) T cell count tests had a median of -2.0 cells/µl in month (IQR: -8.2 - 3.6) and was significantly associated with socio-demographic characteristics, HIV transmission mode, the first or baseline CD4(+) T cell counts and the time interval between the first and the last CD4(+) T cell counting tests etc. About 60.0% (2693/4487) of the HIV/AIDS patients had deletions of CD4(+) T cell counts, and 31.2% (1400/4487) had significant (≥ 30%) deletions of CD4(+) T cell counts. Results from the multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that age, ethnicity, marital status, HIV transmission mode, the first CD4(+) T cell counts and the interval between the first and the last CD4(+) T cell counting tests were significantly associated with the significant depletion of CD4(+) T cell counts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changing rate of CD4(+) T cell count among ART-naive local HIV-infected patients in Dehong prefecture, Yunnan province was relatively slow. However, substantial proportion of them showed significant decreases of CD4(+) T cell counts, which was determined by many factors. More efforts were needed to systematically and consistently follow-up those HIV-infected patients and measure their CD4(+) T cell counts in China, in order to instantaneously monitor the disease progression, and the initiation of ART, if necessary.
authors.affiliation: Dehong Prefecture Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Yunnan 678400, China.
authors.forename: Run-hua
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Li-fen
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Yue-cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Zhong-jie
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wen-xiang
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Dong-dong
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Jian-hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wei-mei
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ji-bao
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yu-rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Shi-Jiang
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Na
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents