title: [Impact of antiretroviral therapy under different treatment regimens].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Compare the characteristics of AIDS patients and treatment outcomes under three different antiretroviral treatment regimens advocated by the Ministry of Health of Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohorts of patients who had survived up to five years after diagnosis were constructed. The data were obtained from medical records, medication dispensing forms, and death certificates of patients in Curitiba, in the Brazilian state of Paraná. Six hundred patients were selected from the first six months following the adoption of each of the treatment regimens (1992, 1997, and 2002).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The ratio of men to women fell from 6.5:1 in 1992 to 1.4:1 in 2002. There was a proportionate rise in the number of people over 50, which increased from 1.4% in 1992 to 9.9% in 2002. The case fatality rate dropped from 81.9% to 33.9% in the period in question. An analysis of those who survived at least five years from the date of diagnosis showed that the percentage of patients treated increased from 46.2% in 1992 to 94.0% in 1997, finishing at 91.7% in 2002. Multivariate analysis yielded a positive and statistically significant association between survival up to five years after an AIDS diagnosis and years of schooling, age group, year of diagnosis, type of antiretroviral therapy, and treatment adherence (all with P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous improvement of the antiretroviral therapy recommended by the Ministry of Health had a positive impact on survival. There was an association between case fatality and fewer years of schooling, membership in an older age group, a diagnosis obtained in 1992, the type of antiretroviral therapy, and suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral treatment regimens.
authors.affiliation: Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brasil. silviaderossi@gmail.com
authors.forename: Silvia Maria Gomes de
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Eliane Cesario Pereira
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Maluf
authors.forename: Denise Siqueira
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Clea Elisa Lopes
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: Celia Regina Pissini
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Battaglin
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023241:Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019380:Anti-HIV Agents