title: Prevalence of thrombocytopenia among Chinese adult antiretroviral-naïve HIV-positive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of thrombocytopenia among Chinese antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve HIV-infected adults has not been well-described. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and associated risk factors of thrombocytopenia among Chinese ART-naïve HIV-infected adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a cross-sectional study of Chinese adult ART-naïve HIV-infected patients from September 2005 through August 2014. Socio-demographic variables and laboratory results including platelets, CD4+ cell count, and viral load were obtained from medical records. Factors and outcomes associated with thrombocytopenia were assessed using logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1730 adult ART-naïve HIV-infected patients was included. The mean age was 38 years. The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was 4.5%. There were significant differences in the prevalence of thrombocytopenia between patients <30 years of age (2.8%) and 30-39 years (4.0%) compared with patients greater than 50 years (7.0%) (P = 0.006 and P = 0.044, respectively). The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was also significantly different between patients with CD4+ counts of 200-349 cells/mm 3 (3.3%) and >350 cells/mm 3 (2.8%) compared with patients with CD4+ counts of 50-199 cells/mm 3 (7.1%) (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005, respectively). The prevalence of thrombocytopenia was significantly different by hepatitis C virus antibody (HCV-Ab) seropositivity (10.2% for HCV-Ab positive vs. 3.9% for HCV-Ab negative, P = 0.001). We observed differences in prevalence of thrombocytopenia by mode of transmission of HIV infection: Blood transmission (10.7%) versus men who have sex with men (3.9%) (P = 0.002) and versus heterosexual transmission (3.9%) (P = 0.001). In binary logistic regression analyses, age ≥ 50 years, HCV-Ab positivity and having a CD4+ cell count of 50-199 cells/mm 3 were significantly associated with thrombocytopenia with adjusted odds ratio of 2.482 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.167, 5.281, P = 0.018), 2.091 (95% CI: 1.078, 4.055, P = 0.029) and 2.259 (95% CI: 1.028, 4.962, P = 0.042), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thrombocytopenia is not common among adult ART-naïve HIV-infected patients in China. Older age (age over 50 years), HCV-Ab positivity and lower CD4+ cell count are associated with an increased risk of thrombocytopenia. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment of thrombocytopenia in these patients are necessary.
authors: Hong-Wei
authors: HW
authors: Fan
authors: Fu-Ping
authors: FP
authors: Guo
authors: Yi-Jia
authors: YJ
authors: Li
authors: Ning
authors: N
authors: Li
authors: Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China.
authors: Tai-Sheng
authors: TS
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D018937:Hepatitis C Antibodies