title: Trends and risk factors for HIV, HCV and syphilis seroconversion among drug users in a methadone maintenance treatment programme in China: a 7-year retrospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the trends and associated factors of HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and syphilis seroconversion among Chinese methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) clients over a follow-up period of up to 7 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Drug users from 14 MMT clinics in Guangdong Province were recruited during 2006-2014. Participants were seronegative with at least one HIV, HCV or syphilis infection at baseline and had completed at least one follow-up test during the study period. We estimated HIV, HCV and syphilis seroconversion rates in follow-up years and identified the underlying predictors using a multivariate Cox regression model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 9240 participants, the overall HIV seroconversion rate was 0.20 (0.13 to 0.28)/100 person-years (pys), 20.54 (18.62 to 22.46)/100 pys for HCV and 0.77 (0.62 to 0.93)/100 pys for syphilis, over the study period. HIV seroconversion rate showed a moderate but non-significant annual decline of 13.34% (-42.48% to 30.56%) (χ(2) trend test; p=0.369), whereas the decline of HCV seroconversion was 16.12% (5.53% to 25.52%) per annum (p<0.001). Syphilis seroconversion rate remained stable (p=0.540). Urine results positive for opioid predicted HIV seroconversion (≥ 60% vs <60%; HR=3.40, 1.07 to 10.85), being unmarried (HR=1.59, 1.15 to 2.20), injection drug use in the past 30 days (HR=2.17, 1.42 to 3.32), having sexual intercourse in the past 3 months (HR=1.74, 1.22 to 2.47) and higher daily dosage of methadone (≥ 60 mL vs <60 mL; HR=1.40, 1.01 to 1.94) predicted HCV seroconversion. Being female (HR=3.56, 2.25 to 5.64) and infected with HCV at baseline (HR=2.40, 1.38 to 8.36) were associated with subsequent syphilis seroconversion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MMT in China has demonstrated moderate-to-good effectiveness in reducing HIV and HCV incidence but not syphilis infection among participating drug users.
authors: Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China Sun Yat-sen Centre for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xia
authors: X
authors: Zou
authors: Faculty of Medical Statistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China Sun Yat-sen Centre for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Ling
authors: Sun Yat-sen Centre for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China The Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors: Lei
authors: L
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D055030:Drug Users; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D000069078:Seroconversion / Q000187:drug effects*; D013587:Syphilis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D008691:Methadone