Older HIV-infected patients--an underestimated population in northern Greece: epidemiology, risk of disease progression and death.
Τίτλος | Older HIV-infected patients--an underestimated population in northern Greece: epidemiology, risk of disease progression and death. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2013 |
Authors | Metallidis, S., Tsachouridou O., Skoura L., Zebekakis P., Chrysanthidis T., Pilalas D., Bakaimi I., Kollaras P., Germanidis G., Tsiara A., Galanos A., Malisiovas N., & Nikolaidis P. |
Journal | Int J Infect Dis |
Volume | 17 |
Issue | 10 |
Pagination | e883-91 |
Date Published | 2013 Oct |
ISSN | 1878-3511 |
Λέξεις κλειδιά | Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, Adolescent, Adult, Age Distribution, Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active, CD4 Lymphocyte Count, Comorbidity, Delayed Diagnosis, Disease Progression, Greece, HIV-1, Homosexuality, Male, Humans, Kaplan-Meier Estimate, Male, Middle Aged, Prevalence, Proportional Hazards Models, Retrospective Studies, Risk Factors, Young Adult |
Abstract | OBJECTIVES: HIV prevalence among older people is on the increase. The aim of this study was to evaluate the epidemiological and clinical features at diagnosis and survival of older patients.METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of the data of 558 newly diagnosed antiretroviral-naïve patients between January 1998 and December 2008. Patients were divided into two groups according to their age at diagnosis: ≥50 years (n=103) and 18-49 years (n=455).RESULTS: The most common risk factor for older patients was heterosexual contact (p<0.013). Older patients were more likely to suffer from hypertension (33.0% vs. 5.1%, p<0.0005), cardiovascular disease (20.4% vs. 2.9%, p<0.0005), neurological disorders (11.7% vs. 5.5%, p=0.02), renal dysfunction (12.6% vs. 5.3%, p=0.01), and infections (66.0% vs. 49.7%, p=0.003) than their younger counterparts, and to have more hospital admissions during follow-up (47.5% vs. 19.6%, p<0.0005). Older patients had a shorter survival time (p<0.0005). A statistically significant increase in CD4+ cell number through time was observed in both groups (p<0.0005). Younger patients reached higher magnitudes of absolute numbers of CD4+ cells during follow-up (p<0.0005) after the initiation of antiretroviral therapy. The total number of patients with clinical AIDS from baseline throughout the study period was also higher in the older age group (35.9% vs. 25.0%).CONCLUSIONS: HIV-infected people aged ≥50 years differ in epidemiological and clinical features to younger HIV-infected people. The issue of increasing prevalence of HIV infection is a matter of concern due to existing comorbidities, which probably lead to higher mortality rates and faster progression to clinical AIDS. |
DOI | 10.1016/j.ijid.2013.02.023 |
Alternate Journal | Int. J. Infect. Dis. |
PubMed ID | 23639484 |