ABSTRACT
The first six months of HIV care and treatment are very important for long-term outcome. Early mortality (within 6 months of care initiation) undermines care and treatment goals. This study assessed the temporal distribution in baseline characteristics and early mortality among HIV patients at the University College Hospital; Ibadan; Nigeria from 2006-2013. Factors associated with early mortality were also investigated. This was a retrospective analysis of data from 14 857 patients enrolled for care and treatment at the adult antiretroviral clinic of the University College Hospital; Ibadan; Nigeria. Effects of factors associated with early mortality were summarised using a hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval obtained from Cox proportional hazard regression models. The mean age of the subjects was 36.4 (SD=10.2) years with females being in the majority (68.1%). While patients' demographic characteristics remained virtually the same over time; there was significant decline in the prevalence of baseline opportunistic infections (2006-2007=55.2%; 2011-2013=38.0%). Overall; 460 (3.1%) patients were known to have died within 6 months of enrollment in care/treatment. There was no significant trend in incidence of early mortality. Factors associated with early mortality include: male sex; HIV encephalopathy; low CD4 count ( 50 cells); and anaemia. To reduce early mortality; community education should be promoted; timely access to care and treatment should be facilitated and the health system further strengthened to care for high risk patients