[Impact of antiretroviral therapy under different treatment regimens]. / Impacto da terapia antirretroviral conforme diferentes consensos de tratamento da Aids no Brasil.

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.

Impacto da terapia antirretroviral conforme diferentes consensos de tratamento da Aids no Brasil / Impact of antiretroviral therapy under different treatment regimens

Objetivo. Comparar as características dos pacientes com Aids e os resultados dos tratamentos na vigência de três diferentes consensos de terapia antirretroviral preconizados pelo Ministério da Saúde do Brasil. Métodos. Foram construídas coortes retrospectivas de pacientes com sobrevida de até 5 anos após diagnóstico. Os dados foram obtidos de prontuários, formulários de dispensação de medicamentos e declarações de óbitos dos pacientes residentes no município de Curitiba (PR), Brasil. Foram elegíveis 600 pacientes referentes aos 6 primeiros meses dos anos seguintes à implantação dos consensos (1992, 1997 e 2002). Resultados. A razão de masculinidade passou de 6,5:1 em 1992 para 1,4:1 em 2002. Ocorreu um aumento proporcional na população com mais de 50 anos, que passou de 1,4% em 1992 para 9,9% em 2002. A letalidade diminuiu de 81,9% para 33,9% no período estudado. A análise dos que sobreviveram até pelo menos 5 anos após diagnóstico mostrou que a frequência de pacientes tratados aumentou, sendo 46,2, 94,0 e 91,7%, respectivamente, para os anos de 1992, 1997 e 2002. A análise multivariada mostrou associação positiva e estatisticamente significante entre sobrevida até 5 anos após o diagnóstico de Aids e anos de estudo, faixa etária, ano de diagnóstico, tipo de terapia antirretroviral e adesão ao tratamento (todos com P < 0,001). Conclusões. O aprimoramento da terapia antirretroviral preconizada pelo Ministério da Saúde teve impacto positivo na sobrevida. Houve associação entre letalidade e menor escolaridade, maior faixa etária, diagnóstico obtido em 1992, tipo de terapia antirretroviral e adesão incompleta ao tratamento antirretroviral.

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

Leprosy and confinement due to leprosy show high association with hepatitis C in Southern Brazil.

Leprosy is a disease, which is accompanied by cellular immunity defects, which may increase the susceptibility of patients in developing co-infections. The association of leprosy with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV 1+2) infection and human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV I+II) infection have previously been described in different populations. In this study, the prevalence of these infections was determined in 199 Southern Brazilian leprosy patients and in 681 matched controls. Antibodies to HCV were positive in 3.52% of the patients (7/199) and in 0.15% of the controls (1/681; odds ratio (OR)=24.79; 95% CI=3.03-202.74; p=0.0002). An increased risk of HCV infection was observed in institutionalized patients (OR=14.95; 95% CI=1.76-127.03; p=0.004) and in the lepromatous form of the disease (OR=7.67; 95% CI=0.43-136.62; p=ns). Anti-HIV 1+2 antibodies were positive in only one out-patient (1/199; 0.50%) and in none of the controls (0/681; OR=3.43; 95% CI=0.21-55.16; p>0.05). No leprosy patient was positive for anti-HTLV I+II antibodies. These results demonstrate an increased prevalence of HCV infection in leprosy patients from South Brazil and that both institutionalization and lepromatous form of the disease confer higher risk to HCV infection. These data emphasizes the importance of monitoring hepatitis C and leprosy interactions and the need of special care to institutionalized and lepromatous patients in preventing HCV co-infection.

Leprosy and confinement due to leprosy show high association with hepatitis C in Southern Brazil

Leprosy is a disease, which is accompanied by cellular immunity defects, which may increase the susceptibility of patients in developing co-infections. The association of leprosy with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, human immunodeficiency virus types 1 and 2 (HIV 1+2) infection and human T-lymphotropic virus types I and II (HTLV I+II) infection have previously been described in different populations. In this study, the prevalence of these infections was determined in 199 Southern Brazilian leprosy patients and in 681 matched controls. Antibodies to HCV were positive in 3.52% of the patients (7/199) and in 0.15% of the controls (1/681; odds ratio (OR)=24.79; 95% CI=3.03-202.74; p=0.0002). An increased risk of HCV infection was observed in institutionalized patients (OR=14.95; 95% CI=1.76-127.03; p=0.004) and in the lepromatous form of the disease (OR=7.67; 95% CI=0.43-136.62; p=ns). Anti-HIV 1+2 antibodies were positive in only one out-patient (1/199; 0.50%) and in none of the controls (0/681; OR=3.43; 95% CI=0.21-55.16; p>0.05). No leprosy patient was positive for anti-HTLV I+II antibodies. These results demonstrate an increased prevalence of HCV infection in leprosy patients from South Brazil and that both institutionalization and lepromatous form of the disease confer higher risk to HCV infection. These data emphasizes the importance of monitoring hepatitis C and leprosy interactions and the need of special care to institutionalized and lepromatous patients in preventing HCV co-infection.