[Mortality and survival in a cohort of 1,115 HIV-infected patients (1989-97)]

To study survival and HIV/AIDS-related mortality from 1989 through 1997. To analyze the effect of antiretroviral treatment and prophylaxis against P. carinii pneumonia (PCP-prophylaxis).

We retrospectively studied a cohort of 1,115 HIV (+) outpatients (331 with AIDS-defining criteria) seen in our specific HIV hospital unit from January 1989 through May 1997. We analyzed the effect of different antiretroviral treatments on annual mortality rate. In survival studies we used Cox regression analysis to analyze survival over time as well as the effect of different opportunistic events, adherence and changes in treatment during follow up.

Mortality rate was 13.7 per 100 person-years in 1994. It went down to 4.2 during the first half of 1997 (p=0.001). Mortality rate decreased depending on treatment received: 53% (CI 95=34-65%) with monotherapy, 68% (CI 95=38-84%) with bitherapy, 86% (CI 95=40-96%) with triple therapy, and 49% (CI =29-64%) with PCP-prophylaxis. Patients with more than 100 CD4 had an increasing survival over time (p=0.002). In AIDS patients good adherence to antiretroviral treatment and PCP-prophylaxis were associated with a lower risk of death (RR=0.88; CI 95=0.63-1.22 and RR=0.72; CI 95=0.55-0.95 respectively).

In recent years PCP-prophylaxis and antiretroviral treatment (especially combined therapy) have contributed to a decrease in AIDS-related mortality. Adherence to treatments relates to risk of death and survival.