[Progress of clinical parameters amongst prison inmates receiving antiretroviral treatment]

Among HIV positive patients the CD4 lymphocyte count, especially the viral load, are the best predictors for progress to full blown AIDS or death.

To analyze the factors associated with progress of the CD4 lymphocyte count and viral load in prison inmates in antiretroviral treatment.

A fixed cohort study was conducted with HIV positive inmates receiving antiretroviral therapy in three Spanish prisons. Adherence to antiretroviral treatment was assessed with the SMAQ questionnaire. To analyze the progress of CD4 and viral load clinical parameters, two fixed effect multilevel linear regression models were utilised.

10% of the sample were women, 42% referred for anxiety or symptoms of depression in the final week, and 46.6% reported having social support inside the prison. CD4 and viral load clinical parameter means were 2.48 and 2.89 respectively, and 38.6% had an undetectable viral load. A negative correlation between viral load and CD4 lymphocyte count (p<0.001) was found. Those inmates who did not present psychological morbidity showed a significant reduction in plasma viral load (p=0.017).

The results of this study show the relevance of psychosocial factors in the immune system.