Long-term trends in HIV care entry: over 15 years of clinical experience from Poland

Delay in HIV diagnosis and consequently late care entry with low CD4 counts remain a major challenge for the control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The aim of this study was to analyse the evolution of characteristics of the HIV epidemic in Poland.

Cross-sectional data were collected for 3972 HIV-infected patients followed up in 14 of 17 Polish HIV treatment centres in the years 2000-2015. Clinical data were analysed and factors associated with late presentation (baseline CD4 count < 350 cells/μL or history of AIDS-defining illness) and advanced HIV disease (baseline CD4 count < 200 cells/μL or history of AIDS) were identified.

The majority (57.6%) of patients entered care late, while 35.6% presented with advanced HIV disease. The odds of being linked to care late or with advanced HIV disease increased consistently across age categories, increasing from 2.55 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.46-4.47] for late presentation and 3.13 (95% CI 1.49-6.58) for advanced disease for the 21-30-year-old category to 5.2 (95% CI 1.94-14.04) and 8.15 (95% CI 2.88-23.01), respectively, for individuals > 60 years of age. Increased risks of late entry and advanced HIV disease were also observed for injecting drug users [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.74 (95% CI 1.16-2.60) and 1.55 (95% CI 1.05-2.30), respectively], with lower aOR associated with the men who have sex with men transmission route [aOR 0.3 (95% CI 0.31-0.59) and 0.39 (95% CI 0.29-0.53), respectively]. The frequencies of cases in which patients were linked to care late and with advanced HIV disease decreased over time from 67.6% (2000) to 53.5% (2015) (P < 0.0001) and from 43.5% (2000) to 28.4% (2015) (P = 0.001), respectively.

Despite improvements over time, most patients diagnosed with HIV infection entered care late, with a third presenting with advanced HIV disease. Late care entry remains common among people who inject drugs and heterosexual groups.