Development of AIDS in people with transfusion-acquired HIV infection

To determine the rate of development of AIDS, and the demographic and clinical cofactors for development of AIDS in a group of 117 people with transfusion-acquired HIV infection, who were infected between 1980 and 1985 in New South Wales, Australia.

By December 1991, 67 (57%, 95% CI 48-66%) of the study subjects had developed AIDS. The estimated median time to development of AIDS was 7.2 years from the date of infection. There was no significant difference in median age at infection or sex between individuals who did and did not develop AIDS. The median time to development of AIDS was shorter in older individuals (median time to AIDS for age groups 13-39, 40-59 and > 59 was 7.8, 7.1 and 5.4 years, respectively; P = 0.20). A significantly greater proportion of individuals who had never received treatment with zidovudine developed AIDS compared with individuals who had (P = 0.04). But in a statistical analysis which took account of the changing availability of zidovudine over time, there was no significant association between the development of AIDS and treatment with zidovudine (P = 0.44).

Consistent with other studies, age appeared to increase the rate of progression to AIDS, although not significantly so in this study.